School Board Audit Services Department
Zia Ahmed—C.P.A., C.I.A.
Zia Ahmed is a strategic, results-driven executive who brings a strong background in assurance, compliance, risk management, and governance. He has spent 20+ years developing and leading internal audit, advisory, and compliance functions for Fortune 100 companies and national nonprofits. Zia began his career at Pricewaterhouse Cooper, and has held senior and executive positions in organizations such as the American Red Cross, Cable & Wireless Communications, SAIC, and IMI.
Most recently, as the head of internal audit and advisory services at UNCF, he directed the organization’s internal audit function and provided independent assurance to leadership and the board on the effectiveness of internal controls and processes, risk management, compliance, and governance. He also advised on high-impact organizational initiatives in support of strategic objectives. His performance-driven approach is focused on strengthening financial integrity, increasing operational effectiveness, ensuring accountability, safeguarding assets, and building diverse teams.
Zia is a CPA and CIA and holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Accounting from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Background of the School Board Audit Services Department
The Richmond City School Board initiated an Internal Audit function in April 1978 to presumably perform Financial, Operational, Compliance, Information Technology, Performance audits and investigate allocations of fraud, waste or abuse. At that time the department reported administratively and functionally to the Finance Director. Since February 1996, to ensure independence, the Internal Audit function has solely reported, Administratively and Functionally, to the Richmond City School Board.
Per conversations with long term employees, it is believed that the department was a well-staffed function within the organization and executed work in general accordance with the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Standards and Practices. The last known External Quality Assurance Reviews (QAR) were performed 2008 and 2013. Those external assessments indicated, that while improvements were needed, audit work was generally performed in conformance with the IIA’s International Professional Practices Framework (IPPF). In December 2023, an Internal Quality Review Assessment indicated that Internal Audit work did not conform to the IIA’s IPPF.
As QAR’s are normally done every five years, it cannot be determined if a QAR was done in 2018 when due. Based on discussion with the current staff, there was no QAR done in 2023. Between the 2013 Quality Assurance Review and late 2022, the department was downsized to one novice auditor.
In early 2023, the School Board decided to reinvigorate the Internal Audit function and later that year appointed an Internal Auditor Director to manage and revitalize the function. In early 2024, the Richmond City School Board adopted a new Audit Committee Charter, a new School Board Audit Services Charter and the School Board Audit Services Operations manual was rewritten a well. In early 2024 as well, the department was moved from a paper-based system to being paperless and is able to perform audit engagements at any location within the school district.
As originally intended, the department is currently performing Financial, Operational, Compliance, Information Technology, Performance audits and investigates allocations of fraud, waste or abuse. The department is working on correcting the out of conformance issues noted in the aforementioned 2023 Internal Quality Assessment. An external Quality Assessment is scheduled for late 2025 or early 2026.