[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 65 (Friday, May 1, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E647-E648]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING DEAN KLEIN FOR RECEIPT OF LEADERSHIP FAIRFAX'S KATHERINE K. 
                  HANLEY PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD FOR 2015

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 1, 2015

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize this year's recipient 
of Leadership Fairfax's Katherine K. Hanley Public Service Award. This 
year's award goes to Dean Klein, a 1997 graduate of Leadership Fairfax.
   Leadership Fairfax is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to finding, 
training, and growing leaders in Northern Virginia. Leadership Fairfax 
seeks to build leaders who raise the tide not only in their 
organization or local community but also across the whole Northern 
Virginia region. Graduates from its programs become part of and stay 
connected to a fast growing number of civic leaders. I've always said, 
``When you walk into a room, it's easy to spot the Leadership Fairfax 
graduates--they just stand out!''
   Northern Virginia is blessed with many leaders who have given their 
time and service to make a difference in our community. To recognize 
these outstanding leaders among us, Leadership Fairfax instituted the 
Katherine K. Hanley Public Service Award. This annual award, now in its 
12th year, honors an individual for his or her outstanding 
accomplishments in the areas of public service employment or service on 
a public board, authority, or commission and for lasting contributions 
to the quality of life in the community.
   Dean Klein has stood out in our community for many years. He 
currently serves as Director of the Office to Prevent and End 
Homelessness in Fairfax County since being appointed by the Board of 
Supervisors in March 2009. I was pleased to help establish that office 
under the 10-year Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, an initiative 
the County launched when I served as Chairman of the Board. Under Mr. 
Klein's leadership, Fairfax has partnered with the neighboring City of 
Falls Church so that these jurisdictions can take a regional approach 
to the problem of homelessness. One of his many successes has been to 
increase the number of individuals moving out of emergency shelters to 
permanent housing. He grew this number from 243 in 2010 to 926 
individuals in 2014. As a result of that and other efforts, Fairfax has 
actually reduced the number of people experiencing homelessness by more 
than one-third, becoming a standout model for success for those 
communities still struggling to break the cycle of homelessness. For 
his accomplishments Mr. Klein was recognized in 2014 with Fairfax 
County's highest employee honor, the A. Heath Onthank Award.
   Prior to working in his current position he served as the Senior 
Community Relations

[[Page E648]]

Manager at the Freddie Mac Foundation, the metropolitan area's largest 
corporate philanthropic funder. He oversaw the Foundation's support for 
housing programs throughout the United States and oversaw the 
Foundation's investments in the Gulf Coast area after Hurricane 
Katrina. Mr. Klein came to the Foundation from Doorways for Women and 
Families in Arlington, where he was executive director and oversaw all 
operations for the organization including a Safehouse for Domestic 
Violence, Emergency Shelter for homeless families, a Thrift Store, and 
transitional housing for families. Mr. Klein also served for six years 
as executive director of Shelter House, overseeing this organization 
and serving homeless families in our community. He earned a Master of 
Social Work degree from Howard University, and a Bachelor of Arts 
degree in Journalism and Advertising from Ohio State University.
   Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Dean 
Klein for receiving the Katherine K. Hanley Public Service Award and in 
thanking Leadership Fairfax for continuing to develop such talented and 
passionate leaders for Northern Virginia.

                          ____________________