Renee Knapp - At-Large

My family moved to Frederick County in the early 1970s, and I have lived here most of my life. A few years after graduating from Middletown High School, I met my husband, Chris Knapp, and we moved to Frederick County in 1994 to raise our family. We have two grown children, Ian and Julia. Both of our children are graduates of Frederick County Public Schools.

As the parent of a child with special needs, I spent many years as an advocate, providing a support system for our son who is on the autism spectrum.  In the 1990s, when not much was known about autism, I worked with doctors, specialists, therapists, and Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) schools to advocate for a plan to help my son to become as independent as possible. For over 20 years, I built connections with professionals working in the emerging field of autism therapy, encouraging information sharing and collaboration. With the help of many people along the way, Ian graduated from Tuscarora High School and successfully transitioned to employment as a grocery store cashier in Frederick County.

Our daughter, Julia, also a Tuscarora High School graduate, is currently a graduate student at Northwestern University.  

I enjoyed many years as a volunteer in FCPS in my children’s classrooms and in the PTSA in support of our son and daughter. My experiences with both special education and gifted and talented education have shaped my views of the importance of investment in public education, and my time on the PTSA sparked my interest public service in Frederick County.

I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland. In my free time, I enjoy cooking and baking. Chris, Ian, and I live in Adamstown.