SONJA LYNN HOWE

*** *. ******* ****** #***, Glendale, CA 91203

949-***-**** (M) adjglq@r.postjobfree.com

SUMMARY

Experienced Internal Auditor with a combined 12+ years of professional performance/compliance auditing and management consultation experience at State and local levels in California, Colorado, and Connecticut. 4+ years in Chief Audit Executive position. Experience as a Management Analyst included governmental budgeting, grants administration, public works, capital improvement (CIP), and town-wide strategic planning and performance measures. EXPERIENCE

CHIEF INTERNAL AUDITOR

CHARLES R. DREW UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND SCIENCE 09/2018 – Present

As the campus’ chief audit executive, my responsibilities include:

Creation and development of an internal audit office and function, including development of charter, internal policies, and streamlining of campuswide external audit communications.;

Acting liaison between the campus and external auditing entities, as well as continuous monitoring of the implementation of any corrective action plans;

Conduct an annual campus wide risk assessment and development of an annual campus audit plan in response to risk level(s) identified;

Providing advisory services to program management on new and growing programs, as well as any departmental policies and procedures;

On-going training relating to the development of policies, procedures, and risk management;

Report to the campus President and Audit and Compliance Committee of the University’s Board of Directors, including regular updates and formal reporting at Board Meetings;

Close work with the Office of Compliance, Equity, and Diversity to strategically align objectives in all aspects of campus wide outreach and education.

Conduct investigations, as needed.

UNIVERSITY INTERNAL AUDITOR

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY CHANNEL ISLANDS

08/2016 – Present

As the campus’ first chief audit executive, my responsibilities included:

Creation and development of an internal audit office and function at CSU Channel Islands, the youngest campus in the system.

Acted as liaison between the campus and external auditing entities, as well as continuous monitoring of the implementation of any corrective action plans;

Conducted an annual campus wide risk assessment and planned focused reviews of specific operations in response to the findings;

Provided advisory services to program management on new and growing programs, as well as any departmental policies and procedures;

Conducted investigations, as needed.

MANAGEMENT ANALYST

TOWN OF MANCHESTER, CONNECTICUT

03/2014 – 08/2016

As the Town's sole Management Analyst, my responsibilities included:

Assisting in all Budget & Research Office activities, including preparation and management of annual operating budgets, including publication of the annual report;

Oversight and on-going development of the performance measurements for the Town's 27 departments and divisions, culminating in an annual publication and presentation to the Board of Directors;

Preparation and Research relating to the implementation of the Town's Capital Improvement Plan and corresponding budget;

Management of special projects, preparing special reports, conducting research and analysis, and assisting in grant preparation;

Development and provision of on-going management for the town's social media accounts for Twitter and Facebook.

SENIOR INTERNAL CONTROLS AUDITOR

CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER – DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES 06 / 2013 - 02 / 2014

As the Department's chief audit executive, my primary duties included:

Oversight of the City’s annual Single Audit as it pertains to DHS, and monitoring the implementation of any corrective action plans;

Conducting an annual internal control assessment of DHS and planning focused reviews of specific operations in response to any findings;

Conducting quarterly monitoring of EBT inventory and operations at the Department's three office locations. - Monitoring the performance and financial integrity of sub-recipients of federal program dollars as required under OMB Circular A-133. - Acting as an advisor to program management on external audits or reviews, as well as any departmental policies and procedures.

Noted Accomplishment: Created a corrective action plan documentation network for department-wide use to enable division management, as well as executives, to monitor the dozens for federal, state, and city reviews and audit findings that occur each year. The network also allows the identification of repeat findings across all of the department’s divisions and various audits/reviews over multiple years. This allows for a comprehensive view of internal control weaknesses and encourages greater streamlining of policies and procedures throughout the department.

SENIOR INTERNAL AUDITOR

CITY OF AURORA, COLORADO

08 / 2012 - 05 / 2013

Conducted entire audits from scoping to issuance of reports; includes conducting programmatic risk assessments, field work, in-depth policy analysis, and report writing;

Conducted performance audits of various City programs and departments including utility billing and contract compliance;

Presented audit findings and recommendations to department directors. PRINCIPAL AUDITOR

CITY OF SAN DIEGO, OFFICE OF THE CITY AUDITOR

02 / 2009 - 08 / 2012

Conducted entire audits from scoping to issuance of reports, including conducting departmental risk assessments, field work, in-depth policy analysis, and report writing;

Conducted performance audits of various City programs and departments with an emphasis on the Departments of Water and Wastewater including a number of audits related to cost-savings, water allocation/regulation, and contract compliance;

Presented audit findings and present audit updates to City Auditor, department policy makers, and City Audit Committee;

Strong emphasis placed on advanced analytics. Completed a college-level Advanced Excel Analytics courses at University of California – San Diego. INTERNAL AUDITOR

CITY OF LOS ANGELES, OFFICE OF THE CITY CONTROLLER 01 / 2008 - 01 / 2009

Maintained a high level of responsibility in risk assessment, project development, implementation, and report writing of audits with immediate relevancy to the City of Los Angeles, i.e., discrimination lawsuits within the LAFD, Animal Services' ability to enforce a new spay and neuter ordinance that proves to be the strictest of its kind in the nation. AUDITOR EVALUATOR II

CALIFORNIA STATE AUDITOR

05 / 2006 - 12 / 2007

Maintained high level of responsibility for development, analysis, and writing individual sections of audit reports including high profile audits; i.e., employee discrimination lawsuit claims and settlements within the CSU system, and compliance by six California public and private universities with federal Jeanne Cleary Act.

Provided on-the-job training to new auditors regarding basic audit practices. EDUCATION

PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY, MALIBLU CA

2004 - 2006

MPP, Dual Specialization: Economics, Local & Regional Government School of Public Policy Honor Board, 2004

PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY PARK, PA 1999 - 2003

BA, Film and Video

Mu Phi Epsilon, College of Communications Student Ambassador CERTIFICATIONS

CERTIFIED INTERNAL CONTROLS AUDITOR

08 / 2013 - current

Institute for Internal Controls · License: 13075240 CERTIFIED GREEN BELT

11 / 2017 - current

County of Ventura LEAN Program

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