Q&A with Carmen Avila-Yiptong and Ashley McGowen, GFOA scholarship winners.

• Position: IN PRACTICE

Carmen Avila-Yiptong (left) and Ashley McGowen (right) won two of GFOA's scholarships for 2020 (read more about the scholarship winners on page 31). Carmen, who won this year's Goldberg-Miller scholarship, and Ashley, one of our Government Finance Professional Development Scholarship winners, chatted with GFOA Senior Consultant Gen Carter about their plans for the future and their careers in government finance.

Tell me a little bit about you. What are your career plans in Government Finance?

Carmen: Hello GFOA members! My name is Carmen and I am currently based in Ottawa, Canada, where I work as an analyst at the Privy Council Office. Since the onset of the global pandemic, I've supported economic policy development related to the federal government's small and medium-sized business support measures, and foreign direct investment work. Previously, I worked in the Debt Management Division at the Bank of Canada, where I supported the bank's role as fiscal agent for the government.

I'm also pursuing a Master of Arts degree in International Economics and Finance from Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. Through this degree, I hope to move forward in a career that allows me to improve the welfare of others through public policy and sound government finance. I'm particularly interested in developing and implementing macroeconomic policy with positive micro-level impacts that advance financial stability and opportunity.

Ashley: I work as the Accountant/ Analyst II in the Finance department for the City of Grand Junction, Colorado. Amongst other things, I perform a wide variety of professional accounting duties involved in the analysis, maintenance, and review of accounting records, including reconciliations and financial reporting for the city's, as well as the Grand Junction Joint Sewer System's, comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR).

Each year, I also coordinate the city wide physical inventory and maintenance of capital asset records and assist with the yearly audit in preparation for the CAFR.

Almost daily, I have the opportunity to provide technical assistance and training to other finance department employees, and others in various departments, regarding implementation and continuation of processes and procedures, policy compliance, our ERP system, and internal controls. I love that each day in my role is different, and I never leave the office without having learned something new.

I'm also enrolled...