I’m running to help local governments succeed and ensure public dollars deliver results for Minnesota communities. As the only accountant in the race, I bring a proven track record of fiscal responsibility. Financial statements tell the story of our values and how they can help us make better decisions. As a Certified Management Accountant, I know what it takes to hold people and organizations accountable. I have over a decade of experience managing budgets, overseeing compliance and strengthening internal controls to prevent fraud. As a finance manager and former Duluth City Councilor, I’ve worked with local governments across Minnesota to understand and solve the challenges they face.
This job is all about building a government that works for people. This office oversees the dollars closest to Minnesotans. I’ve seen our townships, cities and counties struggling with rising costs. We need confidence that local dollars for schools, public works, public safety and infrastructure will be there when needed. Accounting is my profession. I bring experience in oversight, internal controls and accountability. I’ll be ready on day one to ensure every local tax dollar is working for us.
I’m focused on protecting taxpayer dollars through strong oversight, guidance and accountability. With recent cuts in federal funding, I’m hearing from city leaders facing staffing shortages, educators concerned about school finances and residents in greater Minnesota worried about essential services. I will ensure local governments—from rural townships to big cities—have the data, training and resources they need to make sound decisions.
As State Auditor, I’ll be a trusted partner to local governments and a collaborative member of the executive team. As the only accountant in the race, I’ll bring financial expertise and transparency to every decision. I’ll work with my fellow constitutional officers while maintaining the independence to do my job. That means helping local governments meet residents’ needs and giving Minnesotans confidence their tax dollars are managed responsibly.
Besides undeniable statewide name recognition, massive social media reach (+1M), and record-breaking fundraising dominance, I have unmatched leadership credentials. I spent more than a decade as chair of the audit committee for a $1B bank. I’ve served on boards for accounting firms, school boards, and chambers of commerce - roles where I demonstrated executive and financial analytic capabilities. I founded several businesses and completed advanced financial administration studies at the University of St. Thomas and the University of Minnesota, where I was also an adjunct associate professor. I demonstrated unprecedented leadership as a single-term state senator. This is an executive position and I am the bold leader that Minnesota needs.
As the people’s auditor, I will continue to exercise bold servant-leadership by raising awareness of fraud, closing loopholes, elevating the voices of whistleblowers, and mitigating the costly effects of unfunded mandates plaguing our schools and municipalities. Transparency, collaboration and dialogue will be my cornerstones.The only way to restore trust in government is for an independent-minded executive leader to stand in the breach for Minnesotans and protect their hard-earned paychecks.
Collaboration with legislative auditor, MMB Commissioner, all branches of government, and the Office of the Inspector General to construct a defined system of fiscal accountability void of responsibility gaps to eliminate the blame-game mentality.
Mitigate the impact of unfunded mandates on municipalities and schools.
Create pathways to stop fraud, protect whistleblowers, and support a statewide initiative regarding government programs that empowers people: If you see something, say somethi
The OSA is the lead agency to oversee the federal statewide audit and support local municipalities. The Auditor sits on 6 state boards and the Executive Council. Charged with oversight of $60 billion in annual government finances, collaboration with the state’s executive team is essential. It is crucial for the elected State Auditor to serve Minnesota with an independent voice and report first and foremost to its people.
Our state is in serious trouble and the challenges facing us deserve more than the status quo. They demand a State Auditor with the leadership, technical expertise, independence, and integrity to do the job on day one.
As a retired Army Major, data analyst, and health IT specialist, I bring the perfect combination of executive leadership and technical expertise suited for this role. Further, I am not beholden to either of the major parties.
We all deserve an Auditor who will follow the facts, pursue the evidence, and hold our government accountable, no matter who they are.
We have seen the impacts from incompetent figure heads in our state offices and agencies. It's time for someone from the outside to come in and restore trust.
My vision for the State Auditor’s Office is simple:
Move Minnesota from a reactive system to a proactive, 21st-century approach that continuously monitors government finances, identifies vulnerabilities early, and protects the more than $56 billion in taxpayer dollars under it's watch.
This will require a full-team approach with our local governments to identify risks before they become costly loses.
Minnesota’s financial watchdog should always be on guard, even when others are sleeping.
1. We will work with all pertinent state agencies to implement a more streamlined reporting systems that will help local governments succeed and expedite audits
2. Then, from those inputs from the local governments, and others, we will leverage cutting-edge technology to detect fraud in real-time
3. Lastly, that data will be fed into a fully interactive OSA website, so data is accessible to everyone. Full transparency, as the law permits.
All of these priorities will protect all Minnesotans.
With an Independent State Auditor, the voice of all Minnesotans is in the room, not another partisan voice. We’ve seen the consequences of not having an independent counterpoint when important decisions are made.
The Auditor’s job is to ask tough questions, follow the data, identify risks, and remain impartial. I will speak up when something doesn’t look right, regardless of who is in charge.
The State's Executive Team should represent all Minnesotans, not only one side.
