Jose Rodriguez named Board of Education president for 2025-26

DOWNEY — At the December Downey Unified Board of Education organizational meeting Tuesday, Jose Rodriguez was elected president of the Downey Unified Board of Education.

Other officers for 2026 include D. Mark Morris as vice president and Tyrone Conde as clerk.

Outgoing President Linda Salomon Saldaña, a member of the Board since 2020, will continue to serve on the Board as a member representing Trustee Area 4.

There to present Saldaña with certificates thanking her for her term as president were all five members of the Downey City Council, Ari Ruiz representing Assemblywoman Blanca Pacheco, Julia Arce representing Congressman Robert Garcia 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 Senator Bob Archuleta.

Lastly, Rodriguez presented outgoing president Saldaña with a plaque, on behalf of the entire Board of Education, thanking her for her leadership as president this past year.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to have served as Board President this past year,” said Saldaña. “It has been a privilege to contribute to the continued growth of Downey Unified, and although in a different role, I remain committed to supporting our students and strengthening our schools through continued service as a member of our Board.”

Jose Rodriguez was elected to the Board of Education alongside Saldaña in 2020. He and his wife have three children who are all 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 two attending GLAD at Carpenter Elementary and one enrolled in the IB program at Sussman Middle School. 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.

Tyrone Conde has served on the Board of Education since December 2022. He and his wife are the parents of two children who attend Downey Unified schools. Raised in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, Conde earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and a Master of Business Administration from California State University, Los Angeles.

He currently serves as a member of the executive management team at Downey Federal Credit Union and brings a strong passion for education to his role on the Board. As one of six children raised by Mexican immigrant parents, Mr. Conde understands firsthand the importance of ensuring students receive the support they need to succeed at every stage of their education.