Press Releases

The Gonzales City Council has appointed Carmen Gil to the position of Interim City Manager.  Gil has been the city's Director of Community Engagement & Strategic Partnerships for the past 2.5 years and has been serving as Acting City Manager since June 20, 2022.  In her 25 years of experience working on projects throughout Monterey County, she has worked closely with community, public and private organizations, and local governments to implement effective policies and practices that improve systems, create efficiencies, and enhance community relations.

"In Carmen's role as Director of Community Engagement she worked directly with former City Manager Mendez and therefore has a deep understanding of the programs and initiatives our city is currently engaged in and the city's longstanding commitment to innovation. Our council is confident she will provide the executive leadership needed on all matters related to governing the city and will continue to strengthen the city's strategic partnerships to continue to improve the quality of life for our residents," said Mayor Jose Rios. 

Gil has a long history of working with the Gonzales community in various capacities and has a keen ability to develop relationships that go beyond transactional to transformational. Most recently she was instrumental in implementing the city's Community Health Workers Program (CHW) which led to the partnership with the Community Foundation for Monterey County's VIDA (Virus Integrated Distribution of Aid) program.  More than 110 CHWs in ten organizations county wide were trained as part of the program and equipped to deliver information about the importance of COVID-19 testing and vaccinations and assist community members with access to resources. Gonzales was the only city in Monterey County to partner with the CFMC in the VIDA program and Gonzales was one of the first in Monterey County to exceed 90% of eligible residents having received at least one dose of the Covid 19 vaccine.

Prior to joining the City of Gonzales, Gil was at the Monterey County Health Department for 5 years where she worked alongside city and county governments across the region. She helped transform communities by establishing effective partnerships through a strength-based approach.  Gil has a solid understanding of issues communities and organizations face and brings her knowledge and expertise to support effective organizational development that lends to inclusivity, transparency, and improved connectivity.  In her role as the Health in All Policies Manager for the Monterey County Health Department she raised over $3.5 million for programs that advanced equity and supported resident leadership and capacity building. While there, she also led the development of the Health and Wellness Element for the City of Gonzales' General Plan. She has worked through private and public partnerships to address issues of housing, homelessness, health access and infrastructure among others. 

Gil was also part of the team that helped Gonzales receive the national Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Culture of Health Prize.  Gonzales was chosen from nearly 200 applicant communities across the country and is one of five communities in the U.S. to receive the honor and be recognized for pursuing innovative ideas and bringing partners together to rally around a shared vision of advancing health, opportunity, and equity

Before working for Monterey County, Gil worked as the Manager for Building Healthy Communities, a statewide initiative of The California Endowment, where she collaborated with numerous community organizations and grassroots groups to advance health and equity. There she implemented numerous successful community-driven projects and effectively engaged the public in policy and decision-making opportunities.

She was also involved in the expansion of Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System into the Gonzales community and led the expansion of Ciclovia into the four South Monterey County communities, including Gonzales.

Gil holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and a Minor in Business from San Jose State University and a Master's in Public Administration from the University of San Francisco.  She is an active community member and currently serves on the boards of the Alliance on Aging, Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare Foundation, the Nancy Buck Ransom Foundation, and the Big Sur Land Trust.  She has been a resident of Gonzales for 13 years and currently lives there with her husband and three daughters.

The City Council will retain the employment recruitment services of Bob Murray & Associates to conduct a formal search for a permanent City Manager. The search process is expected to take approximately 4 months.  For additional information, please contact Mayor Jose Rios at 831-675-5000 or email jrios@ci.gonzales.ca.us.