By: Catherine Martinez
Growing up, Auditor General Timothy DeFoor had math anxiety throughout his school years. It wasn’t until he got to college and had to fulfill a graduation requirement that things began to change.
When a professor introduced him to statistics, his fear of math turned into an enjoyment of the subject. Empowered with knowledge, anxiety transformed into confidence. As he honed his skills, math gave him the tools he needed to become an auditor in both the private and public sectors, including working at the State Inspector General’s Office and the State Attorney General’s Office. His first elected position was as the Dauphin County Controller beginning in 2015, followed by becoming the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Auditor General in 2021.
“I have audited on the county level, state level, federal level and the private sector,” Auditor General DeFoor said. “So there’s not too much that I haven’t seen.”
With his wealth of experience, he learned about government and auditing before jumping into the political nature of his job, rather than pursuing politics first and then learning how to do the job once elected. This is a rare occurrence, since Pennsylvania elected its first Auditor General in 1856, and Auditor General DeFoor is the first one with professional auditing experience.
He puts that experience to the grindstone, with the staff at the Auditor General’s Office completing 3,700 audits per year on behalf of the people of Pennsylvania, keeping dollars flowing efficiently and transparently.
A Career Path that Started at the Dinner Table
Auditor General DeFoor’s interest in his eventual career path started long before that college math class; it began at his parents’ dinner table. Both of his parents came from working-class families—his mother’s family were coal miners, while his father’s family were steel and auto industry workers.
As a kid, I used to wonder to myself, ‘What does government do with mom and dad tax dollars?’ I knew at a very young age what I wanted to do, and I wanted to go after people who didn’t use mom and dad’s tax dollars correctly.
“They would always have conversations with us about government, about how government worked, what government was supposed to do,” he said. “As a kid, I used to wonder to myself, ‘What does government do with mom and dad tax dollars?’ I knew at a very young age what I wanted to do, and I wanted to go after people who didn’t use mom and dad’s tax dollars correctly.”
Financial Literacy Initiatives That Make a Difference
The Auditor General focuses on the practical aspects of his job because he knows that’s what makes the difference in people’s lives. When he first became an elected official, he spoke to a group of college students about government. At the end of his presentation, he was surprised that none of the students asked him about government or politics— instead, they wanted advice on how to manage their money.
That was a lightbulb moment. He saw his role as an elected official expand to equipping his constituents with practical financial literacy skills to improve their lives. He knew that educating young people about managing money could reduce their anxiety about finances and build their confidence.
“After I was sworn in [as Auditor General], one of the first things that I did was talk to the staff about the importance of financial literacy and how it impacts everything that we do in the Commonwealth,” he said. “So we came up with our ‘Be Money $mart’ financial literacy initiative.”
The Auditor General’s team traveled across the state and visited schools that were teaching financial literacy and learning why they thought it was important. Then they gathered partners, including those in the financial services industry, credit unions, banks, and organizations such as the YMCA and the Boys & Girls Clubs.
“It is a grassroots effort screaming from all the mountaintops across Pennsylvania as to why financial literacy matters, why it’s important,” said Hayden Rigo, Chief of Staff for the Auditor General. “We wish it reached all Pennsylvanians, whether they are 65 or 16.”
No matter what you do in your life, you’re going to need to understand money. Whether you go to college, whether you go into the military, whether you have a job or whether you start a career, you’re going to understand all the basics behind it, how to balance a checkbook, how to save for an emergency. To me, financial literacy is a life skill.
The Auditor General’s Office also facilitates an annual financial literacy scholarship competition for high school students, with winners receiving cash prizes from Harrisburg University and a free Be Money $mart Activity Book.
Auditor General DeFoor also advocated for the passage of a bill requiring high school students to complete a half-credit financial literacy course to graduate, a law that will go into effect in the fall of 2026.
“No matter what you do in your life, you’re going to need to understand money. Whether you go to college, whether you go into the military, whether you have a job or whether you start a career, you’re going to understand all the basics behind it, how to balance a checkbook, how to save for an emergency,” said Auditor General DeFoor. “To me, financial literacy is a life skill.”
Many of Pennsylvania’s schools have been requiring financial literacy courses for years, but this law ensures that each high school graduate leaves school with a basic knowledge of personal finances.
The feedback has been positive, with real stories of lives changed. Auditor General DeFoor recalled a story about a young man who took a financial literacy course in inner-city Philadelphia and reported that it changed his life. He learned how to earn, save, and build generational wealth. He also recalled the story of a high school girl who took a financial literacy class and took over handling her family’s finances, giving them the financial breathing room, they had never enjoyed before.
“It’s all about how we are preparing the next generation to succeed,” the Auditor General said.
Auditor General DeFoor practices what he preaches internally as well, offering staff members the opportunity to better themselves through tuition discount programs that make pursuing advanced degrees financially attainable.
“There are opportunities for staff to come in at a community college level degree, be here for 10 years, pursue a four-year college degree, get a state pension through staying here 10 years, be vested in that pension, and ultimately change their lives,” said Mr. Rigo.
The goal is to get Pennsylvania’s families talking about financial literacy topics at their own dinner tables. By empowering people with practical knowledge, Pennsylvania’s Auditor General’s Office is giving future generations the confidence they need to achieve the American dream.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Catherine is a full-time copywriter for a nonprofit organization and a freelance writer. She spends her days writing, chasing toddlers and learning how to master her money. Catherine lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and their two young children.
