Council Experience

The Hillsboro City Council appointed Cristian Salgado to serve a nearly two-year term representing Council Ward 1, Position A, following the Council vacancy created by the election of Mayor Beach Pace.

Councilor Salgado was sworn into office on January 21, 2025 and will fill out the remainder of Pace's previous City Council term through January 2027. He is eligible to run for election in November 2026 and re-election in November 2030.

Community Experience

Councilor Salgado's community service includes serving on the board of directors for two nonprofits serving Hillsboro: Bienestar and CREATE Alternative School. He is currently serving on the Board of Directors for Oregon Latinos in Local Government, a League of Oregon Cities program. He has also served other communities he has lived in, including the City of Beaverton where he served on the Diversity Advisory Board. Councilor Salgado also earned a Hispanic Leadership Award from the Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce in 2021.   

Education & Work Experience

Councilor Salgado works for Washington County as a Senior Broadband Investment Coordinator. Previously, he has worked for Intel, PGE, Community Action, and has over 10 years of experience working in nonprofits focused on social service and advocacy.

After earning his associate’s degree from Lane Community College, he earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Willamette University.

Why do you serve on the Hillsboro City Council?

“I have always had a heart and spirit for volunteerism and investing time in my community. Volunteering on the Hillsboro City Council is another way for me give back to a city that I really enjoy living in. I am passionate about safety in transportation and increasing accessibility to public transportation, that’s why I am excited to serve on the Transporation Committee.”

What are your hopes and goals for serving on the Council?

“My hopes and goals for serving on the Council are rooted in sustaining and growing our wonderful city. I hope the decisions I make during my time served help sustain and grow the livability standards of our city. I want our residents to have a great experience living in our city. My goals are to increase housing options, growing economic opportunities, and have zero marginalized communities because everyone deserves to be heard.”

What should Hillsboro residents know about how you serve the community as a Council member?

“I am actively working toward becoming a resonate leader, which means that I want to create and sustain a positive emotional environment in and for the organizations I work and serve. I strive to be emotionally intelligent, offer hope and compassion, create sustainable success, and be able to adapt and innovate in our rapidly changing world.”

Fun Facts about Cristian

• Name origin: Cristian, has origins in Latin and it derives from the Latin name Christianus, which means follower of Christ or belonging to Christ.
• Favorite food: Pizza, tacos, and ceviche
• Favorite dessert: Flan
• Favorite beverages: Water, green tea, and coffee
• Favorite type of books: I enjoy nonfiction books on personal development, business, and government.
• Favorite activities & hobbies: Chess, board games, basketball, golf and anything my toddler is into.
• Favorite music & musicians: I have an eclectic taste in music: Jack Johnson, Jaco Pastorius, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Willie Colon, cumbia, banda, hip-hop, and anything with a good beat to dance to.
• Favorite TV show: Too many to name.
• Favorite movies: Mostly romantic comedies and over the top action movies, but I also like movies that draw emotion like Bajo La Misma Luna and Remember the Titans. 
• Favorite vacation spots: Newport, Cannon Beach, Seaside, Leavenworth, WA
• Favorite mentor: Jeff Rich
• Favorite quote: “If you can’t fly, then run, if you can’t run, then walk, if you can’t walk, then crawl, but by all means keep moving forward.” ― Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
• Favorite ways to spend a weekend: Hanging out with my wife and son.
• Favorite community spaces in Hillsboro: Hidden Creek parks, Hidden Creek Community Center, Brookwood Library and Dawson Creek, Orenco Woods Nature Park, and the Gordon Faber Recreation Complex.

See More City Council Spotlights

• Mayor Beach Pace
• Councilor Olivia Alcaire
• Councilor Saba Anvery
• Councilor Elizabeth Case
• Councilor Rob Harris
• Councilor Cristian Salgado
• Councilor Kipperlyn Sinclair

Get news and event information directly to your inbox with Happening in Hillsboro email updates.