Career
Following her graduation from the University of Oregon in 1965,she went to work for Senator Wayne Morse. [3] Following Morse's defeat in 1968,she joined the staff of Senator Frank Church. [4] Even after Church left office in 1981,Gross continued to work as his personal secretary until his death in 1984. [5]
From 1985 to 1988,Gross worked as a consultant to the Democratic National Committee. In 1991,she became the executive assistant to Congressman Mike Kopetski. [6] [7] Following Kopetski's retirement,and with Republican Christine R. Trapnell's decision not to seek reelection,Gross decided to seek the Mason district seat on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. [6] [8]
Gross' defeat of Republican William B. Bailey in the November 1995 election saw control of the Board of Supervisors return to the Democrats after a short stint in which control of the ten-member board was evenly divided between the two parties. [9]
In the 2015 Democratic primary,Gross fended off a challenge from community activist Jessica Swanson. [10] Gross went on to defeat independent candidate Mollie A. Loeffler in the November general election. [11]
She retired from the Board of Supervisors at the end of her term in January 2024. [12]
Personal
Gross was born Penelope Ann Schreiner,the daughter of John W. Schreiner Jr. and the former Lois M. Hosford,and raised in Eugene,Oregon. [13] Shortly after graduating from the University of Oregon with a BS in political science in 1965,Gross went to work in the United States Senate. [13] She married Harold M. "Hal" Gross on September 19,1970,with whom she had two daughters,Sabra and Pamela,and a stepson,David. [14]
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