Maya Rappaport

I met Maya 30 yrs. ago, at a professional talk she was giving and we became friends.  A couple of years later the Rappaports moved to Orinda and she joined Friends of Orinda Creeks.  She was an active volunteer and instrumental in keeping us going.  In fact when I was ready to throw in the towel at one point, she said if I would stick with it, she would take on the heavy lifting.  She became our President and attracted some very talented people to our Board of Directors.

At that point we worked together as consultants to the City.  We kept Orinda out of trouble with the Regional Water Quality Control Board and other agencies. In 2005 Maya was honored with the William Penn Mott1 Environmental Award for community service. She was such a supportive colleague as well as a dear friend.

People have written saying she was “a remarkable, dedicated woman.”  Toris Jaeger wrote:  “I am so sad that our incredible Maya has left this Earth.”

Maya left her legacy here and will be forever remembered.

Cinda MacKinnon, Founder FOC

1. William Penn Mott was a famous Orinda resident who directed the East Bay Regional Park District. He is in large part, responsible for the beautiful open space that surrounds Orinda;  EBRP acreage more than doubled under his watch.  He went on to head the U.S. National Park Service in 1985.