Becky Morgan (politician)
Encyclopedia
Rebecca Quinn Morgan is a former Republican
California State Senator
.
Born in Hanover, New Hampshire
, Morgan earned her Bachelor of Science
degree from Cornell University
in 1960. She was a teacher from 1960 to 1962. Serving as the district office manager for Congressman Pete McCloskey
in 1972, she served as an elected member of the Palo Alto Unified School District
Board of Education
from 1973 to 1978. After Morgan earned her MBA
from the Stanford Graduate School of Business
in 1978, she became an Assistant Vice President at Bank of America
. She left Bank of America in 1980 when she was elected to the Santa Clara County
Board of Supervisors.
After one term on the Board of Supervisors, Morgan was elected to the California State Senate
in 1984 to represent the 11th District
and re-elected in 1988 and 1992. During her tenure in the Senate, she was Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Child Care and Development and Vice Chair of several other Senate committees. She was also a member of the Education; Budget and Fiscal Review; Transportation, Energy and Public Utilities; and Revenue and Taxation Committees in the Senate. In 1986, when Southern Pacific sought to withdraw from managing the Caltrain
commuter rail system and consequently, shutting the system down, Morgan wrote the legislation that created the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board to save the Caltrain by enabling the new board to run the system.
She resigned from the Senate effective August 17, 1993, to become President
and CEO
of Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network, a nonprofit organization
composed of business, government, and education groups seeking to improve the Silicon Valley
region's economic growth
and quality of life
the following the early 1990s recession. Later that year, she co-founded the Morgan Family Foundation, which awards grants to youth programs, education, and environmental conservation and was elected to a five-year term on the Stanford University
Board of Trustees. In 1998, Morgan was elected to the Cornell University
Board of Trustees and re-elected in 2002. From 2008 to 2009, Morgan served on the State of California's Commission on the 21st Century Economy.
Morgan resides in Los Altos Hills, California
with her husband, James C. Morgan, whom she met while they were students at Cornell. James Morgan was CEO of Applied Materials
from 1977 to 2003 and Chairman of the Applied Materials Board from 1987 to 2009. The Morgans have two adult children, Jeff and Mary.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
California State Senator
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
.
Born in Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover is a town along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 11,260 at the 2010 census. CNN and Money magazine rated Hanover the sixth best place to live in America in 2011, and the second best in 2007....
, Morgan earned her Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree from Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
in 1960. She was a teacher from 1960 to 1962. Serving as the district office manager for Congressman Pete McCloskey
Pete McCloskey
Paul Norton "Pete" McCloskey Jr. is a former Republican politician from the U.S. state of California who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1967 to 1983. He ran on an anti-war platform for the Republican nomination for President in 1972 but was defeated by incumbent President...
in 1972, she served as an elected member of the Palo Alto Unified School District
Palo Alto Unified School District
- Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School :Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School is a middle school located at 480 East Meadow Dr., Palo Alto, CA 94306. 2007 STAR test results showed an attendance of 870 students, in grades 6 through 8. It was originally named Ray Lyman Wilbur Junior High School after...
Board of Education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
from 1973 to 1978. After Morgan earned her MBA
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
from the Stanford Graduate School of Business
Stanford Graduate School of Business
The Stanford Graduate School of Business is one of the professional schools of Stanford University, in Stanford, California and is broadly regarded as one of the best business schools in the world.The Stanford GSB offers a general management Master of Business Administration degree, the Sloan...
in 1978, she became an Assistant Vice President at Bank of America
Bank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
. She left Bank of America in 1980 when she was elected to the Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County, California
Santa Clara County is a county located at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 it had a population of 1,781,642. The county seat is San Jose. The highly urbanized Santa Clara Valley within Santa Clara County is also known as Silicon Valley...
Board of Supervisors.
After one term on the Board of Supervisors, Morgan was elected to the California State Senate
California State Senate
The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. There are 40 state senators. The state legislature meets in the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The Lieutenant Governor is the ex officio President of the Senate and may break a tied vote...
in 1984 to represent the 11th District
California's 11th State Senate district
California's 11th State Senate District is one of 40 Senate Districts. It is currently represented by Democrat Joe Simitian of Palo Alto.-District profile:...
and re-elected in 1988 and 1992. During her tenure in the Senate, she was Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Child Care and Development and Vice Chair of several other Senate committees. She was also a member of the Education; Budget and Fiscal Review; Transportation, Energy and Public Utilities; and Revenue and Taxation Committees in the Senate. In 1986, when Southern Pacific sought to withdraw from managing the Caltrain
Caltrain
Caltrain is a California commuter rail line on the San Francisco Peninsula and in the Santa Clara Valley in the United States. The northern terminus of the rail line is in San Francisco, at 4th and King streets; its southern terminus is in Gilroy...
commuter rail system and consequently, shutting the system down, Morgan wrote the legislation that created the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board to save the Caltrain by enabling the new board to run the system.
She resigned from the Senate effective August 17, 1993, to become President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
and CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network, a nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
composed of business, government, and education groups seeking to improve the Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley is a term which refers to the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California in the United States. The region is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations...
region's economic growth
Economic growth
In economics, economic growth is defined as the increasing capacity of the economy to satisfy the wants of goods and services of the members of society. Economic growth is enabled by increases in productivity, which lowers the inputs for a given amount of output. Lowered costs increase demand...
and quality of life
Quality of life
The term quality of life is used to evaluate the general well-being of individuals and societies. The term is used in a wide range of contexts, including the fields of international development, healthcare, and politics. Quality of life should not be confused with the concept of standard of...
the following the early 1990s recession. Later that year, she co-founded the Morgan Family Foundation, which awards grants to youth programs, education, and environmental conservation and was elected to a five-year term on the Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
Board of Trustees. In 1998, Morgan was elected to the Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
Board of Trustees and re-elected in 2002. From 2008 to 2009, Morgan served on the State of California's Commission on the 21st Century Economy.
Morgan resides in Los Altos Hills, California
Los Altos Hills, California
Los Altos Hills is an incorporated town in Santa Clara County, California, United States. The population was 7,922 at the 2010 census. Located in Silicon Valley, Los Altos Hills is one of the wealthiest cities in the nation.-Strictly residential:...
with her husband, James C. Morgan, whom she met while they were students at Cornell. James Morgan was CEO of Applied Materials
Applied Materials
Applied Materials, Inc. is a capital equipment producer serving the semiconductor, TFT LCD display, Glass, WEB and solar manufacturing industries....
from 1977 to 2003 and Chairman of the Applied Materials Board from 1987 to 2009. The Morgans have two adult children, Jeff and Mary.