ODCA Staff

Kathleen Patterson

D.C. Auditor

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Kathleen (Kathy) Patterson, former 3-term D.C. Councilmember, became D.C. Auditor on December 15, 2014, after being nominated and confirmed unanimously by the D.C. Council. Patterson comes to ODCA after working for nearly eight years for the Pew Charitable Trusts, first as federal policy director for Pre-K Now, a 10-year Pew campaign that succeeded in doubling state investments in high-quality voluntary pre-k across the country, then as a director in Pew’s Government Relations department. Her work for Pew included outreach to federal and state policymakers on a wide range of public policy issues including performance budgeting, home visiting, dental care for children, election reform, and corrections reform.

Patterson was elected to the D.C. Council from Ward 3 in 1994, was re-elected in 1998 and 2002, and ran unsuccessfully for Council chairman in 2006. She chaired the committees on Government Operations, Judiciary, and Education, Recreation and Libraries. She was part of the leadership that brought the District out of financial crisis in the mid-90s and earned a reputation for effective oversight of executive branch agencies. Her major legislation included smoke-free D.C., the First Amendment Rights and Police Standards Act of 2004 governing policy practices handling demonstrations, school modernization, personnel reform, and authorization for public charter schools. Council reforms she initiated included the legislature’s annual performance hearings, authorization for special investigations, and a separate Council budget office.

Patterson is a former newspaper reporter including serving as a Washington correspondent for the Kansas City Star, and former communications director for the American Public Welfare Association. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and a master’s in English from Georgetown University.

kathy.patterson@dc.gov

 

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Management Team

Julie Lebowitz, CIA, CFE

Deputy Auditor and Audit Manager

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Julie Lebowitz is Deputy Auditor and Audit Manager for the Office of the District of Columbia Auditor (ODCA), where she has worked since 2013. Julie oversees ODCA audit operations, including supervision of all audit teams and responsibility for ensuring compliance with ODCA’s policies and procedures.

Prior to joining ODCA, Julie served as the Internal Audit and Control Manager for Monroe County, New York and as a Senior Examiner of Municipal Affairs for the Office of the New York State Comptroller, Division of Local Government and School Accountability. Prior to her experience in government, she worked as a forensic auditor at a regional CPA firm in Rochester, New York.

Julie is a Certified Internal Auditor and a Certified Fraud Examiner, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from St. John Fisher College.

julie.lebowitz@dc.gov

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Julie Lebowitz, CIA, CFE

Deputy Auditor and Audit Manager
Meet Julie

Amy Bellanca, Esq.

General Counsel

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Amy is the General Counsel with the Office of the District of Columbia Auditor. In this role, she manages all legal activities of the office and serves as a liaison with the Council of the District of Columbia and the Office of the Attorney General. She also serves as the agency’s ethics counselor.

Amy earned a bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Albany and a Juris Doctor from American University, Washington College of Law.

Prior to joining the office, Amy was Chief of Staff and Counsel for an at-large member of the D.C. Council. Additionally, she conducted federal audits for KPMG and worked at the U.S. Department of Commerce as the Director of the Executive Secretariat in the Office of the Secretary of Commerce.

amy.bellanca@dc.gov

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Hussein Aden

Agency Fiscal Officer

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Hussein is responsible for the planning, operation, development, supervision, and monitoring of the operating budget and financial management programs for ODCA.

Prior to joining ODCA in 1999, he worked as an accountant with various private companies in Minneapolis.

Hussein earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Catholic University of America and a law degree from Somali National University’s Faculty of Law.

When not working to improve the economy, efficiency, and accountability of the District government, Hussein enjoys traveling and watching classic movies and sports.

hussein.aden@dc.gov

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Hussein Aden

Agency Fiscal Officer
Meet Hussein

Diane Shinn

Director of Communications

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Diane is responsible for creating, reviewing and/or revising ODCA’s content, including editing and publicizing reports, audits, and other projects. She also serves as ODCA’s press liaison, and manages all external communications functions, including the ODCA website and social media.

Before joining ODCA in 2016, Diane was the director of marketing and communications at the Council for Exceptional Children, a membership organization for special educators.

She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism from the University of Iowa.

When not working to improve the economy, efficiency, and accountability of the District government, Diane enjoys tending the weeds in her community garden plot, pursuing her lifelong study of the Italian language, and practicing yoga.

diane.shinn@dc.gov

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Diane Shinn

Director of Communications
Meet Diane

Ingrid Drake, CGAP

Audit Supervisor

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Ingrid is currently an Audit Supervisor. She is responsible for supervising teams of her colleagues who conduct Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS) audits of high-impact, high-value District government programs.

Before joining ODCA in 2010, Ingrid was an investigator at the Project on Government Oversight, where she conducted investigations into fraud, waste, and abuse within the U.S. Department of Energy, evaluated the open government plans of federal agencies, and coordinated oversight training for congressional staff at the U.S. Capitol.

Ingrid earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she graduated with honors. Ingrid earned her certification as a Certified Government Auditing Professional in 2012.

When not working to improve the economy, efficiency, and accountability of the District government, Ingrid enjoys hiking in D.C.’s Rock Creek Park.

ingrid.drake@dc.gov

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Toya Harris

Audit Supervisor

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Toya has worked for ODCA since 2009. She supervises a team of auditors and analysts conducting audits of District programs and operations.

Audits that Toya has performed include: Sufficiency Review of the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority’s (D.C. Water), Sufficiency Reviews for the Washington Convention and Sports Authority’s (Trading as Events D.C.) and Certification of the District’s issuance of General Obligation Bonds.

Toya earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Temple University.

toya.harris@dc.gov

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Toya Harris

Audit Supervisor
Meet Toya

Staff

Nelson Abel

Senior Auditor

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Nelson is responsible for conducting audits and program evaluations of District government programs for the Office of the District of Columbia Auditor (ODCA).

Before joining ODCA, Nelson worked for several years in the District’s Office of Contracting and Procurement (OCP) in a variety of roles, most notably as director of OCP’s Office of Procurement Integrity and Compliance. Prior to joining the District government, Nelson worked as a pricing analyst, staff accountant and financial analyst in the corporate transportation and healthcare sectors.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, with additional coursework in accounting and auditing, from the University of Maryland.

When not working to improve the economy, efficiency, and accountability of the District government, Nelson is an amateur chef, enjoys many genres of music and cheering for the Maryland Terrapins, Washington Football Team, Capitals, Wizards, and the Nationals.

nelson.abel2@dc.gov

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Nelson Abel

Senior Auditor
Meet Nelson

Imani Boston

Senior Auditor/Analyst

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Imani is a Senior Auditor/Analyst with the Office of the District of Columbia Auditor (ODCA). She audits programs and practices of the District government based on risk assessments and the priorities of the legislature and make recommendations to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability of the District of Columbia government.

Imani earned her Bachelor of Science degree in accounting with minors in African and African American studies and business law from The Pennsylvania State University – University Park.

Prior to joining ODCA, Imani was a senior auditor for the D.C. Office of the Inspector General and led numerous independent audits of operations within the District of Columbia Government.  She has experience in auditing grants and contracts for large District projects. Imani also trained junior auditors and served as the Teammate Champion.

When not working to improve the economy, efficiency, and accountability of the District government, Imani enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.

imani.boston@dc.gov

 

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Imani Boston

Senior Auditor/Analyst
Meet Imani

Abigail Edwards

Auditor

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Abby is responsible for performing audits of District of Columbia policies, procedures, and operations.

Before joining ODCA, she was a research analyst at the West Virginia Legislature’s Performance Evaluation and Research Division. Abby is originally from West Virginia and earned a bachelor’s degree from Concord University.

abigail.edwards@dc.gov

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Christine Hilbert

Analyst

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Christine is responsible for conducting audits and program evaluations of District government programs.

Before joining ODCA, Christine worked as a research assistant at Protect our Defenders (POD), a national human rights nonprofit that connects past and current military service members to a network of pro-bono lawyers dedicated to ending sexual violence, assault, and racism in the military.  Prior to that, Christine worked as a performing piano artist and pedagogue in both the Richmond, and Northern Virginia area. While an undergraduate, Christine worked with the Richmond Virginia Street Singers Choir, participated in and helped teach service-learning courses, and created musical outreach programs to connect communities that wouldn’t otherwise interact. Additionally, she has collaborated with researchers, and public administrators on a wider geographical scale to engage a dialogue on issues and solutions pertaining to social policy.

Christine earned a bachelor’s degree in piano performance from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in social policy from the George Washington University.

When not working to improve the economy, efficiency, and accountability of the District government, Christine loves to play and teach classical piano, compose, and explore the great outdoors.

christine.hilbert@dc.gov

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Jason Juffras

Senior Analyst

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Jason has designed and led evaluations of education, human services, and public safety programs for ODCA, and is grateful for the opportunity to serve D.C. residents and policy makers.

Having worked as a committee budget director and legislative analyst for the Council of the District of Columbia, and as a fiscal analyst for the Chief Financial Officer, Jason has a broad range of experience in the D.C. government. Working with then-Councilmember Kathy Patterson in the late 1990s, he helped develop the D.C. Council’s annual performance hearings to inform Council oversight and budget decisions. Jason also worked as principal analyst for justice and public safety at North Carolina’s Office of State Budget and Management.

Jason holds a doctorate in public policy and administration from The George Washington University and serves as an adjunct professor at Virginia Tech. In 2021, he was elected to the executive committee of the National Legislative Program Evaluation Society, a professional staff association of the National Conference of State Legislatures.

jason.juffras@dc.gov

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Brooke Kacala

Analyst

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As an analyst at ODCA, Brooke is responsible for conducting audits and program evaluations of District government programs.

Prior to joining the ODCA team, Brooke worked for the U.S. Senate Diversity Initiative to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion on Capitol Hill. She also has worked  in Africa on projects centered around malnutrition, malaria, and sanitation.

Brooke earned a master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in health policy and law from The George Washington University and holds a bachelor’s degree in public and community health from Ithaca College.

When not working to improve the economy, efficiency, and accountability of the District government, Brooke enjoys exploring new cities, trying new foods, and cheering on the Buffalo Bills.

brooke.kacala@dc.gov

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Waddah Kittab

Senior IT Specialist

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Waddah is responsible for ODCA IT hardware and software infrastructure, including workstations, servers, virtual environment, network switches and routers, auditing applications, streamlining agency operations, processes automation, and optimization, as well as research and development for technology utilization in all ODCA IT projects.

Before joining ODCA in 2018, Waddah was Chief Information Officer for the Board of Ethics and Government Accountability (BEGA), where he was responsible for BEGA’s IT hardware and software infrastructure and designed new applications and performed business analysis for process automation.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering from Babylon University in Iraq, a master’s degree in Information Systems from Sadams University in Iraq, and a master’s degree in Cyber Security from Howard University University in Iraq.

When not working to improve the economy, efficiency, and accountability of the District government, Waddah enjoys spending time with his family, volunteering with Early Childhood Child Find, a service that identifies children with potential special education needs and educates the community about child development and the importance of early intervention.

waddah.kittab@dc.gov

 

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Waddah Kittab

Senior IT Specialist
Meet Waddah

Mackenzie Mathews

Analyst

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Mackenzie is an analyst in the Office of the District of Columbia Auditor (ODCA) for audits and program evaluations of District government programs.

Before joining ODCA, Mackenzie created new water affordability and lead removal programs for low- and moderate-income District residents at the Department of Energy and Environment. She also served as a project manager for a small market research firm in Maryland and as a building performance analyst to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in sustainability from the University of Tennessee, and a master’s degree in public policy from The George Washington University.

When not working to improve the economy, efficiency, and accountability of the District government, Mackenzie loves to paint and dance salsa.

mackenzie.mathews1@dc.gov

 

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Lachelle Rogers, SHRM-CP

Human Resources Specialist

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Lachelle is responsible for recruitment, human resources information systems, benefits coordination, and payroll.

Before joining ODCA in 2017, Lachelle held human resources positions with DC Water and at the D.C. Department of Employment Services, as well as several area law firms.

Lachelle earned a master’s degree in human resource management from the University of Maryland University College, and holds a paralegal certificate from the George Washington University. She is a Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Certified Professional.

lachelle.rogers@dc.gov

 

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Lachelle Rogers, SHRM-CP

Human Resources Specialist
Meet Lachelle

Fredericka Eubanks Shaw

Program Analyst

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Fredericka has been with the Office of the District of Columbia Auditor (ODCA) since 2006. She assists with drafting annual Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANC) reports and scheduling ANC audits and reviewing quarterly reports.

Prior to coming to ODCA, Fredericka worked for the Department of Defense.

Fredericka earned an associate degree in business management from Southeastern University and a Bachelor of Arts in business management from Catholic University. Fredericka is a native Washingtonian.

fredericka.shaw@dc.gov

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Ruth Werner

Senior Analyst

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Before Ruth joined ODCA in September 2019 she spent 14 years working for the Council of the District of Columbia. Since 2011, Ruth served as director for the Committee on Finance and Revenue where she was responsible for annual agency performance oversight, budget and Council priorities of agencies, including the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, DC Lottery, Real Property Tax Appeals Commission, Events DC, Destination DC, Commission on the Arts and Humanities, and Board of Review of Anti Deficiency Violations, and overseeing all elements of the legislative process for the Committee.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Master of Business Administration from the College of William and Mary.

When not working to improve the economy, efficiency, and accountability of the District Government, Ruth enjoys jogging in Rock Creek Park and attending Nationals, Wizards, and Capitals games.

ruth.werner@dc.gov

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Ruth Werner

Senior Analyst
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Corey White

IT Specialist

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Corey is responsible for assisting in the oversight of all computer operations consisting of multiple hardware/software platforms, servers, and providing technical support for ODCA. He also serves as a liaison with vendors, the Office of Chief Technology Officer (OCTO), and DC NET, as needed to address technical alternatives to meet business needs.

Prior to joining ODCA in 2019, Corey was a Help Desk Technician for DC Water. He started his IT career with the Prince George’s County Government and has since worked a number of IT positions, including as an IT instructor with LAYC Career Academy in D.C., and teaching certification courses for the Microsoft Office Specialist certification.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in English, with a minor in telecommunications from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

When not working to improve the economy, efficiency, and accountability of the District government, Corey enjoys watching sports and reading books; his favorite is The Alchemist.

corey.white@dc.gov

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