Shondell Younette Thomas

Guyana

Shondell is a passionate audit professional who possesses a Master’s Degree in Oil and Gas Management from the University of Bedfordshire, London. In addition, she holds an Ordinary Diploma in Commerce, a Diploma in Accountancy, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Corporate Finance.

She commenced her journey at the Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) of Guyana in 2012 performing financial audits. She is currently an Audit Supervisor. Prior to Shondell’s endeavours at the Audit Office of Guyana (AOG), she was employed in the private sector where she gained over fifteen years of experience in administration and accounting. Performance auditing is new to her.

My goals for the Fellowship

I am anticipating that the Fellowship will help me to gain insight on performance audit techniques and skills. I am also curious to understand the impact of performance audits and how they are used in assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of government programs and activities. Further, I look forward to enhancing my leadership skills and techniques.

The impact I hope to make as a graduate Fellow

Upon completion of the Fellowship programme, I will apply the skills and techniques I acquire to make a positive impact in the Audit Office of Guyana and by extension my country. I am desirous of establishing a Coaching and Mentorship Programme at AOG with the objectives of: (i) providing an avenue for knowledge sharing through networking opportunities and bridging the generational gaps; (ii) providing educational empowerment for SAI Guyana auditors through collaborative programmes with established educational institutions and development partners such as the Canadian Audit and Accountability Foundation; (iii) exploring and developing strategies to enhance auditors’ leadership skills to positively impact the audit profession; and (iv) encouraging stakeholder engagement to make an enriching impact on the lives of our citizens.