Senior Management Team

The LGA's Senior Management Team works with the LGA Board to oversee the strategic operational objectives of the organisation.


Joanna Killian, Chief Executive

Joanna joined the Local Government Association (LGA) as Chief Executive in March 2024. She has more than 30 years’ experience in the public sector, including 15 years as a council chief executive at Surrey County Council (2018–2024) and Essex County Council (2006–2015), and a number of roles at the Audit Commission (2000–2005).

In June 2021, as part of the Government’s intervention of Liverpool City Council, Joanna was appointed by the Secretary of State as Local Government Improvement Commissioner, a role she finished in March 2024 as she joined the LGA.

Having served as vice-chair for two years prior, Joanna became the Chair of Association of County Chief Executives (ACCE) in April 2023. She also served as Chair of the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE) in 2011–2015.

Between 2015 and 2018, Joanna was Partner and Head of Local Government at KPMG, where she led relationships with local and regional government, advising clients on how they could transform their organisations, and work more innovatively with their customers and citizens.

Joanna was Chair of Trustees at St Mungo’s from 2021 to 2024, a large national charity with a mission to support people who experience street homelessness and eliminate rough sleeping, and a Trustee at Nesta from 2019 to 2021.
 

Sarah Pickup, Deputy Chief Executive

Sarah has been Deputy Chief Executive of the LGA since September 2015. In her time at the LGA, Sarah has taken a lead on finance policy and adult social care and health integration, and is responsible for the Workforce and Pensions teams as well as overseeing the LGA’s own finances. She previously worked for Hertfordshire County Council as Deputy Chief Executive with responsibility for finance and corporate services, and prior to that was Director of Health and Community Services in Hertfordshire for 10 years. She is a CIPFA-qualified accountant.

Sarah was president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) in 2012/13. She is currently Chair of HUC, a community benefit organisation delivering urgent care, and a trustee of the Nuffield Trust and a local arts charity in her hometown. She is also on the Board of Hightown Housing Association.

In 2023, Sarah was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to social care.
 

Sally Burlington, Director of Policy and Deputy Chief Executive

Sally had a wide-ranging career in policy and strategy development in the Civil Service before joining the LGA. She spent six years in HM Treasury and a year at Kent County Council, during which time she reviewed the council's procurement of social care and negotiated one of the first innovative Local Public Service Agreements with the Government. She was instrumental in developing the original Sure Start policy, and from 2004 to 2007, she led the secretariat for Sir Michael Lyons' Inquiry examining local government and how it is funded.

From 2007 to 2012, Sally led policy on Children in Care and Adoption and then on Children’s Centres and Early Intervention at the Department for Education.

Sally joined the LGA in 2012, first leading on policy for children and then adults. As Director of Policy, she now leads the LGA's overall lobbying work across all policy areas. Sally is also Deputy Chief Executive and leads the LGA’s internal change programmes.
 

Nicky Old, Director of Communications

Nicky Old joined the LGA as Director of Communications in September 2022. She brings with her a wealth of experience from her previous roles including as Director of Communications and External Relations for the membership organisation Universities UK, leading business communications and working as Chief of Staff in the Education Funding Agency, managing communications for a Non-Departmental Public Body and running a busy media and public engagement function for the University of Oxford.

Nicky's extensive experience in communications, campaigns and lobbying activities covers a wide variety of issues both proactive and reactive. In 2022, Nicky’s team won the PR Week UK Global Awards Campaign of the Year: Issues and Crisis category for the #WeAreTogether campaign showcasing support for students and communities during the Covid pandemic.
 

Dennis Skinner, Director of Improvement

Dennis Skinner has been Director of Improvement at the LGA since May 2011. He is responsible for the LGA's improvement work including the peer challenge work, leadership training particularly for councillors, the LGA's productivity programme and the research and information team.

Before this he was a Regional Associate at the IDeA covering London and the East Of England.

Dennis has over 30 years' experience working in local government across a range of services including corporate policy, equalities, regeneration and community safety, business planning and communications.