Ky. State Auditor Talks Leadership

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 8, 2010) — With the political landscape of the nation in constant flux, a degree from the University of Kentucky's award-winning Martin School of Public Policy and Administration has become more important than ever.

Crit Luallen, Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts, knows the value of leadership in public policy.

Named a 2009 "Public Official of the Year" by Washington, D.C.-based Governing magazine for her positive impact on Kentucky government, Luallen will speak on "The Responsibility of Leadership" at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 10 in the West End Board Room on the 18th floor of the Patterson Office Tower.

Throughout her first term and continuing into her second, Luallen has uncovered millions of dollars in government fraud and questionable expenditures and has referred a record number of cases to law enforcement officials, while continuing to focus on ways to improve government management and efficiency.

"One of my goals is that the Auditor's Office not just focus on finding wrongdoing and saying 'gotcha,'" she has said. "I want this office to bring value to the process of improving government efficiency."

Among her most significant performance audits include the first comprehensive review of each county's jail spending, her review of Medicaid reporting, an overview of higher education tuition increases, a study of state parks and an assessment of Kentucky's Guardianship program.

"We couldn't have asked for a better candidate to kick off our 'Leaders in Public Policy' series," said William Hoyt, director of the Martin School. "Crit is a great role model for students seeking a career in public policy. She defines leadership in that arena."

Luallen was elected as Kentucky's 47th auditor of public accounts in 2003, winning the statewide office on her first foray into electoral politics after a distinguished career in public service.

Her service began in 1974 as a campaign staff member to Wendell Ford and culminated in her nearly seven years as secretary of the governor's executive cabinet, then the highest appointed position in Kentucky state government. As secretary, Luallen was the chief operating officer of Kentucky, with responsibility for more than 35,000 full-time employees and a budget of $17 billion.

Luallen also served as state budget director, secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet, secretary of the Kentucky Tourism Cabinet, commissioner of the Kentucky Department of the Arts, and special assistant to the governor.

She also spent four years in Louisville and served as president of the Greater Louisville Economic Development Partnership, a regional economic development agency. In 2001 Luallen was awarded the National Excellence in Leadership Award by Women Executives in State Government.

During her years of service to Kentucky, Luallen was pivotal in many of the Commonwealth's greatest accomplishments. She played a key role in developing and securing passage of the Higher Education Reforms of 1997 and the Early Childhood Development initiative. Luallen chaired EMPOWER Kentucky, a government efficiency initiative that produced savings to Kentucky taxpayers of $600 million.

She helped develop the Agricultural Development Board that determines the uses of Kentucky's tobacco settlement funds and chaired Kentucky’s homeland security team. In response to allegations of wrongdoing in the Transportation Cabinet, Luallen spearheaded the creation of an Office of Inspector General. Luallen also played a leadership role in developing the Governor's School for the Arts, the Kentucky Information Highway, the Kentucky History Center, the Northern Kentucky Convention Center and the expansion of the Commonwealth Convention Center in Louisville.

Luallen has learned a good deal as she has worked her way through a career that has touched nearly every aspect of public policy. She has learned as much about why leaders fail as why they succeed. "If there’s one key lesson I’ve learned in my experience, it’s that seldom do we see success in the public or private arena unless the leaders involved display integrity in their every decision," she said.

Luallen, also a Martin School Board of Visitors member, is opening this year's Martin School's speakers’ series, titled "Leaders in Public Policy." The Martin School will host a reception following her discussion.

The Martin School, ranked No. 4 in U.S. News and World Report's Public Budgeting and Finance, was also recently recognized as an outstanding program among 5,000 university doctoral programs in the National Research Council rankings released on Sept. 28.

The Martin School's professional degree programs, which include a master's degree in public policy and administration and a doctoral program in public administration, launch students into careers with public, private and nonprofit organizations prepared to confront the important and challenging issues facing our cities, states and nation.

For more information on Luallen's talk, which is open to the public, please contact Hoyt at whoyt@uky.edu or (859) 257-2518.