[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 23]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 31956-31957]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      MS. MARIAN WILSON-SYLVESTRE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 15, 2009

  Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
extraordinary accomplishments of Ms. Marian Wilson-Sylvestre, who has 
dutifully served the American Red Cross, Bay Area Chapter and touched 
the lives of those in need for nearly 30 years. Her work has affected 
countless people beset by fires, floods and other disasters, and has 
ensured that volunteers and communities throughout the 9th 
Congressional District are ready and resilient in the face of 
adversity.
  Ms. Wilson-Sylvestre has been involved in community-building, 
volunteerism, education and healing for the length of her career. After 
attending Columbia University in New York City, Ms. Wilson-Sylvestre 
received a Master of Social Work at New York's Adelphi University.
  Her career in alleviating affliction and pain for others began at the 
Payne Whitney Psychiatric Clinic at New York Hospital, where she 
observed and aided patients as a Psychiatric Assistant. Next, her 
skills in social work and teaching brought her to the Cardinal 
McCloskey Home and School for Children where she worked with foster 
children.
  In 1978, after arriving in the Bay Area, Ms. Wilson-Sylvestre served 
Bayview Hunter's Point Mental Health Clinic as a child and family 
therapist, and also began teaching at San Francisco Community College. 
Her career with the Bay Area Chapter of the American Red Cross began 
when she became Director of Project New Pride in 1980. For the next 29 
years, she worked her way up through the ranks of the American Red 
Cross, both fulfilling and exceeding her duties as Case Work 
Supervisor, Regional Manager, County Executive, and, for the last 14 
years, Senior Executive Officer.
  Marian has truly utilized leadership, skill, dedication and a 
penchant for compassion in her life's work, and I am certain she will 
continue to do so in her future endeavors. As member of many quality 
organizations, including the National Association of Social Workers, 
Rotary Club of Oakland, the California Personnel and Guidance 
Association, the East Bay Women's Political Action Committee, and the 
boards of City of Oakland Emergency Management, Travelers Aid Society 
and Allen Temple Baptist Church Health Ministry, Ms. Wilson-Sylvestre 
has served the community in innumerable ways.
  Her work has been celebrated throughout the 9th Congressional 
District, and beyond, including an award from the National Institute of 
Mental Health, the Tiffany Award for Management Excellence, a 2002 
Congressional Recognition Award, the 1990 National HIV/AIDS Cultural 
Diversity Award, being named the 2002 Honoree for Black Women Organized 
for Political Action, and the Oakland Unified School District's 
recurring honor of Principal for a Day.
  On behalf of California's 9th Congressional District, I salute you, 
Marian Wilson-Sylvestre, for a successful career of service and your 
unwavering commitment to others. I extend my heartfelt congratulations 
on your retirement, and I wish you the very best.

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