Education:
Middle school: Kazen Middle School
Years: 1999 – 2001
High school: South San Antonio High School
Class of 2005
Stanford University
Bachelors of Art in Political Science
Bachelors of Art in Communication
Master in Education
Policy, organization, and leadership studies
Work Experience:
City of San Antonio
City Councilman District 4
2011 – Current
Extracurricular Activities:
Building A Purpose
Awards:
Hobbies/Interest:
Baseball
Biography:
Rey Saldaña was first elected to serve as a San Antonio City Councilmember for District 4 on May 14, 2011. Councilman Saldaña is a lifelong resident of City Council District 4 and a proud graduate of South San Antonio High School. After graduating from high school, Councilman Saldaña received a Gates Millennium full academic scholarship to attend Stanford University in California, where he earned two bachelor’s degrees in political science and communication, as well as a fifth-year master’s degree in policy, organization, and leadership studies through Stanford’s School of Education.
Councilman Saldaña has always been committed to giving back to the city that has given him so much. As a senior at South San Antonio High School, he helped organize Books in the Barrio, a grassroots effort to attract and maintain a bookstore in South San Antonio. The effort resulted in the opening of a Walden’s Bookstore in South Park Mall. During his time at Stanford, Councilman Saldaña returned home each summer to work for the City of San Antonio and its residents.
While in California, Councilman Saldaña worked with the John W. Gardner Center and Stanford’s Institute for Research on Educational Policy and Programs to promote educational advancement through collaborative research. He also served as a coordinator for Kids with Dreams, a community program that provides therapeutic activities for children suffering from disabilities. Long a deep believer in the importance of education, he returned to San Antonio after completing his studies at Stanford to address educational challenges in the city. He previously served as a field representative for Tutors with Computers, the largest supplemental educational services provider in Texas. The program aims to improve students’ academic outcomes by targeting low-income families and providing free in-home tutoring assistance to students in local school districts. Since January 2011, Councilman Saldaña has taught as an adjunct professor at Trinity University, Texas A&M University – San Antonio, and Palo Alto College. He previously worked as a special projects manager in the Dean’s Office at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), and now serves as the Chief Engagement Officer for KIPP: San Antonio.