“Nonette Hanko epitomizes active citizenship, leadership and dedication. She was one of the guiding lights in creating the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District in the early 1970s,” Ruskin stated.

“Through her foresight, determination and continued efforts, the district now has some 50,000 acres of permanently dedicated open space lands. As a district board member, she played key roles in expanding the district in 1976 and recently to the coast,” Ruskin noted.

A native of San Mateo and Burlingame, Ms. Hanko has been a Palo Alto resident since 1951. In 1970, Nonette, along with a handful of key open space preservation proponents, spearheaded a two-county initiative to form the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. She has served on the elected Board of Directors since 1972, has been voted President for four terms and she is currently serving as Board Secretary. She is the only Board member to have served two consecutive terms as president.

Nonette was appointed to the 2020 Task Force of Santa Clara County, which recommended that a new south county open space agency be formed to complete a ring of agencies circling the San Francisco Bay.

Over the last decade, Nonette has been recognized for her preservation. She was featured as one of the living visionaries of Bay Area open space in Galen Rowell’s book Bay Area Wild, received the World of Out of Doors Award from the Girl Scouts in Santa Clara County, and received the prestigious “Creators of the Legacy” honor as part of the Palo Alto Centennial. Nonette continues to live in Palo Alto, and spends time with her children and grandchildren.

The Legislature’s “Woman of the Year” ceremony is sponsored by the Women’s Legislative Caucus and is held annually in March to coincide with Women’s History Month.