Courtney Smith, CPA, CFE, CIA, MBA – City Auditor
Courtney Smith directs internal audit activities for the Office of the City Controller. Her responsibilities include the development of the annual audit plan, conducting internal audits, enterprise risk assessments and special projects, as well as monitoring quality management processes. Audits and projects are performed for City of Houston departments, locations, functions, accounts and component units. Internal audit activities are performed in accordance with professional standards and authoritative guidance from the Government Accountability Office (Yellow Book) and the Institute of Internal Auditors (Red Book).
Courtney earned her BBA in Accounting and MBA from the University of Houston (UH). She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE). Prior to joining the City of Houston, she worked for Deloitte and ExxonMobil. Courtney’s professional experience includes audit engagements involving governance, internal controls, and risk assessment, forensic audit, Single Audit, attestation and financial accounting.
Courtney currently serves as a member of the Association of Local Government Auditors (ALGA) Board. She has been an active member and Chair of ALGA’s Membership Committee as well as an ALGA mentor. Courtney holds life memberships in the UH Alumni Organization, National Black MBA Association, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She is a also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Institute of Internal Auditors, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, and the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants. She is an alumnus of Leadership Houston Class XXV.
Courtney attends Trinity United Methodist Church. She is an avid sports fan, and enjoys travel, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
Olaniyi (“Ola”) Oyedele, CPA – Assistant City Auditor V (Audit Manager)
Olaniyi is responsible for planning, conducting and reporting on various audit engagements. His responsibilities include supervising and coordinating audits, reporting, reviewing audit work for thoroughness, and ensuring audits are performed in accordance with applicable standards. Ola has over twenty (20) years of audit and accounting experience spanning various industries in the private sector, governmental and public accounting.
Ola graduated from the University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria with a B.S. (Honors), after which he earned his professional certification as a Chartered Accountant. Ola is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) and the Association of Local Government Auditors (ALGA).
Ola is an alumnus of Project Blueprint Class XXXII, a leadership program organized by United Way of Greater Houston. He currently serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors of Gulf Coast Community Services Association (GCCSA), a community action agency that serves citizens and residents of City of Houston and Harris County. Ola is an avid reader, enjoys travelling and spending time with his family.
Theresa Watson, CIA – Assistant City Auditor V (Audit Manager)
Theresa manages the Internal Audit function for the Office of the City Controller. In this capacity, she is involved in the development and implementation of risk based Annual Audit Plans as approved by the City Controller and the annual Enterprise Risk Assessment (ERA). Theresa manages and develops professional staff and facilitates communication regarding audit activities.
She earned her B.S. in Accounting from Southern University and has over 30 years of audit, accounting, and management experience in healthcare, government, private and non-profit industries. Her experience includes internal auditing, Single Audit, governance, internal controls, compliance, payroll, and financial accounting. Theresa is a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), where she is a certified IIA facilitator and served on various IIA workgroups, including the Test Development Team, where she served as a team lead preparing questions to enhance the professional development of internal auditing professionals. Theresa is also an active member of the Association of Local Government Auditors (ALGA), where she is currently serving on the Education Committee, as the Regional Training Subcommittee Chair. She has also served as an ALGA Mentor. Theresa is a member of the U.S. Comptroller General’s Advisory Council on Government Auditing Standards (Yellow Book Advisory Council).
Theresa volunteers for various community organizations and loves spending time with family, traveling, and sports.
Mohammad Haroon, CPA, CIA – Assistant City Auditor IV
Haroon performs advanced and/or senior-level (managerial) auditing work. He also supervises the Internal Audit function for the Office of the City Controller. In this role, he conducts and/or oversees a variety of risk-based audit engagements, including evaluating the effectiveness of internal controls in various Citywide financial and operational processes to verify compliance with established policies, and applicable regulations. He also reviews work products prepared by team members for accuracy, sufficiency, and compliance with applicable professional standards.
Haroon earned his B.S. in Accounting from California State University, Los Angeles, and has over 20 years of professional experience, specifically in auditing and financial reporting. Prior to joining the City of Houston, Haroon worked for two global firms, Crowe LLP, and Ernst & Young LLP. While there, he obtained invaluable experience in exceptional professional work and excellent client service. His professional experience also includes internal audit management, risk assessment, regulatory framework compliance, data analytics and cybersecurity.
Haroon is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Institute of Internal Auditors, and the Association of Local Government Auditors.
Paitchere' Anita Amos, MS, CFE - Assistant City Auditor III
Paitchere' conducts risk-based audits in accordance with both Yellow Book and Red Book auditing standards. Her responsibilities include documenting departmental processes, ensuring compliance of departments with both financial and regulatory policies, and composing audit reports with recommendations for value added improvement. Prior to joining the City of Houston, she held audit and accounting roles in the private sector and government.
Paitchere' earned her BBA in Business Administration and Management from Huston-Tillotson University and MS in Accounting from Walden University. Paitchere' is a member Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She holds professional memberships with the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), and the Association of Local Government Auditors (ALGA).
She enjoys volunteering with non-profit organizations within her community, reading, crafting, and spending time with family and friends.
C. Gaylord Dunn – Assistant City Auditor III
Gaylord conducts risk-based audits in accordance with both Yellow Book and Red Book auditing standards. His responsibilities include documenting departmental processes, ensuring compliance of departments with both financial and regulatory policies, and composing audit reports with recommendations for value added improvement. Prior to joining the City of Houston, he held accounting and finance positions for multiple Fortune 500 companies. His primary work interest is in data analytics, finance, and process improvement.
Gaylord earned his BBA in Accounting and Finance from Langston University and is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Additionally, Gaylord is a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) and was a member of the Boys Scouts of America where he obtained the rank of Eagle Scout.
He enjoys volunteering with nonprofit organizations such as the Houston Food Bank and Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center and has multiple hobbies which span traveling, barbequing, and woodworking.
Temitope Obagbamigbe, CISA - Assistant City Auditor III
Temitope (Temi) conducts performance and compliance audits, including agreed upon procedures and review engagements in accordance with Government Auditing Standards and IIA Standards. She is responsible for documenting operating systems and procedures, evaluating internal controls, risk assessment, data analysis, evaluating findings, follow-up remediations, ensuring compliance with both financial and regulatory policies and developing value added recommendations. Temi has fifteen years of working experience which includes accounting and IT auditing in international private organizations and public sectors.
Temi is a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA). Temi obtained her professional certification as a Chartered Accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN). Prior to this, Temi graduated with a Higher National Diploma (HND) from Ondo State Polytechnic, Ondo State, Nigeria, after which she obtained her postgraduate degree in Business Analysis from Purdue University.
She volunteers for community organizations and enjoys spending time with families, engaging in religious activities, and watching movies.
Marlon Scott – Assistant City Auditor III
Marlon conducts audits in accordance with both the Yellow Book and the Red Book auditing standards. His responsibilities include documenting departmental processes, ensuring department compliance with both financial and regulatory policies as well as composing audit reports with recommendations for value added improvement. Prior to joining the City of Houston, he held accounting and finance positions for the State of Louisiana, Non-Profit Organizations, and Fortune 500 companies. His primary work interest is in forensic accounting, accounting, finance, and process improvement.
Marlon earned his BS in Accounting from Southern University and A & M College, and his MS in Accounting/Forensic Accounting from New England College. Marlon is a member of the American Board of Forensic Accountants, Association of Government Accountants, Association of Local Government Auditors, Free and Accepted Masons, and was a member of the Society of Louisiana Certified Public Accountants. He enjoys volunteering with nonprofit organizations such as Northwest Assistance Ministries and has multiple hobbies which span from cooking, traveling, murder mysteries, and history.
Jessica Monique Varner, MUPEP – Senior Staff Analyst
Jessica graduated from Xavier University of New Orleans Louisiana with a B.S. in Political Science and received her master’s degree in urban planning and environmental policy from Texas Southern University. With over 15 years of service with the City of Houston, Jessica serves as the Senior Staff Analyst for the Audit Division where she obtains and analyzes relevant data associated with audit projects, project management, and division performance; performs internal audits, and is the Controller’s Liaison for the City of Houston’s OBO Pay or Play program. She also reviews audit contingency revenue and professional services contracts and manages the insurance compliance for the professional services vendors with the City of Houston.
Jessica is a committed volunteer for various community organizations such as SEARCH Homeless Services. Aside from parenting her Siberian Husky “Vogue”, she remains active in the Houston Community and attends Jordan Grove Missionary Baptist Church.
staff bios updated September 2023