The Better Government Association has promoted Sally Gonzalez as its new vice president of operations, reporting to BGA President and CEO David Greising.

With more than 15 years of experience in business administration and financial management, Sally will provide leadership and vision for the continuous improvement of business operations and positioning the BGA to achieve its strategic objectives as it heads into its centennial year in 2023. 

Gonzalez has been with the BGA since October 2020 as director of operations. She has been an integral member of the BGA leadership team, overseeing the budgeting, investments, accounting, human resources, technology, civic engagement and marketing of the BGA.

“In her year at the BGA, Sally Gonzalez has proven herself a detail-oriented manager and a big strategic thinker. Her heart, brain, work ethic and ambition have made her a key partner in the work of strengthening the BGA, diversifying our staff and outreach, and growing our capacity to achieve better government for the people of Illinois,” said Greising.

“It is an honor to be the first Latinx to hold this title at the BGA. The work and mission of the BGA is unique and powerful. I am looking forward to enhancing the organization’s efficiencies and being an instrumental member of the organization’s growth as we enter our centennial year,” Gonzalez said.

Prior to joining the BGA, Gonzalez was the director of business administration for Cara Collective’s social enterprise, Cleanslate. For five years she directed her expertise on developing and implementing a strategic vision for the collective while managing the front-line finances and budget for a $3.5M social enterprise that hires and trains individuals with high barriers to employment.

The BGA is a non-partisan, nonprofit news and policy advocacy organization working to secure transparency, equity and accountability in government in Chicago and across Illinois. It is building toward its centennial anniversary in 2023. The BGA’s investigative reporting is published on bettergov.org and in partnership with legacy and nonprofit news organizations, including the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Crain’s Chicago Business, WBEZ, Block Club Chicago Chalkbeat Chicago and other nonprofit news organizations.