“Christian Aniciete is a rare gift to his community. He gives unselfishly to anyone who requests his assistance and many he has never met. His passion for service and unwavering belief in the potential good of all people radiates from his actions and speech. He is the type of person that makes me believe it is possible for one person to truly make a difference and often without his knowledge, brings inspiration to those who may be questioning their purpose or worth.”
Christian S. Aniciete (he/him)
Christian Aniciete was born in Manila, Philippines. At an early age, he learned the importance of family, staying grounded, never forgetting one's roots and maximizing opportunities after enduring struggles brought forth by his parents' divorce when he was two, his mother's forced migration overseas to work for better opportunities and the pressures placed on the grandparents, aunts and uncles that raised him. At the age of 10, his immigration to the United States where he lived in a bicultural home with his Filipina mother and American stepfather as well as three siblings marked a new chapter. He vowed to never allow his struggles to stop him from pursuing his dreams and making his mark on the world.
Growing up grateful for the opportunities in America, Christian was very active in school and community as an outlet to give back. Christian graduated from Century High School with top honors, accolades and admiration from his peers. In 2010, Christian attended Portland State University on a full-ride diversity scholarship where he was continually involved in leadership, student organizations and campus activities, including Kaibigan, the Filipino American Student Association at PSU which he credits largely to his continued ties to his Filipino heritage. Words like "no" or "it can't be done" didn't exist in Christian's vocabulary as he conceptualized, led and implemented programs and initiatives on campus and in the community. He graduated with a degree in business marketing and advertising and was the commencement student speaker for the class of 2010.
After years of working for companies like Kroger, Starbucks, U.S. Bank and Apple, Christian pursued a marketing job at his college alma mater. For almost a decade, Christian worked as PSU's inaugural social media manager, building the university’s social media strategy from the ground up and serving as the award-winning voice of PSU on social networks including Facebook, Twitter, blogs and Instagram.
Thanks to his success, the Port of Portland in 2018 came knocking on his door and recruited him to become also its first social media manager. Over the five years in that role, Christian built the Port’s social media strategy from scratch, elevating the profile of the Port and Portland International Airport, “America’s Best Airport.” In 2023, Christian fulfilled one of his longtime dreams and obtained an MBA from his alma mater, PSU.
Outside work, Christian enjoys traveling, fine dining, reading, working out, house planting, Michael Jackson flash mobs, and spending time with family, friends, his puppy, Bella, and beautiful wife.
Versatile and affable, adventuresome and unstoppably driven, Christian's spirit is contagious to all, and has garnered him a reputation for excellence, resilience, dependability, collaboration and fun.
“Christian pushes us to always keep students at the forefront of our decisions and our promotions modern and relevant. He is a national leader in his profession and strives to keep PSU on the leading of social media technology.”