Linda Saldaña begins first term as school board president
Nancy Swenson, left, and Linda Saldana.
At Monday evening’s Downey Unified Board of Education organizational meeting, Linda Salomon Saldaña was elected president of the Downey Unified Board of Education.
Other officers for 2025 include Jose Rodriguez as vice president and D. Mark Morris as clerk. Outgoing President Nancy Swenson, a member of the Board since 2005, will continue to serve on the Board as a member representing Trustee Area 5.
Included in the evening’s ceremony, was the swearing in of Board of Education incumbents D. Mark Morris (Trustee Area 6), Giovanna Perez-Saab (Trustee Area 3), Jose J. Rodriguez (Trustee Area 2) and Linda Salamon Saldaña (Trustee Area 4).
There to present Swenson with certificates thanking her for her term as president was Mayor Hector Sosa from the City of Downey, President Mariana Pacheco from the Cerritos College Board of Trustees, Ari Ruiz representing Assemblywoman Blanca Pacheco and Ivan Sulic representing Supervisor Janice Hahn. Unable to be in attendance but was able to provide a certificate of appreciation to be presented on his behalf was Congressman Robert Garcia. Lastly, Saldaña presented outgoing president Swenson with a plaque, on behalf of the entire Board of Education, thanking her for her leadership as president this past year.
“I’m filled with gratitude for the opportunity to have served our incredible Downey Unified community as president over the past year,” shared Swenson. “While I pass the torch of leadership, I remain deeply committed to our students, families, and staff and look forward to continuing to support the growth and success of our district as a proud Board member.”
Linda Salomon Saldaña joined the Downey Unified Board of Education in November of 2020 and this will be the first time she has served as president. Two of her three children are currently a part of Downey Unified, with her eldest graduating from Warren High School in 2022. Saldaña began her journey volunteering with Downey Unified in 2013 at Price Elementary. She served as the PTA Reflections Chairs, Room Parent, PTA President, Vice President and Parliamentarian. She has served on the Local Control Accountability Plan Committee (LCAP – District budget oversite) as the school representative and on the English Language Learner Committee (ELAC). In 2016, Saldaña founded the Downey Foundation for Educational Opportunities (DFEO) with the help of committed community members and Downey Unified alumni. Saldaña was awarded the City of Downey Servant Heart’s Award in 2019 and has received the PTA Honorary Service Award twice.
Jose Rodriguez was elected to the Board of Education alongside Saldaña in 2020. He and his wife have three children: their daughter, currently a senior at Downey High, and their twin sons, both Downey Viking alumni. Rodriguez’s involvement in the community began during his children’s time at Gallatin Elementary School, where he served as PTA president. His leadership helped foster greater parental engagement and involvement. Professionally, Rodriguez works for Turner Construction, where he has been a part of several high-profile projects, including SoFi Stadium and Long Beach Memorial Miller Children’s Hospital. With a strong background in construction management, he brings valuable experience to the Board. As a Board member, Rodriguez has served on various committees, including Downey Unified’s Audit Committee, where he has helped guide important decisions and initiatives to support the district’s growth and success.
D. Mark Morris has been on the Downey Unified School District Board of Education since 1982. He was inducted into the Downey High School Hall of Fame and has a campus building named in his honor. Morris is a lifelong resident of Downey and graduate of Downey High School. Mark retired from the City of Downey as a Housing Planner after 28 years and also worked six years for the cities of Norwalk, Paramount and Alhambra. Mark is married to his wife Pam, a teacher, for 45 years who retired in 2023. They have six children who have all attended Downey Unified schools and five grandchildren, with three attending GLAD at Carpenter Elementary. He holds an Associate of Arts degree from Cerritos Community College, a Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Fullerton and a Juris Doctorate degree from Western State University College of Law. He also speaks Spanish fluently.