THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA HONORS AND COMMENDS

FAYE McNAIR-KNOX, Ph.D.

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WHEREAS, DR. FAYE McNAIR-KNOX received her Bachelor's Degree in 1972, Master’s Degrees in 1973 and 1975, and her Ph.D. in 1985, all from Stanford University. She was inducted into Stanford's Multicultural Alumni Hall of Fame in 2001 and received the Excellence in Economic Development Award in 2004 from the Community Development Institute in East Palo Alto. As the former Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, Director of the Black Community Services Center, and Assistant Director of African and African American Studies at Stanford, she was known as a tireless worker, an advocate for students and an ambassador for community service; and

 

WHEREAS, Dr. McNair-Knox is a Fulbright Scholar, a graduate of Class XV of the American Leadership Forum-Silicon Valley and a published author of book chapters and journal articles. She was most recently honored as Assembly District 21’s “WOMAN OF THE YEAR”. She has held teaching positions at colleges and universities world-wide, including Stanford, where she taught classes on African American English and Language, and Social Issues in America; and

   

WHEREAS, Dr. McNair-Knox has served since 2004 as the Executive Director of the One East Palo Alto (OEPA) Neighborhood Improvement Initiative, a youth-focused, nonprofit, intermediary agency. She has led OEPA’s impressive work on improving the quality of life in East Palo Alto, which includes the widely-acclaimed Sponsored Employment Program, and

has been the driving force behind successful efforts to identify resources, develop skills and

build youth and family resilience in partnership with more than 50 local agencies. Prior to

that position, she was the Executive Director of Start Up for over five years, helping Bay Area residents to establish and grow their own small businesses; and

 

WHEREAS, Dr. McNair-Knox established a partnership with San Mateo County via the

East Palo Alto Crime Reduction Task Force in 2003 and the County’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Services in 2006, which launched the East Palo Alto Mental Health Advisory Group, East Palo Alto Partnership for Mental Health Outreach and Community-Based Partnership

for the Prevention of Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug-Related Problems; and

 

WHEREAS, Dr. McNair-Knox has a long history as a community leader as well as a consummate singer, dancer and musician. She sang with the Nairobi Messengers, performed with Fua dia Congo Dance Company, served as Choir Director for True Light Missionary Baptist Church and St. John Missionary Baptist Church, both in East Palo Alto, and currently serves as the lead musician for Cummings Park C.M.E. Church in Belle Haven/east Menlo Park.

   

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo, State of California, hereby commends Dr. Faye McNair-Knox for her many years of service to the residents of East Palo Alto, east Menlo Park and San Mateo County.

 

Dated: April 13, 2010

 
 

SUPERVISORS:

 
   

RICHARD S. GORDON, PRESIDENT

     
   


CAROLE GROOM

     
   


MARK CHURCH

     
   


ROSE JACOBS GIBSON

     
   


ADRIENNE J. TISSIER

   

Attest:

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Deputy Clerk of the Board of Supervisors