Perkins was a model who participated in television commercials for various companies, among them: "Chicklets Adams", "
Texaco", "
Salem cigarette" and for "INDULAC" (Dairy Producers Industry of Puerto Rico). In 1978, she represented Puerto Rico in the Miss Teen Intercontinental beauty pageant held in
Oranjestad, Aruba. Perkins came in 3rd place. In May of that same year, Perkins represented the city of San Juan in the
Miss Puerto Rico contest and won the title. Miss Puerto Rico is the official national preliminary to the Miss Universe international pageant. Each year the event is held to select the representative from the island to the contest. There is a picture of her pictured with the Miss Puerto Rico
sash and
crown, which she was entitled to wear during her reign. She then traveled to
Acapulco, Mexico, where she represented Puerto Rico in the first Miss Universe pageant hosted by that country. In 1979, Perkins crowned her successor to the title, Audrey Teresa López (Miss Mayaguez), in an event that included the presence of actor
Erik Estrada. ==Death==