Basilisa Perkins is a wife and mother of two children. She was a returned Peace Corps Volunteer and high school teacher before becoming a full-time homemaker. During that time she was also a caregiver to one of her children with special needs, due to a brain tumor diagnosis that required three years of medical treatments. Her daughter is a brain-tumor survivor for which their family is grateful every day despite the struggles and issues that have impacted their daughter’s life. She holds a B.S. in education and a master's in Public Health (MPH). She is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and Certified Tobacco Treatment Specialist who has works to promote community health through educational programs.