Lisa Apodaca

About Lisa Apodaca

Professional Bio:Lisa brings more than 20 years of supervisory and management-level experience in the accounting and finance industry to her current role. She leads by modeling excellence, integrity, dedication, and accountability. Her multi-faceted experience in public accounting and industry, which includes risk evaluation and internal controls, along with her strategic thinking and financial reporting knowledge enable her to lead teams that perform highly visible and impactful work for Sandia National Laboratories. As a Quality Assurance Auditor at Sandia National Laboratories, Lisa Apodaca is responsible for advancing the field of internal auditing through strategic leadership, continuous improvement, and a commitment to excellence. Her role encompasses a diverse range of responsibilities aimed at enhancing audit quality, ensuring compliance with industry standards, and fostering a culture of accountability and transparency. Prior to joining Sandia in 2015, Lisa had many years of experience in public accounting and acted as a small business owner. Lisa earned her bachelor’s degree in Accounting from New Mexico State University. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of Texas with an inactive license in the State of New Mexico. DiSC Style: Strong \"i\", some \"D\", lesser \"S\" and a dash of \"C\" Priorities in the workplace:• Enthusiasm• Action• Results through collaborationMotivators:• Inspiring others to do their best• Getting people involved• Initiating colorful projectsMBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicators): ISTJ Personal Connection:Outside of work, Lisa enjoys running, cycling, other outdoor activities, spending time with her two teenage daughters and her dogs. Living a healthy, active lifestyle underpinned by laughter and kindness is foundational. At least once yearly, Lisa enjoys a destination running or cycling event. The accomplishment is not time-based, but rather the camaraderie and friendships enjoyed during the training journey.

Experience

1. Quality Assurance Auditor

   Sandia National Laboratories

   Feb 2025 — Present · Albuquerque, NM, US

   Audit Procedure Management: Lead continuous improvement initiatives by refining methodologies to align with the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Global Internal Audit Standards (GIAS), regulatory requirements, and industry best practices. Oversee the maintenance and updates of the Internal Audit (IA) procedure, ensuring that resources—including templates, the TeamMate User Guide and guidance documents are well-maintained, clear, and compliant.Staff Development: Collaborate with internal audit staff and management to assess knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs), identify resource allocation needs and develop strategic training plans. Utilize a \"train-the-trainer\" model to deliver training and coaching on quality standards, audit methodologies, and best practices, ensuring the team is equipped to deliver excellence.Strategic Initiatives: Lead internal audit strategic initiatives, focused on data innovation and performance assessment to enhance audit efficiencies and value delivery. Assess the impact of internal audit activities through performance metrics, enabling the audit team to execute and deliver results that maximize value for the Labs and support risk-informed decision-making.Quality Assurance Improvement Program (QAIP): As the QAIP lead, design and implement a comprehensive internal audit quality assurance framework aligned with industry standards. This includes conducting periodic self-assessments, coordinating external peer reviews, and collaborating with Audit Quality Leads (AQLs) and management to ensure alignment with audit objectives. Drive continuous improvement initiatives based on stakeholder feedback and engagement quality review results. Assist and lead external peer reviews at other internal audit sites in the DOE complex.Ad Hoc Responsibilities: Develop and present reports to management and leadership, providing insights and recommendations that drive strategic decision-making and enhance internal audit processes.

Education

• New Mexico State University

  BA, Accounting

  1990 — 1995

Skills

• Analysis
• Accounting
• Forecasting
• Compliance
• Cpa
• Retail
• Customer Relations
• Financial Reporting
• Word
• Financial Analysis
• Financial Management
• Gaap
• Sox
• Finance
• Auditing
• Quickbooks
• Excel
• Microsoft Office
• Budgeting
• Internal Controls