[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 14, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E175]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E175]]



                         HONORING TERRI THOMSON

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOSEPH CROWLEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 14, 2001

  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Terri Thomson of 
Queens, New York, for her lifetime of community service. Thomson will 
be honored again next week by the Powhatan and Pocahontas Regular 
Democratic Club for her work to improve our education and quality of 
life in Queens.
  Thomson currently serves New York City school children, parents and 
faculty as the Queens Representative to the City Board of Education. 
Thomson is one of seven Board members responsible for setting policy 
for an $11 billion budget, more than one million school children, 1100 
school buildings, and more than 100,000 education professionals.
  Thomson was appointed by Queens Borough President Claire Shulman to 
the New York City Board of Education in July 1998. She is Chair of both 
the Parent Outreach and Involvement and the Finance and Capital Budget 
Committees. She chaired a task force that has recommended all newly 
constructed high schools be offered as schools of choice on a year-
round calendar as a strategy to alleviate overcrowding, particularly in 
Queens.
  Terri has been a steadfast friend and consistent advocate for New 
York City public school children. I have attended dozens of meetings on 
local education issues with Terri, and she has been a powerful ally in 
the fight to ensure that Queens County gets its fair share of education 
resources.
  Thomson has been a strong supporter of many community organizations 
and has served as a board member of the Greater Jamaica Development 
Corporation, Queens Symphony Orchestra, Queens Library Foundation, 
Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts, St. Francis College Board of 
Regents; as Chair of Queens County Overall Economic Development 
Corporation, Treasurer of the Queens Chamber of Commerce and Vice Chair 
of the Brooklyn Sports Foundation.
  Thomson currently serves as Vice President and Director of State 
Civic Affairs in the Citigroup Corporate Affairs Department. 
Previously, she was Vice President and Director of New York City and 
State Government Relations for Citigroup in the Global Community 
Relations Department. She began her career with Citigroup in February 
1990 as Director of Government Relations, representing her company in 
the communities of Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Staten Island. Prior 
to her career at Citigroup, Terri was District Administrator for ten 
years for Congressman Gary Ackerman, advocating for the citizens of 
Queens.
  A strong advocate for school governance reform, Thomson took a 
leadership role in changing the prohibition against Board of Education 
employees serving as parent representatives on School Leadership Teams. 
She has been relentless in fighting for capital dollars in the Board's 
Capital Plan to relieve the longstanding neglect of Queen's schools 
that has resulted in borough-wide overcrowding.
  Thomson, a graduate of Queens College, was born in Brooklyn and has 
lived in Flushing, Queens since the age of three. Thomson and her 
husband Ed have two daughters, Patricia and Maryellen.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in commending Terri Thomson for all her 
work on behalf of her community.

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