News Release: Council Set to Appoint Katherine Murdock as City Auditor

News Release: Council Set to Appoint Katherine Murdock as City Auditor

Published on April 25, 2024

NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

Council Set to Appoint Katherine Murdock of Baker Tilly as City Auditor

International audit firm continues to perform City audit services

PALO ALTO, CALIF.-The Palo Alto City Council is set to formally appoint Katherine (Kate) Murdock, MPP, CIA, CGAP of Baker Tilly US, LLP as City Auditor on May 6, 2024. Murdock has served as auditor and risk analyst leadership roles during her 11 years of experience working in municipal governments and local utilities, before joining Baker Tilly's public sector advisory practice with a focus on providing risk and internal audit services.

"On behalf of my Council colleagues, the appointment of Kate Murdock as our City Auditor and the continued focus of the internal audit services through Baker Tilly, continues our commitment to internal auditing, transparency and accountability in government," said Greer Stone, mayor of Palo Alto. "Kate's experience as both auditor and risk analyst roles in local government and municipal utilities will serve Palo Alto well and ensure the continuation of auditing best practices."

Murdock is an experienced manager with Baker Tilly's public sector advisory practice with a focus on providing risk and internal audit services. Murdock joined Baker Tilly in 2023 after 11 years of serving in auditor, and risk analyst roles for Austin Energy, Office of the City Auditor, Austin and the City of Sunnyvale, CA. Her experience includes enterprise risk management, internal audit and performance audits for local governments and municipal utilities.

"I look forward to working with the Palo Alto City Council and City management to advance the City's internal audit priorities in my capacity as City Auditor," said Kate Murdock, audit manager- public sector, Baker Tilly.

Murdock holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of California Berkley, Goldman School of Public Policy and a Bachelor of Arts, Religion from Carleton College (Northfield, MN).

Murdock is a Certified Internal Auditor, a member of the Association of Local Government Auditors (ALGA) and has held leadership roles within ALGA including Conference Committee, Chair of Auditee Initiative Subcommittee 2019-2020.

Baker Tilly is one of the few comprehensive professional services firms with a group dedicated to state and local governmental clients. Baker Tilly's experience extends across more than 40 states with specific public sector clients in California such as Carlsbad, Riverside, Burbank, Modesto and Richmond and several utility clients including Sacramento Municipal Utility District, Imperial Irrigation District, Northern California Power Agency, San Diego Gas & Electric, Glendale Utilities, Pasadena Water and Electric, Anaheim Public Utilities, and the California Public Utilities Commission. This is notable as Palo Alto owns and operates its own utilities.

The City's contract with Baker Tilly specifies the designation of a City Auditor. The Palo Alto Charter provides that the City Council appoint an Auditor who serves at the Council's will. The Charter describes the Auditor's key duties. (See Charter, Art. IV, sections 1 and 12). The Council Appointed Officers Committee (a committee of three Council Members) met to discuss the City Auditor appointment and recommends that the City Council appoint Katherine Murdock as the City's permanent City Auditor.

Following Council approval of the City Auditor appointment on May 6, 2024, the appointment will begin immediately, is ongoing and ends with the expiration of the agreement between the City of Palo Alto and Baker Tilly US, LLP.

For more about the City of Palo Alto, go to www.cityofpaloalto.org.

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Sent by:

Meghan Horrigan-Taylor

Chief Communications Officer

City Manager's Office

Email: M[email protected]

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