CITY OF FRESNO
Office of Councilmember Mike Karbassi
WHEREAS, Frances Echeverria is daughter of Fresno from the start. Born the 5th youngest of 6 daughters to a Basque immigrant father and a mother from a nearby mountain community; and
WHEREAS, Raised in the Central Unified School District, she was an eager student. Activities included 4-H for horses and leadership. Frances m oved on to high school and the Fresno -Central FFA Chapter at 12 years old to pursue academics and a collection of agricultural and leadership activities that eventually lead to an American FFA Degree; and
WHEREAS , Frances attended CSU Fresno on scholarship, graduated at 19 with a BA in Communication. Rather than continue the graduate program, she left school to pursue a career in rock radio, where she earned the name Skippy, until the end of Fresno’s heritage rock station, KRZR; and
WHEREAS, Frances was hired to host the first live and local morning show (in a female-scarce field) on KFRR for 9 years and was recruited in 2019 to join the “Afternoon Drive” at KMJ with Philip Teresi. They were voted the People’s Choice Radio Team by Fresno Bee readers in 2021; and
WHEREAS, As the pandemic hit the Central Valley, the need for mental health and counseling became great, and thankfully Frances was well equipped to help those who required these services having earned an MS in counseling and became a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist during those years in radio; and
WHEREAS, In the mental health field, Frances has spent the last 10+ years working in the community as a school- based clinician, social worker for a foster/adoption agency, in multiple recovery settings, and currently has a private practice that focuses on addiction, trauma, mood disorders, and minority populations. She is in her 6th year as an adjunct professor at Fresno State, where she teaches graduate level courses that have included addictions counseling, counseling practicum and child and adolescent therapy; and
WHEREAS, Frances is married to Brett and together, they are raising a house filled with 4 young adults. Micah, Aubrey, Angelina, and Trip; and
WHEREAS, After leaving behind radio, Frances will develop mental health programs to serve businesses and underserved populations, writing and focusing on community involvement to give back to Fresno.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that we Mayor Jerry Dyer and the Fresno City Council do hereby honor:
“Frances ‘Skip’ Echeverria Day”
in the City of Fresno.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have hereunto set our hands and
affixed the seal of the City of Fresno, California, this 19 th
day of January 2023.
_____________________________________________ __________________________________________ JERRY DYER, Honorable Mayor ANNALISA PEREA, Council Vice President
_____________________________________________ __________________________________________ MIKE KARBASSI, Councilmember District 2 MIGUEL ARIAS, Councilmember District 3
_____________________________________________ __________________________________________ TYLER MAXWELL, Council President LUIS CHAVEZ, Councilmember District 5
_____________________________________________ __________________________________________ GARRY BREDEFELD, Councilmember District 6 NELSON ESPARZA, Councilmember District 7