Biography

Victoria Gonzalez is the manager of inclusion services at the Northwest Special Recreation Association (NWSRA) where she oversees four full-time coordinators that work directly with 17 northwest suburban Chicago park districts. In Victoria’s seven years at NWSRA, she has held positions as a Program Specialist, Day Camp Coordinator, Inclusion Coordinator, and Manager of Special Recreation, Day Camps. She is the lead CTRS on the NWSRA Snoezelen Sensory Team. She has presented on the state and local level training on Inclusion/ADA, ability awareness, effective communication and behavior management. She is an active member of Illinois Park and Recreation Association (IPRA) and is the current Director of the Therapeutic Recreation Section (ITRS). Victoria’s advance specializations include Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS), Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP), Certified Play Expert (CPE) and Certified Inclusivity Assessor (CIA). She has a bachelor’s degree in therapeutic recreation with a minor in psychology from Illinois State University.