Supervisor Liz Kniss was born in Massachusetts and has been a resident of Santa Clara County since 1968. Supervisor Kniss holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Simmons College and a Master of Public Administration and Health Care Policy degree from Cal State University. In 1985 Supervisor Kniss was elected to serve as a Member of the Palo Alto School Board. She served as a Member of the Palo Alto City Council from 1989 to 1994 and as Mayor from 1994 to 2000. She was elected to the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to represent District 5 in 2001, a position she held until December 2012. During her tenure on the Board Supervisor Kniss’ areas of interest included Public Health, the Health and Hospital System and Legislative matters. She served on all five of the Board Policy Committees; the Santa Clara County Health Authority Board of Directors; Santa Clara County Emergency Preparedness Council; First Five Santa Clara County Board of Directors; the Santa Clara County Cities Association Joint Economic Development Policy Committee; Disaster Council; Energy Task Force; and the Juvenile Detention Reform Planning and Oversight Committees. She also served as a local representative on several regional, State and national Boards and Commissions including: the Bay Area Air Quality Management District; Bay Conservation and Development Commission; Local Agency Formation Commission; Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District Financing Authority; Regional Hazardous Waste Management Facility Allocation; and the Valley Transportation Authority; California State Association of Counties; California Urban Counties Caucus; and National Association of Counties.