Kathy McGuiness

Kathleen Kramedas McGuiness is an American politician. She was elected as the first female Delaware State Auditor in 2018.[1]

Kathy McGuiness
Auditor of Delaware
Assumed office
January 1, 2019
GovernorJohn Carney
Preceded byTom Wagner
Personal details
Born (1967-02-14) February 14, 1967
Dover, Delaware, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationFlorida Institute of Technology (BS)
Northeastern University (BS)
WebsiteOfficial website

Early life and education

McGuiness graduated from Cape Henlopen High School in 1985. She earned her bachelor's degree in Biology at the Florida Institute of Technology and her bachelor's degree in Pharmacy from Northeastern University in Boston.

Career

McGuiness is a Licensed Pharmacist (RPh) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE). She has owned and operated two small businesses in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. With the thought of creating a flourishing year-round downtown, McGuiness, along with several other community and business owners, founded Rehoboth Beach Main Street in 1996.[2] Over the years, she has also served on several boards ranging from higher education to LGBTQ advocacy.[3]

McGuiness was first elected to the Rehoboth City Council in 2000, where she served until 2018. McGuiness's oversight of the new Rehoboth City Hall saved taxpayers thousands of dollars. Consistently as a commissioner, she fought waste, fraud and abuse and continuously advocated for efficiency, transparency and good government. McGuiness is known as a political outsider who fights for those who do not have a voice.

McGuiness continues to volunteer and give back to the community. McGuiness has regularly helped organizations distribute boxes filled with pre-packaged, non-refrigerated, non-perishable food.[4] She has also helped deliver food to Meals on Wheels recipients during the COVID-19 pandemic.[5] McGuiness has been an advocate for small businesses during the COVID-19 crisis, calling out the lack of transparency and accountability associated with the first round of PPP funding.[6]

2018 election

McGuiness defeated Republican James Spadola in the general election to become the first woman elected to the position.[1][7] With the win, McGuiness became the first Democrat to hold the position in over 30 years. She was sworn into office on January 1, 2019.[8]

Accomplishments as State Auditor

Since January 2019, the State Auditor's Office has accomplished much and made huge strides in spite of having fewer resources than it had in Fiscal Year 2008. During her first 100 days in office, McGuiness optimized staffing and improved organizational efficiency in order to clear audit backlogs, enhance responsiveness, and improve the agency's overall functionality.[9]

Key Initiatives in 2019:

- Creation of new mobile app tool for people to report fraud, waste and abuse

- Creation of an audit plan based on risk

- Redesigned the agency's website to be more user friendly

- Simplified the format for audit reports making them easier to read

- Revamped the agency's public image through public meetings and social media

Key initiatives in 2020:

- Formation of Joint State Task Force with Pennsylvania Auditor General, New Jersey Comptroller, and Maryland Comptroller to collaborate and share information to improve oversight of taxpayer dollars during COVID-19 Pandemic[10]

- Creation of the Follow-Up Program to work with agencies that have received audit recommendations toward compliance[11]

- Creation of the National COVID-19 Data Quality Audit Template developed as part of a multistate effort to review state COVID-19 data reporting and monitoring[12]

- Incorporation of data analytics in audits and reports to bring the office into the 21st century and be at the forefront of data-driven decision making[13]

Awards
  • Tourism Person of the Year, Governor Tom Carper (D)

References
  1. Hayes, Kevin (November 7, 2018). "First Dem in 28 years, 1st woman ever, McGuiness defeats Spadola for state auditor". WDEL 1150 AM.
  2. ""Cape Proud" of Kathy McGuiness". Cape Gazette. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  3. Gamard, Sarah. "New auditor from Rehoboth inherits disrepair, plans to revamp office". The Daily Times. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  4. "Food bank, Sussex YMCA distribute food". Cape Gazette. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  5. "CHEER senior services coping with COVID-19". Cape Gazette. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  6. Now, Delaware Business (May 6, 2020). "Governance during a period of crisis: Lesson learned". Delaware Business Now. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  7. "State of Delaware General Election Official Results". Office of the State Election Commissioner. Dover, Delaware: Delaware Department of Elections. November 6, 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2018.
  8. "McGuiness sworn in as auditor of accounts". Cape Gazette. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  9. "Kathleen McGuiness, Delaware State Auditor". Auditor of Accounts, Kathleen K. McGuiness - State of Delaware. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  10. "McGuiness forms task force with Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey state auditors". Smyrna/Clayton Sun-Times. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  11. "State Auditor Kathy McGuiness Announces Formation of Auditor's Office Follow-Up Program". State of Delaware News. August 27, 2020. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  12. "State Auditor McGuiness Announces Creation of a National COVID-19 Data Quality Audit Template". State of Delaware News. July 28, 2020. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  13. "This state auditor is leading a national effort to improve COVID-19 data tracking". The 19th. September 9, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
Political offices
Preceded by
Tom Wagner		 Auditor of Delaware
2019–present		 Incumbent
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