Downtown Tampa View

City Clerk Biography

Tampa City Clerk

 
Shirley Foxx-Knowles

Tampa City Clerk

Shirley Foxx-Knowles was appointed to the position of City Clerk by Mayor Pam Iorio on May 12, 2003. She is the twenty-eighth clerk for the City of Tampa since 1856. Shirley is a Certified Financial Development Professional, who holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from Florida A & M University (FAMU); and also has completed some graduate work towards an MBA at the University of Tampa.

Prior to joining the City of Tampa, Shirley served as the Development Director for the Tampa-Hillsborough Urban League. During her seven years at the Urban League, Shirley worked to restore and raise funds for the historic West Tampa Centro Espanol building and also worked to develop housing for low to moderate-income families in the East Tampa area.

Shirley was recruited by GTE of Florida to work in the Tampa office as an accountant and administrator. She worked for the corporation for 16 years.

Shirley was born and grew up in Fort Pierce, Florida, and still has family members and many ties to that area. She also has family members in Miami and the Bahamas. Shirley and her husband, William, have three children, Shirley Janelle, Kari Elizabeth, and William Lester Barron, III.

[Historical Note: Tampa's City Clerk was an elected official until 1974, at which time the position was changed to one appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council.]