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Pamela Stroebel Powers

CPA, MBA, CIA, CRMA, CPM; Oregon Military Department Chief Audit Executive; Contributing Assistant Professor of Accounting

Headshot of Pamela Stroebel Powers

Contact Information

Salem Campus

Address
900 State Street
Salem  Oregon  97301
U.S.A.

Biography

Biography

Pamela joined the Oregon Military Department as its first in-house Chief Audit Executive (CAE) and founding member of Internal Audit on July 1, 2019. This is her second opportunity to establish an Oregon State Agency’s Internal Audit function over the course of her 24-year audit career in Oregon.

Prior to re-joining the State, in July 2014 Pamela founded Powers CPA, LLC and served as Owner and Managing Member. Powers CPA, LLC provides internal audit, consulting and training services to government and non-profit entities. Since leaving the State of Oregon in 2014, Pam performed audit work at the Oregon State Fair and Exposition Center, the Oregon Military Department, Keizer Community Library, the Oregon Departments of Veterans Affairs, Revenue and Education, Salem Child Development Center, and six Health-Related Licensing Boards. She has also performed Agreed-Upon Procedures (Financial Reviews) for 11 semi-independent state agencies, boards and commissions and regularly conducts training events for professional organizations. Pam previously served on the Oregon Department of Education’s committee and currently Chairs the Oregon Department of Human Services and Oregon Health Authority’s joint Audit Committee. She most recently accepte the position of Secretary for the state’s Chief Audit Executive Council for fiscal year 2021.  

In addition to her audit roles, Pam has served as a contributing faculty member at Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management since 2010, teaching Auditing and Forensic Accounting/Fraud Examination in the early-career MBA program and Accounting for Managers and Process Improvement in the Certificate of Public Management program. Over the course of her career with the state she has provided training on various topics including ethics, risk management, and auditing to agency staff, management and various professional organizations. She also serves as a course facilitator for the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA), providing training for audit professionals globally. She regularly gives presentations to professional organizations and has developed workshops and seminars on various topics including internal audit leadership and utilizing root cause analysis to enhance the audit process and report. 

Prior to starting her own firm, Pam served as the CAE for both the Oregon Lottery and the Department of Administrative Services (DAS). Her role as CAE at DAS included both managing the internal audit function as well as providing support and leadership to the internal audit community across the State of Oregon; in part by coordinating the Statewide Audit Advisory Committee and co-facilitating the State’s Chief Audit Executive Council. 

Prior to her position at DAS, Pam began a single-person internal audit function for the Oregon Department of Forestry where she managed the program for three years. Before that, she spent four years as a Senior Internal Auditor with the Oregon Department of Transportation. She began her career auditing for the State of Oregon with four years at the Secretary of State’s Audits Division where she performed external audits of several state agencies including the Department’s of Human Services, Land Conservation and Development, Transportation, Revenue, and the Oregon State Fair. While in college, Pam worked in several accounting and administrative functions for Garten Services, a rehabilitation center for mentally handicapped adults.

Pam earned her Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Western Baptist College in 1995 and her MBA from Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management in January 2016. She also holds Certifications in Public Accounting, Internal Auditing, and Risk Management Assurance.  She is a graduate of Leadership Oregon, has earned the designation of Competent Toastmaster, and graduated from Willamette University’s Certificate of Public Management program in June 2011. 

Pam is an active member of the IIA - she previously served as a member of the Global Academic Relations Committee and has assisted the Portland, OR Chapter’s Academic Relations Committee with its annual Student Night for the past three years. She has held several leadership positions on the Salem Chapter IIA board over her career including President for the 2004-05 chapter year, three years on the planning committee for the Western Regional Conference held in Portland in 2007, as well as chairing the Academic Relations and Social Committees over the past 5 years. She is also a member of the Oregon Society of Certified Public Accountants and has participated in the Society’s mentorship program and she previously served on the Board for the Oregon Public Performance Improvement Association. 

In her off hours, Pam enjoys spending time with her family. When time allows she seeks opportunities for yoga, scrapbooking, crafting, walking her bulldog Missy, biking, kayaking, hiking or playing trivia with friends. Pam has held several community volunteer positions including Treasurer for the Keizer Community Library and Sprague graduation party, and Secretary and Band Mom for the Band Boosters at Sprague High School. She enjoys regularly volunteering with local non-profits through her Service and Beer Community. Today she can often be found helping her husband at their Wilsonville, Oregon business, All Things Aquariums.

Education

  • B.S., Western Baptist College (Accounting)
  • Certified Public Accountant
  • Certified Internal Auditor
  • Certificate in Public Management, Willamette University

Areas of Instruction

Fraud and Controls

Selected Professional Activities

The Institute of Internal Auditors (IAA), IAA Global Academic Relations Committee, IAA Salem Chapter Past President, Oregon Society of Certified Public Accountants
Willamette University

Atkinson Graduate School of Management

Salem Campus

Address
900 State Street
Salem Oregon 97301 U.S.A.
Phone
503-370-6167

Portland Center

Address
200 SW Market Street, Suite 101
Portland Oregon 97201 U.S.A.
Phone
971-717-7260