Lori Saldaña
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Lori R. Saldaña (November 7, 1958–) is a Democratic member of the California State Assembly from the 76th Assembly District, representing central San Diego.
Lori Saldaña was born 1958 in San Diego, the third of four daughters born to Virginia and Frank Saldaña. Frank Saldaña served in the Marine Corps and was a reporter for the San Diego Evening Tribune. She grew up in the Clairemont area of San Diego, then graduated with a BA in Physical Education and a MA in Education from San Diego State University (SDSU).
Saldaña started her career coaching at Clairemont and Madison high schools and San Diego City College. Later she taught Business Information Technology in the San Diego Community College District and taught Internet-related classes at SDSU.
Saldaña has many outdoor interests, including sailing, hiking, golfing, kayaking, swimming, snorkeling, and photography. She wrote Lori Saldana's Backpacking Primer (1995).
Saldaña became interested in environmental issues after seeing so much of the coastline developed and water polluted. She was on the founding Board of Directors for San Diego Earth Day and organized the first "Earth Fair" in Balboa Park in 1990. She was chair of the San Diego chapter of the Sierra Club in 1995-1997 and served in other volunteer positions for the Club. Her main interests were in water reclamation and sewage treatment, especially along the US-Mexico border. She served as Chair of the San Diego Wetlands Advisory Board 1992-94. President Clinton appointed her in 1999 to the Border Environment Cooperation Commission's Advisory Council.
In 1995, Saldaña created a "spoof" webpage critical of former Congressman Brian Bilbray. On the site she portrays Bilbray as unsupportive of environmental issues.
In 2004, after tough grassroot campaigns in the primary and general election, Saldaña was elected to the California State Legislature. She was appointed Assistant Majority Whip and serves on the Appropriations, Natural Resources, Veteran's Affairs, and Water, Parks and Wildlife committees.
