Giggy Perez-Saab elected school board president

Barbara Samperi, left, and Giggy Perez-Saab.

DOWNEY – Giggy Perez-Saab was elected president of the Downey Unified School District’s board of education on Tuesday.

Other officers include Nancy Swenson as vice president and Linda Salomon Saldaña as clerk.

Outgoing president Barbara Samperi, a member of the school board since 1993, will continue to serve on the board as a representative of Trustee Area 7.

Tuesday’s meeting also saw the installation of the school board’s newest member, Tyrone Conde.

With Martha Sodetani retiring from the board, Conde was elected as a representative in Trustee Area 1 after running unopposed in the November election.

Providing the public Oath of Office was his wife, Veronica Guevara. In attendance that evening to support Conde were members from his employer, Downey Federal Credit Union, and members of his family, including his two young children.

Also sworn-in Tuesday to continue serving in their respective trustee areas was Nancy Swenson (Trustee Area 5) and Barbara Samperi (Trustee Area 7). Both were provided their sanctioned Oath of Office by Downey Unified Personnel Commissioner John Kennedy.

Perez-Saab presented outgoing president Samperi with a plaque on behalf of the Board of Education, thanking her for her leadership as president this past year. Congresswoman Lucile Roybal-Allard’s field deputy, Christopher Perez, was also in attendance to present Samperi with a proclamation in honor of her year of service as president.

Those unable to attend yet sent a certificate that was presented on their behalf included Supervisor Janice Hahn and Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco.

“I am humbled and honored to be recognized tonight,” said Samperi. “I truly appreciate the support of my Downey Unified family this past year and look forward to seeing what this next year has in store.”

Attending her final meeting on the Board of Education, Sodetani will be moving onto retirement after serving 17 years on the school board. A retirement celebration was held the following evening, Dec. 14, where she was honored by past and present members of the school district, various elected officials, the Downey City Council and her family.

Also in attendance were members from the various service clubs Sodetani continues to serve on as well as many Downey community members that have been touched by Sodetani’s philanthropy.

“It was such a jump for me to go from a foster parent and helping one child at a time, to being on the board and representing and helping 22,000 children,” Sodetani said. “This has truly been the greatest honor in my entire life.”