Karen Pinkos

CITY MANAGER, EL CERRITO, CA; PRESIDENT, ICMA

Ms. Pinkos’ local government career began over 20 years ago, when she accepted the position of Assistant to the City Manager of Oak Park, Michigan, which she held until September 2001. She served as Assistant to the City Manager of El Cerrito, California, for five years before being named El Cerrito Assistant City Manager in July 2006.

This past September, Ms. Pinkos was installed as the president of the International City/County Manager’s Association (ICMA). ICMA’s president leads the organization’s board and executive director to establish the organization’s direction, oversee its management, represent it to state and national associations of local government managers, and maintain relationships among affiliate organizations.  She is the fourth woman to serve as president of ICMA in its 105-year history.

Ms. Pinkos earned both her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Public Administration from Oakland University. She is also a graduate of the Senior Executive in State and Local Government Program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and earned a certificate from the University of California Berkeley.