More than two dozen officials from across Georgia achieved Local Finance Officer Certification in the second quarter of 2017 though the Institute of Government’s financial management training program.

Officials with city and county governments, local schools and a consulting engineering firm gained certification in the second quarter by successfully completing courses such as payroll administration, governmental accounting principles and internal controls.

Eighteen people achieved Level I certification and nine others earned Level II certificates for successfully completing additional training in the intricacies for public finance, accounting, budgeting, and more.

Level I certification requires finance officers to complete 108 hours of instruction about the intricacies of government budgeting, purchasing, accounting and other public finance topics. Level II Certified Financial Officers receive an additional 84 hours of instruction in intermediate governmental accounting and budgeting principles, internal controls and revenue administration as well as public finance electives.

Finance officers now can take all seven Level I courses online, making this Georgia’s only online program focusing on local government finance. The entire Level II curriculum is expected to be available online this year.

The Institute of Government’s local financial management training program provides officials with the information and tools they need to establish sound accounting practices and strong financial foundations in their governments. Since the program's inception in 1972, more than 1,500 local finance officers and others have graduated with certificates and almost 3,700 have received training.

The Institute also works with state financial officers through the state financial management program.

Graduates, April–June 2017

Level I

Ivy Adams, Clayton Center Community Service Board

Nekisha Baker, City of Riverdale

Kennie Carter, City of Atlanta

Alicia Day, CH2M Hill, Inc.

Temeeka Denson, DeKalb County Government

Zaneta Floyd, City of Ashburn

Jennifer Fricks, Putnam County Board of Commissioners

Alisha Gamble, City of Flowery Branch

Natasha Howard, Pickens County Government

Sonya Isaac, City of Norcross

Maria Jimenez, City of Eatonton

Brenda Martin, Gwinnett County Solid Waste

Chanel Mason, Fulton County School System

Candace Phillips, Fayette County Board of Education

Lynn Rowland, City of Lyons

Yanden Stallings, Atlanta Public Schools

Timothy Turner, City of Barnesville

Adria Williams, Clay County Board of Commissioners

Level II

Danielle Ballard, City of Fayetteville

Heather Butler, City of Douglas

Melissa Davis, City of Atlanta

Miria Gamble, Gwinnett County Government

Tessica Harvey, State Accounting Office

Patrick Kirkpatrick, Walton County Board of Commissioners

Tammie Martin, Gwinnett County Department of Transportation

Eve Reynolds, City of Covington

Taryn Roberson, Randolph County Board of Commissioners