Venice Community Advocate and Democratic Party Influencer Marc Saltzberg Passes Away

WESTSIDE - Marc Saltzberg, a noted progressive activist and Venice neighborhood advocate passed June 27th after a long illness.  

Marc was a long‑time Venice, community activist and leader, known primarily for his involvement with the Venice Neighborhood Council (VNC) and local civic initiatives:

Saltzberg served as Vice‑President of the Venice Neighborhood Council, having been elected to that role in December 2011 after serving as Outreach Officer. 

In his position as Outreach Officer, he organized community events and public policy engagement. His work was locally centric, as he led numerous campaigns such as securing traffic officers at key intersections and chaired several committees within the VNV in his capacity as Vice-President.

Saltzberg supported cultural efforts like the creation of a Venice museum housed in a historic trolley car—advocating for a Pacific Electric heritage display next to the Centennial Library as well as mediating the proposal to bring a zip line to Venice Beach.  

Frequently seen at civic gatherings—such as Venice Chamber mixers—often engaging with local officials and stakeholders, Saltzberg was a true influencer within Democratic Party circles and was a key supporter of US Representative Ted Lieu among many other Democratic elected officials here in Los Angeles. 

A graduate of Carleton College in Minnesota, Marc began an interest in computers and technology as he worked as a project manager bringing several products to market. 

In 2004 Saltzberg was a founding member of the West LA Democrats where he served as president. His counsel, support and advice were sought out by elected officials at the local, county, state and federal levels. Saltzberg was an avid supporter of President Barak Obama and attended the 2008 DNC in Denver, Colorado. 

Saltzberg was a prominent community advocate for Venice, deeply involved in neighborhood governance, outreach, cultural preservation, and public policy.

A celebration of Marc's advocacy and life was held Saturday at his Buccaneer Street residence. He is survived by his wife Nancy, his children Jenny and Alex, his grandchildren, extended family, and network of friends and colleagues within the progressive movement in Los Angeles. 

(Nick Antonicello is a thirty-two-year resident of the neighborhood and covers all things, Venice. You can contact him via email at [email protected])