The Sonoma City Council has selected Cristine Alilovich to serve as Interim City Manager, with her employment agreement scheduled for consideration at the March 30, 2026, City Council meeting. If approved, Ms. Alilovich is expected to begin her role on April 6, 2026. The interim appointment will remain in effect until a permanent City Manager is appointed.
Ms. Alilovich brings extensive public sector leadership experience, most recently serving as City Manager for the City of San Rafael. In that role, she oversaw a full-service city organization serving approximately 60,000 residents, leading a workforce of approximately 450 employees and managing a $192 million annual operating budget. Her experience spans public safety, infrastructure, community development, and organizational leadership.
Prior to her role in San Rafael, Ms. Alilovich held leadership positions with the County of Marin and the County of Sonoma and has additional experience in public sector consulting. She holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California. She lives in Novato and is the proud mother of four children and grandmother to three.
The appointment follows the recent selection of current City Manager David Guhin as Sonoma County Executive by the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. In that role, Guhin will serve as the chief administrative officer for the County. His last day with the City is April 5, 2026.
“I’m honored to step in and support the City of Sonoma during this transition,” said Interim City Manager Cristine Alilovich. “Sonoma is a truly special community, and I look forward to supporting the important work already underway while helping ensure continuity in day-to-day operations as the Council moves forward with the recruitment of a permanent City Manager.”
“David has been an exceptional leader for Sonoma, and we are grateful for the strong foundation he leaves behind,” said Mayor Ron Wellander. “Our focus now is on maintaining the momentum that the Council, City staff, and our community have built together over the past several years and continuing to move the City forward. We look forward to working with Cristine and appreciate her stepping in to support the organization during this transition.”
Mr. Guhin and Ms. Alilovich are coordinating to ensure a smooth transition and continuity of operations.
Also on the March 30 agenda is a proposed agreement for professional recruitment services to support the City Council in conducting a comprehensive search for a permanent City Manager. The Council anticipates a robust recruitment process aimed at attracting a strong pool of candidates.
If approved, Ms. Alilovich’s compensation will be set at the current adopted City of Sonoma, City Manager salary of $274,073 per year.
The March 30 City Council meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at 177 First
Street West and will be available via live stream on the City’s meeting portal.
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