' s ▁degree ▁in ▁Education . ▁ ▁Sal da ña ▁started ▁her ▁post - grad uate ▁life ▁as ▁a ▁coach ▁at ▁San ▁Diego ▁City ▁College , ▁Cla ire mont ▁High ▁School , ▁and ▁Mad ison ▁High ▁School . ▁ ▁Later , ▁she ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁professor ▁and ▁administrator ▁in ▁the ▁San ▁Diego ▁Community ▁College ▁District , ▁where ▁she ▁taught ▁Business ▁Information ▁Technology ▁and ▁managed ▁Department ▁of ▁Labor ▁gr ants ▁used ▁to ▁provide ▁technical ▁skills ▁and ▁training ▁to ▁the ▁student ▁base . ▁ ▁She ▁has ▁also ▁taught ▁at ▁her ▁al ma ▁mater , ▁San ▁Diego ▁State ▁University . ▁ ▁Early ▁political ▁career ▁Sal da ña ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁found ing ▁Board ▁of ▁Direct ors ▁for ▁San ▁Diego ▁Earth ▁Day ▁and ▁organized ▁the ▁first ▁" E arth ▁Fair " ▁in ▁Bal boa ▁Park ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁She ▁was ▁chair ▁of ▁the ▁San ▁Diego ▁chapter ▁of ▁the ▁Sierra ▁Club ▁from ▁Jan . ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁to ▁Aug . ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁and ▁served ▁in ▁other ▁volunte er ▁positions ▁for ▁the ▁Club . ▁Her ▁main ▁interests ▁were ▁in ▁water ▁re clam ation ▁and ▁se w age ▁treatment , ▁especially ▁along ▁the ▁US - M ex ico ▁border . ▁She ▁served ▁as ▁Chair ▁of ▁the ▁San ▁Diego ▁W et lands ▁Ad vis ory ▁Board ▁ 1 9 9 2 - 9 4 . ▁President ▁Cl inton ▁appointed ▁her ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁to ▁the ▁Border ▁Environment ▁Co operation ▁Commission ' s ▁Ad vis ory ▁Council . ▁ ▁California