Roger Salazar, one of the nation’s most respected and experienced communications professionals, is the President of ALZA Strategies. The San Francisco Chronicle called him, “a master of political messaging who also packs a punch.” Politico said of him, “What we know: Salazar is a master of the soundbite.” 

A former White House and Gubernatorial communications specialist, Salazar ‘s experience includes serving as political spokesman for the California Democratic Party. Salazar has handled media relations for the California Latino Legislative Caucus and the Xavier Becerra for Attorney General campaign; advised Kevin de León for U.S. Senate; and managed independent expenditure efforts for the California Latino PAC. Previously, Salazar served as principal officer for California Working Families for Jerry Brown 2010; political spokesman for Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez; campaign press secretary for Governor Gray Davis; and has served on the podium press team for the 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 Democratic National Conventions. 

Salazar’s background includes experience as a media spokesperson, in English and Spanish, for prominent officials such as President Bill Clinton (White House); Vice-President Al Gore (White House/Gore 2000); U.S. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman; and U.S. Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard. These experiences, along with his work directing national and statewide media advocacy efforts, make him an expert in strategic media communications.

Salazar was recognized multiple times by Capitol Weekly as one of the “Top 100 California Political Power Brokers”; and was part of the Sacramento Bee’s “California Influencers” series; was named one of the “Top 50 California Democratic Influencers” by Campaigns and Elections Magazine in 2010; and one of the “100 Most Influential Hispanics in America” by Hispanic Business Magazine. He is a graduate of the University of Redlands, where he also served on the University’s Board of Trustees. He also received a Master’s degree from the George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management. An avid Off-Roader, he was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to the California Off Highway Vehicle Recreation Commission in 2020.

Hilary McLean is a public affairs expert who works to improve public policy and advance system change in California. She has extensive experience promoting impactful practices and managing high-stakes communications programs for statewide elected officials, organizations and campaigns. 

At ALZA Strategies, McLean’s clients include the Mike Bloomberg presidential campaign, ADEPT Driver, Sacramento City Unified School District, Calbright College, and the California FAIR Plan. McLean was previously a partner at Capitol Impact where she provided public affairs and strategic communications services for CORE Districts, and Early Edge California, and served as executive vice president of the Linked Learning Alliance where she managed advocacy, strategic communications, and operations.

McLean also previously served as communications director for the California Department of Education and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, and was chief deputy press secretary for California Governor Gray Davis. At the California Department of Education and in the Governor’s office McLean developed and managed communications strategy on a wide variety of political and public policy issues, and was the Governor’s liaison with public information officers at all of California’s state agencies. 

Before serving in state government, McLean led earned media efforts on a number of successful political campaigns, including the 1998 election of Bill Lockyer as Attorney General, and the defeat of Propositions 200, 201, and 202 in 1996. In 1994, McLean was selected as a California State Senate Fellow, serving on the staff of then-Senator Mike Thompson. Prior to her Senate Fellowship, McLean was a television news reporter and assignment editor. 

McLean is a former member of the Planned Parenthood Mar Monte Board of Directors. 

She earned a bachelor’s degree at California State University Chico. A California native, McLean lives in Sacramento, California, with her husband, Armand Feliciano, and their two daughters.

Marissa Saldivar is an Account Manager at ALZA Strategies.  Before joining ALZA, Marissa worked as a political communications intern for the California Building Industry Association. She also served as the senior data journalism intern for the Construction Industry Research Board (CIRB), where she led a small team of other journalism interns and wrote feature articles for the Builder and Developer Magazine. She additionally wrote blogs and data reports for CIRB on California housing trends, one of which led to her being quoted in The New York Times.  

Marissa graduated from California State University, Sacramento with a bachelor’s degree in political science and journalism. In her free time, she enjoys practicing yoga, cooking and trying new restaurants.