Based in Southern California, VENCER Public Affairs & Strategy offers one thing: overcoming all odds and getting the job done.
VENCER’s experience and knowledge in advocacy, coalition building, and aggressive communication efforts have brought VENCER to where they are today. The outfit brings international and domestic consulting experience to the table with an extensive background combined in public affairs, and governmental relations stemming from California to South America.
In 1998 Salazar served as a Presidential Appointee at the United States Department of Agriculture during the Clinton Administration. Later in the administration, Salazar transitioned to Vice President’s Gore Presidential bid team as an Advisor in 2000 where he worked aggressively to get top Democratic surrogates such as New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, Former HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros, and Vice President Gore into targeted Hispanic media markets throughout the United States.
In the summer of 2001, Salazar took his expertise to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and teamed up with Democratic Strategists James Carville to handle the day-to-day communication and messaging efforts for Argentina’s Economic Minister Domingo Cavallo. From there Salazar joined the presidential team of Bolivian President Gonzalo Sanchez de Losada in La Paz and worked closely with the President’s communications and public affairs outfit.
Salazar continued his success back in his home state and managed the victorious campaigns for California’s Border Congressman Bob Filner by delivering victories in 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2008, which were high-targeted. During the 2006 Election season, Campaigns & Elections magazine, a National Publication named Salazar “one of the nations ‘Rising Stars’” and La Prensa San Diego newspaper considered him as one of the best Hispanic “behind the scenes” operatives.
In 2008—Salazar was selected to be a member of the Electoral College for President Barack Obama at California’s Electoral College. Then in 2012, Salazar continued by assisting California State Senator Juan Vargas in garnering his first win to the U.S. House of Representatives. The following year he assisted San Diego State Assemblymember Ben Hueso to become the next State Senator for District 40 and two years later took Coachella’s Mayor Eduardo Garcia to his first term to the State Assembly for the 56th Assembly District.
Salazar’s involvement and counsel have extended into the increasingly bilingual community with high demands. His tailored community and public affairs efforts for entities have assisted organizations such as the Service Employees International Union, Republic Services, Allied Waste, Pattern Energy, the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council —-with results across the board.
Salazar served as the past President for the Board of Directors for the Center for Family Solutions—a non-profit organization in the Imperial County that assists and educates victims of Domestic Violence by providing shelter, food, clothing, and advocacy since 1977 and also served two terms as the President of the Brawley Rotary Club and its Board of Directors.
Salazar serves as the Co-Chair of the California Latino PAC, an organization that identifies, promotes, and advocates on behalf of the professional, educational, social, political, and cultural interests of the Latino Community in the State. He also serves on the Community Advisory Board for AURA Financial, a Community Development Financial Institution that provides affordable, credit-building loans to working families in America.