Mayor of Palo Alto, California

As an elected public official for more than 15 years, serving twice as
Mayor of Palo Alto, CA, "birthplace of the Silicon Valley", Liz Kniss has played a major role in promoting technology in government and contributing to the success of Palo Alto
and the Bay area as a Technology Hub. Stanford University and the
University of California at Berkeley's proximal locations have added measurably to the Silicon Valley's success

Kniss led the city and the county to establish government web-sites for easier citizen
access to information and commerce opportunities. and Palo Alto has been widely recognized for being the first city with a Web-site, and global presence
on the Internet, As the "first city" Palo Alto was featured by CNN, CBS, and National Public Radio.

Previously employed by Sun Microsystems, her technology experience led her to creating NETDAY '96, a state-wide program wiring schools to the Internet, as well as establishing Family Resources a Web-based information source for parents throughout the Bay area.
As Mayor, Kniss led the efforts to streamline permitting processes, enabling businesses
to move more competitively and profitably in the region.

Ms. Kniss has traveled and spoken throughout the US and the world on issues involving
successful cooperation between government and business. Ms. Kniss has a BS from Simmons College in Boston, MA and a Masters in Public Policy from CSU.