Marilee Ann Snider desired to become a teacher beginning at the age of 8. Upon attending college, she received a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education, with a minor in social science, from San Diego State University in 1962. Starting her career the same year as a teacher in San Diego, California, she served in that capacity before moving to Riverside, California, in 1965. Ms. Snider taught in Riverside until 1985 while concurrently tending to her higher education at the University of California Riverside. In 1975, she obtained a Master of Arts in special education and diagnostics. Shortly thereafter, she became a career educator and learning specialist at the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District in 1977.
While thriving in her career in Fairfield, California, Ms. Snider ultimately concluded her edification, having earned a Master of Arts in administration and supervision from the University of San Francisco in 1985. She applied her knowledge of the field to her career until her eventual retirement in 2015, resulting in a prolific educational career of more than 50 years. During her career, Ms. Snider also received certifications from the State of California in administrative services, general elementary life, and as a life learning handicapped specialist. She also earned a clear Crosscultural, Language and Academic Development certification from the State of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing in 2004.
Outside of her primary vocational efforts, Ms. Snider was a program manager in Suisun, California, for eight fruitful years and an educational consultant for 20 years. For 14 years, she also excelled as a consultant for children with behavioral disorders. Civically engaged, Ms. Snider has lent her time and expertise to various organizations, including St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Habitat for Humanity, and groups that support cancer prevention and advocate for the rights of children, veterans, and animals.
Since retiring, Ms. Snider has been a member of the California Retired Teachers Association. Attributing much of her past career success to her love of teaching and passion for working with children, she is particularly proud of providing aid to emerging teachers in the field in her role as the president of the Beta Psi chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma. Notably, during this time, she participated in fundraising efforts to procure classroom items for her colleagues who did not have the opportunity to receive assistance. In addition, the fundraising initiative supported children with severe behavioral conditions who benefitted from hands-on assistance, as well as provided scholarships for aspiring educators.
To commemorate her success, Ms. Snider was named Teacher of the Year by the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District. She was also selected for inclusion in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. In her leisure time, Ms. Snider enjoys completing puzzles, reading mystery novels, going to the movie theater, watching television, gardening, and traveling with her family. Marrying her late husband, Jim, in 1977, she has one daughter, Tiffany, and a Bichon-Frise named Riley.
