Joanne Dolores Saliba

September 4, 1945 - July 21, 2023 JOANNE DOLORES SALIBA
September 4, 1945 – July 21, 2023

Beloved daughter of Leon and Dolores Saliba, wife of Reynold Blight, mother of Leonidas Charles Saliba-Blight, sister to five siblings, and aunt, cousin, and friend to many passed away after a short illness.
Born in Los Angeles, California, Joanne attended 3rd Street Elementary School, John Burroughs Junior High School, Marlborough High School and graduated from Buckley High School in 1963.
Joanne attended the University of Southern California majoring in Drama but left in 1965 to move to New York to audition for Broadway plays. After several near-misses she decided to move to Montreal in 1968 where she taught English as a second language. She returned to Los Angeles in 1970 and was a Location Scout for various film makers and a Drama Teacher at Buckley School.
In 1973 she took on a more challenging role as a Special Education Teacher at the newly formed Poseidon School. Over a 40-year span, she advanced from Teacher to Director of Development, to Executive Director. She guided hundreds of at-risk and challenged students to academic, personal, and social success. While Executive Director she served LAUSD on the Board of the California Association of Private Special Education Schools from 1990 to 2011 (President from 1998-2000).
From January 2012 to May of 2014, she was Executive Director of the Charter High School of Art Music and Performance (CHAMPs) in Van Nuys where she stabilized the Administration and led the school to becoming a unique resource for education in the Valley.
Throughout her life she was active in community service and advisor to City Council Representatives on a variety of local issues. She served The Los Angeles Unified School District on the Executive Committee for the Modified Consent Decree for Special Education (1996-2012).
In 2015 she joined the Toluca Lake Neighborhood Council and was its Vice-President and Secretary until 2018. For the County of Los Angeles, she served as Foreperson of the Civil Grand Jury (2016-2017) and was then appointed to the Citizens' Economy and Efficiency Committee (2018-2022).
In 2019 Joanne was appointed by the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office to help mediate disputes between neighbors. She quickly became their go to Volunteer for handling difficult cases that would otherwise require long legal battles.
She served on the Boards of many non-profit corporations over the years, including Colburn School of Performing Arts, East Valley Family YMCA, The International School of Los Angeles, and Musyca Children's Choir.
The non-profit closest to her heart, however, was the 24th St. Theatre. It engages and educates inner-city young people and their families through live theatre and arts education. She was on the founding Board in 1999 and Served as the Board President from 2003 to 2006. She continued to serve on the Advisory Board from 2006 until her passing.
Joanne will be remembered by all who knew her as a selfless, non-judgmental, compassionate, and extraordinary person who always encouraged the best in everyone.
In lieu of Flowers, please donate in Joanne's name to 24th St Theatre / 1117 West 24th Street / Los Angeles 90007.
The funeral and interment will be at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills on August 24th at 9:00 AM.