Idaho Statesman welcomes two new community members to its editorial board
.jpg "New community members of the Idaho Statesman editorial board are Christy Perry, left, and J.J. Saldaña.")
This week, I want to formally welcome two new community members to the editorial board: J.J. Saldaña and Christy Perry.
Before I introduce them, though, I want to back up and publicly thank our previous community members, Sophie Sestero and Mike Wetherell, who were outstanding board members, providing valuable insight, wisdom and guidance.
They had served on the board for so long, no one could remember exactly when they started. When I moved into this role as opinion editor in August 2019, it was a great comfort to me to have long-standing board members who could help write strong, impactful editorials. Thank you to Mike and Sophie for your volunteer work, counsel and dedication to the board.
One of our priorities is bringing in fresh perspectives, ideas and community members on a regular basis. Our goal is to bring on new community board members every year.
So with that in mind, I am happy to welcome Perry and Saldaña to the board.
Saldaña is originally from Elko, Nevada, and moved to Boise to attend Boise State University. After college, he started working with the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs, where he now oversees an education program and handles all the public relations and communication for the agency.
He clearly believes in giving back to his community, and that can be seen in his current and past participation on several boards and community organizations, including the Hispanic Cultural Center of Idaho, the Idaho Safe School Coalition, the Idaho Out-Of-School Network and as founder of Idaho Voices United.
He is also co-founder of the Idaho Hispanic Youth Leadership Summit, former president of IMAGE de Idaho (a scholarship organization for Idaho Latinx students), founder of the ¡Animo! Media Awards and board member of the Idaho Civic Engagement Board, Vision 2C, the Idaho Immigrant Resource Alliance and the Boise Chief of Police Advisory Panel.
Given all that, I wasn’t sure Saldaña would have the time to serve on the board, but I am glad he has committed to doing this.
Perry was born in Ankara, Turkey, to military parents from Nampa. After her father returned to the United States, they settled in Middleton, where she was raised. She considers herself an Idaho native.
Perry met her husband, Matt, at school in Middleton, and they have been married for 28 years. They have three children and four grandchildren, all of whom live in the Treasure Valley.
Perry is a graduate of Boise State University. She has a bachelor of arts in political science and a master’s degree in public administration. She has been self-employed for most of her career, except for her time in the Legislature. She served as a Republican Idaho lawmaker representing Canyon County for eight years, from 2010 through 2018, at which time she ran for Congress in the 1st Congressional District. Currently, she works with her husband in the Boise gun shop they own together.
I should also point out that Chadd Cripe, who was named editor of the Idaho Statesman last week, now officially joins the editorial board.
Our board consists of Publisher Rusty Dodge, Cripe, me, newsroom editors Dana Oland and Jim Keyser, and our two new community board members. I’m looking forward to another productive year ahead.