ALI CLOWARD
FOR SALT LAKE COUNTY AUDITOR
Ali Cloward is a Democrat running for Salt Lake County Auditor. She is a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) with over 15 years of professional auditing experience, and holds both a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Accounting from the University of Utah.
ALI’S VALUES
- Efficiency
The government shouldn't waste a single taxpayer dollar. Ali believes Salt Lake County should get the most out of every dollar it spends, because every dollar saved is money back in the pockets of the people who live here. - Trust
Trust is earned through honesty and consistency, not just credentials. Ali has built her career on giving people the straight truth, even when it's not the easy answer, because that is what integrity in public service requires. Backed by 15 years as a professional auditor, residents can count on her to call things as she sees them. - Accountability
Elected officials answer to the people they serve, but that only works if residents have the full picture. Ali is committed to the kind of transparency that puts the facts in front of people, so they can hold their government accountable.
WHAT IS AN AUDITOR?
An auditor's job is to independently examine an organization's finances, operations, and internal processes to make sure things are being done efficiently, legally, and honestly, and to flag risk before it becomes a bigger problem. It's a distinct profession with its own training and certification process.
- A CPA (Certified Public Accountant) is generally focused on preparing, reviewing, and certifying financial statements and tax filings.
- A CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner) specializes in investigating suspected fraud after the fact.
- A financial manager is responsible for making financial decisions and managing budgets within an organization.
A Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), by contrast, is trained specifically to proactively evaluate how an organization operates from the inside: testing internal controls, assessing risk, and identifying where processes can run more efficiently, before problems occur rather than after. That forward looking, efficiency focused approach is what makes the CIA credential especially well suited to the work of a county auditor's office, where the goal isn't just to catch wrongdoing after the fact, but to help the government run leaner and smarter every day.
THE IMPORTANCE OF FRESH PERSPECTIVES
Fifteen years spent auditing organizations in the private sector builds the habit of constantly looking for waste, risk, and inefficiency, instead of settling into familiarity with just one system.
That outside perspective brings fresh questions and new best practices to county processes that might otherwise go unexamined.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
- Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)
- Master's and Bachelor's degrees in Accounting, University of Utah
- Utah 40 under 40 Recipient
- 15+ years of experience helping organizations with internal audits, including risk, compliance, and financial oversight
- Board Member, Clean Slate Utah, supporting second chances and economic opportunity
ABOUT ALI
I'm running for Salt Lake County Auditor because I love this community and want to help make it an even better place for the people who live here. I grew up right here in Salt Lake County, and it will always be home to me. I earned both my undergraduate and master's degrees in Accounting from the University of Utah, and I've spent the past 15 years working as an auditor.
Today, I work at a national firm, helping organizations navigate compliance, risk, and internal controls.
I believe our local government should reflect the values of the people it serves: honesty, transparency, and responsible stewardship of public resources. I'm running to help ensure our county operates effectively, uses taxpayer dollars wisely, and earns the trust of the community.
While this is a partisan race, the work of the Auditor's office should remain focused on doing what's right. I will proudly serve every resident of Salt Lake County.
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