A Letter from the INTOSAI Journal President

Author: Mark Keenan, President, International Journal of Government Auditing

It is an honor and a privilege to introduce myself as the new President of the International Journal of Government Auditing.

I would like to start by thanking our past president Mr. Michael Hix for his excellent vision and stewardship of the Journal over the past several years. I would also like to offer my deep gratitude to Ms. Jessica Du, our Journal Vice President and Editor. Jessica has done a terrific job managing and growing the Journal in a positive direction. I would also like to extend my thanks to the rest of the Journal Board of Directors, the Editorial Team, and the Board of Editors and Associate Editors.

Last, but certainly not least, I want to thank all of you who submit the content that makes the Journal the strong communication and knowledge sharing tool that it is. Your passion and eagerness to share with your colleagues makes our auditing community stronger. Thank you and please keep the articles coming!

The Journal is an amazing resource for our community. The knowledge shared by colleagues across the globe is inspiring. Tackling important topics such as recent issues on Supreme Audit Institution independence, the role of financial audit, auditing infrastructure, and climate change adaptation and audits is critical and the Journal continues to share those topics so that we can all learn and improve.   

A little about me. I have been with the United States Government Accountability Office for 23 years. I spent my first 2 years in GAO’s Professional Development Program and then served most of my career as a Senior Analyst in GAO’s Natural Resources and Environment Team. I led audits on a range of issues, including Native American repatriation of human remains and sacred objects, energy efficiency of federal buildings, federal land transactions, and cleanup of former U.S. nuclear facilities.

I later spent two years as an advisor for GAO’s Professional Development Program, guiding about 60 new staff through their first two years at GAO until permanently placing on a mission team.

In 2019, I transitioned to GAO’s Strategic Planning and External Liaison Office to manage GAO’s longstanding International Auditor Fellowship Program. Currently, I serve as an assistant director for international relations. In addition to the Fellowship Program, I manage GAO’s role as vice chair in the INTOSAI-Donor Cooperation and GAO’s international visitors program.

I am excited about the future of the Journal.  

I want to continue to focus on content that is helpful for the auditing community we serve.

I want to continue to ensure the Journal is fully accessible, including maintaining the translation of the Journal’s content into the official INTOSAI languages.

I want to support coverage of the Journal at key events across our vibrant community, where appropriate and feasible.

I want to maintain and upgrade our website to provide the best access to all Journal content and ensure social media continues to thrive.

To close, I am excited to take on my new role and look forward to working with Jessica Du, the Journal Board, and the entire INTOSAI community to ensure we continue to exemplify the INTOSAI motto “Mutual experience benefits all.”