New Treasurer/Collector Has Extensive Financial Management Background

Jennifer G. Gonzalez has been appointed as Watertown’s next Treasurer/Collector by Town Manager Michael Driscoll.

“With Ms. Gonzalez’s extensive experience and educational background, she will be able to greatly assist the (Town) Administration by enhancing the Treasurer/Collector’s office delivery, serving on the municipal budget and capital budget teams, addressing overall Financial Management Recommendations and any Management Letter Recommendations, and developing additional finance initiatives related to the long-term goal of sound financial management and fiscal stability,” Driscoll said.

Before coming to Watertown, Gonzalez served as the chief financial officer (CFO) at the University of Massachusetts Building Authority, where her responsibilities included management of the Commercial Paper Program, reconciliation of the Owner Controller Insurance Program, and support of the finance team’s day-to-day transaction activities.

She also served as the Massachusetts School Building Authority’s CFO, treasurer and director of finance. There she led the budget and financial planning efforts for grants and operations, and oversaw project audits, ratings agency presentations, the Open Book transparency initiative, and debt modeling for the MSBA’s $5 billion debt portfolio.

Gonzalez also served as assistant vice president and analyst at First Southwest Company Municipal Advisory Group, where she assisted cities and towns in Massachusetts with their note and bond transactions, as well as with compliance and disclosure filings.

She received an Associate of Science degree in Business Administration from the Community College of Rhode Island with a concentration in Law Enforcement. Gonzalez received a Bachelors of Science in Accounting, with a concentration in Financial Accounting from Rhode Island College, and received her Juris Doctor degree from Roger Williams University School of Law.