Sally Ramirez named SVP of News for NBC, & Telemundo in Chicago

Sally Ramirez has been named Senior Vice President of News for NBC Chicago / WMAQ and Telemundo Chicago / WSNS, a newly created role leading news operations for the NBC and Telemundo owned stations that serve the region’s English- and Spanish-speaking audiences. Ramirez, a Chicago native who joins the stations from CNBC, begins on May 22 and will report to Kevin Cross, President and GM of NBCUniversal Local Chicago.

“Sally is an exceptional leader with the strategic vision, experience and passion to guide our talented news teams and continue to innovate how we produce and deliver our extensive local journalism and storytelling in both languages,” said Cross. “We’re excited to welcome her home to Chicago and add her to our already remarkable group of news professionals who proudly serve our diverse communities throughout the Chicago region every day.”

Ramirez has more than 30 years of television news experience, with the majority of her career leading large-market newsrooms across the country. She returns to the market after serving as Executive Producer for CNBC’s The News with Shepard Smith. Previously, Ramirez spent nearly five years as Executive News Director for KHOU-TV in Houston following 17 years with KGW-TV in Portland, most recently as Assistant News Director. Before that, she held editorial and management roles in several markets, including as Executive News Producer for Chicago’s WGN-TV. She launched her career at WMAQ as an intern.

Ramirez is a bilingual first-generation Mexican American who grew up in the city’s Bridgeport neighborhood. She graduated from Chicago’s Whitney M. Young Magnet High School and DePaul University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications. She will receive the Distinguished Alumni Award from DePaul’s Center for Journalism Integrity & Excellence on April 27. She has also been recognized with multiple regional Emmy Awards, two national Edward R. Murrow Awards and a duPont-Columbia Award. Ramirez was also twice named News Director of the Year by the Houston Media Alliance (2017 and 2019).