{{Short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Ken Yeager | image = KenYeagerHeadshot.jpg | office = Member of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors <br>from the 4th district | term_start = 2006 | term_end = 2018 | preceded = Jim Beall | succeeded = | office2 = Member of the San Jose City Council <br>from the 6th district | term_start2 = 2000 | term_end2 = 2006 | preceded2 = Frank Fiscalini | succeeded2 = Pierluigi Oliverio | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1952|12|12}} | birth_place = | party = Democrat | partner = Michael Haberecht | alma_mater = San Jose State University <br> Stanford University | website = | succeeded1 = Susan Ellenberg }} '''Ken Yeager''' (born December 12, 1952) is an American politician. He served on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, representing District 4. First elected to the board in 2006, he represented the cities of Campbell and Santa Clara, as well as west San Jose and the Burbank and Cambrian neighborhoods. Previously, Yeager served on the San Jose City Council from 2000 to 2006. Before that, he served two terms on the San Jose/Evergreen Community College Board. He was a candidate for the 23rd district seat in the California State Assembly in 1996, coming in second.
==Early life and education== Ken Yeager was born December 12, 1952.{{citation needed|date=March 2017}} His parents were Ernest Eugene "Gene" Yeager and Carolyn French Yeage.<ref name="SanJose_Agenda_2003">{{cite web|url=http://www3.sanjoseca.gov/clerk/agenda/2_25_03docs/2_25_03aa.htm |title=San Jose City Council Amended Agenda, Feb_ 25, 2003 |date=2003-02-25 |website=City of San Jose |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120729144153/http://www.sanjoseca.gov/clerk/agenda/2_25_03docs/2_25_03aa.htm |archivedate=2012-07-29 |url-status=dead |accessdate=2013-06-13 |quote=This meeting will be adjourned in memory of Council Member Yeager's mother, Carolyn French Yeager. }}</ref>
Yeager attended San José State University, where he earned a B.A. in political science. He went on to Stanford University, earning an M.A. in sociology, and a Ph.D. in education from the Stanford Graduate School of Education. In 2004, Yeager completed Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government as a David Bohnett LGBTQ Victory Institute Leadership Fellow.<ref name="WomenLeague_Yeagar">{{cite web | url =http://www.smartvoter.org/2006/06/06/ca/scl/vote/yeager_k/bio.html | title =Full Biography for Ken Yeager | date =June 6, 2006 | website =smartvoter.org | publisher =League of Women Voters | access-date =March 3, 2017 }}</ref>
==Career== ===Early career=== Prior to his career in politics, he taught political science at San Jose State University for 12 years full time.<ref name="SCCGOV"/>
In 1984, Yeager was a cofounder of the Bay Area Municipal Elections Committee, described as a "four-county lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender political action group."<ref name="Vitory_Fund_2014"/> He came out publicly in a 1984 ''San Jose Mercury News'' opinion piece in response to the anti-gay rhetoric of a local state senator.<ref name="Vitory_Fund_2014">{{cite web | url =https://www.victoryfund.org/our-work/our-candidates/ken-yeager#.Vw6wLfkrJaQ | title =Ken Yeager - Our Candidates - Santa Clara County Supervisor | date =2014 | website =victoryfund.org | publisher =Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund | access-date =March 3, 2017 | archive-date =April 24, 2016 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160424182154/https://www.victoryfund.org/our-work/our-candidates/ken-yeager#.Vw6wLfkrJaQ | url-status =dead }}</ref> In 1992 he became<ref name="Vitory_Fund_2014"/> the first openly gay elected official in Santa Clara County,<ref name="SCCGOV"/><ref name="SanJoseInside_2016">{{Citation | title =Santa Clara County First Nationwide to Open Office of LGBTQ Affairs | newspaper = San Jose Inside | date =January 8, 2016 | url = http://www.sanjoseinside.com/2016/01/08/santa-clara-county-first-nationwide-to-open-office-of-lgbtq-affairs/ | access-date =March 3, 2017 }}</ref> when he was named as trustee of the San Jose-Evergreen Community College District.<ref name="Vitory_Fund_2014"/> From 1992 until 2000, he served two terms in the role.<ref name="SCCGOV"/> He was a candidate for the 23rd district seat in the California State Assembly in 1996, coming in second in the Democratic primary to then-Santa Clara County Supervisor (later Congressman) Mike Honda.<ref name="SS_1996_ElectionResults">{{cite web | url =http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/sov/1996_primary/sov_primary96.pdf | title =California Secretary of State: 1996 primary election results | date =1996 | website =www.ss.ca.gov | publisher = | access-date =March 3, 2017 }}{{dead link|date=March 2017}}</ref>
Yeager served on San Jose City Council from his election in November 2000 until March 2004, when he was re-elected for a second term<ref name="SCCGOV"/> that lasted until 2006.
In 2001, he flew the rainbow flag for the first time above San Jose City Hall.<ref name="Vitory_Fund_2014"/> Yeager amended San Jose's harassment policy in 2003 to include gender identity.<ref name="Vitory_Fund_2014"/> In 2004, he was named chair of the San Jose City Council's Blue Ribbon Task Force on Ethics.<ref name="SCCGOV"/>
===Recent and current positions=== thumb|right|180px|Ken Yeager speaking in 2009 He last served on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors, representing District 4 and termed out at the end of 2018. First elected to the board in June 2006, he represented the cities of Campbell, Santa Clara, west San Jose, and the Burbank and Cambrian neighborhoods.<ref name="SCCGOV"/> He was re-elected in 2010 and 2014.<ref name="VTA_Yeager"/> In 2008, and then again in 2013, it was Yeager who presided over the first same-sex marriages in Santa Clara county, and he had overseen around 100 such marriages by 2014.<ref name="Vitory_Fund_2014"/> Yeager is a former board member of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD),<ref name="SCCGOV"/><ref name="BAAQMD_notice_2011">{{cite web | url =http://www.baaqmd.gov/~/media/files/planning-and-research/ceqa-letters/city-of-san-jose-diridon-station-area-plan-nop.pdf | title =Notice of Preparation for the Draft Program Environmental Impact Report for the Diridon Station Area Plan | date =October 13, 2011 | website =www.baaqmd.gov | publisher = BAAQMD | access-date =March 3, 2017 }}</ref> and in January 2009<ref name="ARB_2010">{{cite web | url =http://www.arb.ca.gov/board/bio/kyeager.htm | title =ARB Board Member Biographies - Ken Yeager | date =January 6, 2010 | website =www.arb.ca.gov | publisher =Air Resources Board - California Environmental Protection Agency | access-date =March 3, 2017 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160428052327/http://www.arb.ca.gov/board/bio/kyeager.htm | archive-date =April 28, 2016 | url-status =dead }}</ref> the governor appointed him the BAAQMD representative on the California Air Resources Board for four years.<ref name="SCCGOV"/> Involved in public transportation in California,<ref name="SCCGOV"/> Yeager backs the electrification of Caltrain,<ref name="Caltrain_Endorsement">{{cite web | url =http://www.caltrain.com/about/MediaRelations/News_Archive/Caltrain_Applauds_MTC_Endorsement_of_Regional_Agreement_to_Fund_Modernization.html | title =Caltrain Applauds MTC Endorsement of Regional Agreement to Fund Modernization | date = | website =www.caltrain.com | publisher = | access-date =March 3, 2017 | archive-date =November 7, 2016 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20161107050916/http://www.caltrain.com/about/MediaRelations/News_Archive/Caltrain_Applauds_MTC_Endorsement_of_Regional_Agreement_to_Fund_Modernization.html | url-status =dead }}</ref> extending Bay Area Rapid Transit to San Jose,<ref name="SCCGOV"/><ref name="BART_OnWay_2012">{{cite web | url =http://mtc.ca.gov/bart-its-way-san-jose | title =BART Is On Its Way to San Jose | date =April 12, 2012 | website =mtc.ca.gov | publisher =Metropolitan Transportation Commission | access-date =March 3, 2017 }}</ref> and building California High-Speed Rail.<ref name="SCCGOV"/><ref name="Caltrain_Adopts_2017">{{cite web |url=http://www.caltrain.com/about/MediaRelations/News_Archive/Caltrain_Board_Adopts_Updated_MOU_with_High_Speed_Rail.html |title=Caltrain Board Adopts Updated MOU with High_Speed Rail |website=www.caltrain.com |access-date=March 3, 2017 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107044748/http://www.caltrain.com/about/MediaRelations/News_Archive/Caltrain_Board_Adopts_Updated_MOU_with_High_Speed_Rail.html |archivedate=November 7, 2016 }}</ref> In late 2010 he joined the board of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.<ref name="VTA_Yeager">{{cite web | url =http://www.vta.org/people/Ken%20Yeager | title =Ken Yeager | date = | website =www.vta.org | publisher =Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority | access-date =March 3, 2017 | archive-date =January 9, 2018 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20180109042437/http://www.vta.org/people/Ken%20Yeager | url-status =dead }}</ref> He is a member of the Caltrain Joint Powers Authority Board of Directors,<ref name="Caltrain_Board_2017">{{cite web | url =http://www.caltrain.com/about/bod.html | title =Board of Directors | date = | website =/www.caltrain.com | publisher =Caltrain Joint Powers Authority | access-date =March 3, 2017 }}</ref> having served as its chair in 2013.<ref name="VTA_Yeager"/> Yeager serves as chairman of the Supervisors' Health and Hospital Committee,<ref name="SCCGOV"/><ref name="SSCGove_Yeager">{{cite web | url =http://sccgov.iqm2.com/citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=14&ID=7085&Inline=True | title =Regular Meeting - Agenda | date =April 13, 2016 | website =sccgov.iqm2.com | publisher =County of Santa Clara Health and Hospital Committee | access-date =March 3, 2017 }}</ref> and he is also chairman of the California State Association of Counties Health and Human Services Committee.<ref name="SCCGOV"/><ref name="Counties_Health">{{cite web | url =http://www.counties.org/health-human-services | title =Health and Human Services | date =26 May 2015 | website =www.counties.org | publisher =California State Association of Counties | access-date =March 3, 2017 | archive-date =19 November 2021 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20211119142258/https://www.counties.org/health-human-services | url-status =dead }}</ref> He is furthermore a member of the First 5 Commission of Santa Clara County.<ref name="SCCGOV"/><ref name="First5_Ken"> {{cite web |url=http://www.first5kids.org/commission/ken |title=Ken Yeager |website=first5kids.org |publisher=First 5 Commission of Santa Clara County |access-date=March 3, 2017 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160619023828/http://www.first5kids.org/commission/ken |archivedate=June 19, 2016 }}</ref> By 2014, he had published ''Trailblazers: Profiles of America's Gay and Lesbian Elected Officials''.<ref name="Vitory_Fund_2014"/> As of 2017, he continues to periodically teach at San Jose State University.<ref name="SCCGOV"/>
==Personal== Yeager's long-time partner is Michael Haberecht.<ref name="AreaReporter_Wed">{{cite news | title = Couples preparing to wed | url = http://ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=3065 | work = Bay Area Reporter | date = 2008-06-12 | accessdate = 2008-06-14 | archive-date = 2011-07-10 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110710165638/http://ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=3065 | url-status = dead }}</ref> Yeager is a triathlete<ref name="SCCGOV">{{Cite web |url=https://www.sccgov.org/sites/d4/about/Pages/bio.aspx |title=Ken Yeager Profile |access-date=2017-03-04 |archive-date=2017-02-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170208132310/https://www.sccgov.org/sites/d4/about/Pages/bio.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> and cyclist and frequently commutes to work by bike.<ref name="Metro_Biking">{{cite web |title=Participation Highest Ever for Bay Area's Bike to Work Day |url=http://www.mtc.ca.gov/news/press_releases/rel468.htm |publisher=Metropolitan Transportation Commission |date=2009-05-20 |accessdate=2009-07-15 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090625133444/http://www.mtc.ca.gov/news/press_releases/rel468.htm |archivedate=2009-06-25 }}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Ken Yeager}} * [http://www.supervisoryeager.org/portal/site/d4/ Supervisor Ken Yeager's site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808040914/http://www.supervisoryeager.org/portal/site/d4/ |date=2007-08-08 }}
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Jim Beall}} {{s-ttl|title=Santa Clara County Supervisor, 4th District|years=2006–present}} {{s-inc}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yeager, Ken}} Category:1952 births Category:Living people Category:California Democrats Category:County supervisors in California Category:American gay politicians Category:San Jose State University alumni Category:Stanford University alumni Category:Harvard Kennedy School alumni Category:San Jose City Council members Category:Stanford Graduate School of Education alumni Category:American LGBTQ city council members Category:LGBTQ people from California