For nearly 30 years, Michael Ault has been a driving force behind the revitalization of Sacramento’s urban core. As Executive Director of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership since 1996, he leads the property-based improvement district (PBID) that serves as the collective voice for property and business owners in the central business district. He also oversees the Downtown Sacramento Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has raised funds for some of downtown’s most innovative projects since 2011.

Michael’s leadership has shaped downtown Sacramento’s identity through transformative projects, public space management, and strategic advocacy. At just 29, he became the youngest executive director of a business improvement district in the country after helping to pass landmark legislation in 1994 that enabled PBIDs to operate in California. Since then, he has successfully guided the Partnership through economic downturns and periods of significant growth, including the transformative development brought about by the Golden 1 Center and the strategic recovery efforts necessitated by the challenges downtowns across the county faced in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With an annual $8 million budget, 45 staff members, and responsibility for two organizations, Michael oversees key programs in business and economic development, destination marketing, public space services, policy advocacy, and special events. Signature initiatives under his leadership have earned national recognition from the International Downtown Association, including the Navigator Program, Calling All Dreamers, Concerts in the Park, Dine Downtown, State of the Downtown Breakfast, Retail Recruitment Program, and the Holiday Ice Rink.

Michael’s ability to bring together public and private stakeholders has been instrumental in advancing projects such as the railyards Kaiser Permanente campus, Republic FC’s proposed stadium, a new convention center hotel, and investments in the Old Sacramento Waterfront. His collaborative approach has brought investments to iconic and visionary projects like the Old Sacramento neon sign and Capitol Mall’s revitalized green spaces.

Beyond his work with DSP, Michael is engaged in the community. He is a graduate of California State University, Sacramento, where he was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award, and a Senior Fellow with the American Leadership Forum. He serves on the boards of the Sacramento Metro Chamber, Visit Sacramento, and the Downtown Sacramento Revitalization Corporation and has held leadership roles with the International Downtown Association and the California Downtown Association.

A Sacramento resident for over three decades, Michael lives in Land Park with his wife, Christine where they raised their two children. His dedication to downtown’s future continues to inspire impactful growth and investment for the entire region.