McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, and receiving an award from EPA Director Christine Todd Whitman as the Mayor of the first city to be accepted into the EPA's National Environmental Performance Track.

Mary was director of the Marriage Preparation Seminars at the Franciscan Renewal Center for 22 years, in which more than 15,000 adults have participated. She has also served as vice president of the Casa de Paz Y Bien Foundation, Board of Directors of the League of Women Voters, Leadership team for the Valley Interfaith Project, and was former Mayor Herb Drinkwater's campaign manager in 1984 and 1988.

Mayor Manross continues to represent her community at the regional, state and national levels. She is Vice Chair of the Maricopa Association of Governments Executive Committee and will assume the role of Chairman in 2008. She serves on the MAG Transportation Policy Committee and is Chair of the MAG Regional Domestic Violence Council. The Mayor also serves on the Arizona Bioscience Steering Committee that is tasked with creating a strong bioscience and biotechnology industry in Arizona. She is a member of the National League of Cities Transportation, Infrastructure and Services Steering Committee, the group responsible for establishing the NLC's national policy on transportation matters.

Mayor Manross has a bachelor's degree in political science and a secondary teaching credential. She attended both the University of California at Los Angeles and Minot State University.

Mary and her husband Larry have four grown children and two granddaughters.