Full Biography for Catherine L. "Cathy" Knipe

Candidate for
Governing Board Member; Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District

I am 40 years old and have lived in the Bay Area my entire life. In 1977 I married my best friend, Andy Knipe. We have lived in Mountain View 21 years now. We have a 16 year old daughter, Leah who is a Junior at Mountain View High School. My family and I enjoy many outdoor activities like camping, boating and fishing. We also love music, our pets and visiting our friends and family sprinkled across the country.

I've always been involved in a job helping people. Back in 1977 as a bank teller and the past 16 years working in the computer industry. I am currently employed at Stanford University as System Administrator in their Facilities Operations Group. This position is key in supporting their work order management system. Prior to Stanford, I worked for EPRI, a non-profit research consortium for the energy industry, in various positions including senior management and telecommunications operations. In the past, I have managed budgets over $1.2 million and many complex projects including construction projects. My department received numerous awards for achieving excellence in customer service.

I am a graduate of Gunn High School in Palo Alto and when time permits a part time "night school" college student, working toward a degree in Business Administration. I'm a person committed to a lifetime of learning; I love learning new skills, experiencing new ideas, meeting different people, and getting involved to improve things.

My involvement with our district is both through the schools and within the community. As a parent of a student at Mountain View High School, a volunteer in drama and vocal music, a member of the school SIP (School Improvement Program) and member of the Web Page Development Team, I have had the experience working with teachers and the wonderful students within our district. I also serve as a Parks and Recreation Commissioner for the City of Mountain View which oversees many programs for young people within the school district. Recently, I have used my position with our community as an advocate for the development of a Youth Advisory Commission.