Why Simone?
Simone is a Certified Internal Auditor and Certified Government Auditing Professional with more than 15 years of public service experience.
She is deeply involved in the government auditing community. She is a past chair for the Association of Local Government Auditors and has been recognized for her outstanding leadership and contributions to the organization. She has also moderated sessions for auditors throughout the Pacific Northwest about maintaining audit integrity, and engaging stakeholders throughout the audit process. She was recently appointed as a volunteer member of the Oregon Department of Corrections Audit Committee for her audit knowledge and experience.
Simone brings a holistic and innovative approach to the position. As a principal management auditor at Metro, she’s audited major operations and investments, including the Oregon Zoo and the affordable housing bond program. Those audits recommended ways to improve organizational culture and fairness, as well as workload and budget management. She’s also audited issues across the agency, including diversity, equity, and inclusion, ethics, information security, and social media.
Before she became an auditor, Simone worked with students in Portland-area alternative high schools to reduce barriers they faced to college. The experience motivated her to study public policy in graduate school at Carnegie Mellon University, after her undergraduate degree in urban studies from Vassar College.
Simone began her auditing career at the Oregon Secretary of State Audits Division, where she conducted audits of Oregon’s childcare system and TriMet, the state’s transit provider.
Simone is also deeply committed to improving economic conditions for Oregonians. She served on the board of the Oregon Center for Public Policy, a nonprofit organization that researches and analyzes tax and budget issues.
Simone lives with her wife and their three dogs in northeast Portland. They are parents to a new Portlander and recent graduate of Portland Public Schools. Her last name is pronounced "ready." She is ready to be Portland's next elected Auditor.
About the Job
Auditors assess the effectiveness of government programs, including the extent to which services are provided equitably. They verify information reported by management, determine compliance with laws, and investigate fraud, waste, and abuse.
The Portland Auditor is responsible for ensuring that City government is accountable and transparent. It is an elected position so that it maintains independence from City government and answers to voters rather than City officials. These qualities allow auditors and audit organizations to approach their work objectively.
The Portland Auditor’s Office provides a variety of services: Archives and Records Management, Council Clerk and Contracts, City Elections, Audit Services, Ombudsman, and Independent Police Review.