Marian Melendy, born on September 30, 1930 in Fresno, CA, devoted her professional life to advocating policies to support women and families in San Jose. Melendy was active in the American Association of University Women, serving as president of the San Jose Branch in 1963-64. She was elected to the Santa Clara County Board of Education in 1966 as the first woman on the board, in 1968 she was elected its president, another first. Melendy also worked on behalf of Planned Parenthood, both as a volunteer and as president of the board of directors of Planned Parenthood Mar Monte. After receiving a CORO fellowship in public affairs, she began her service at San Jose City Hall, first with an internship in the office of then-mayor Janet Gray Hayes, and later as chief of staff to Councilmember Nancy Ianni. Her husband, Brett Melendy, was a professor of history at San José State University.