Auditor-Controller Bios
Auditor-Controller
Rupa Shah, CPA
Rupa began her work with the County in 1997. She began her service with the Office of the Auditor-Controller in 2000. During her tenure within the Office of the Auditor-Controller, Rupa served as Assistant Auditor-Controller, Chief Deputy Auditor-Controller over General Accounting, Reporting, and Financial System; Chief Deputy of Internal Audit; and as an Internal Auditor. Outside of the County, she has held positions with County of Riverside and private CPA firms. Rupa is a licensed CPA in California and holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Commerce, International (equivalent to Business Administration track in US).
Assistant Auditor-Controller
Enedina Garcia
Enedina joined the Auditor-Controller's Office in 2025, bringing with her nearly 18 years of progressive experience and leadership roles in local government, all of which she earned in the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector's Office for the County of Fresno. Enedina began her public service career in 2007 and gained valuable experience performing various functions of the Auditor-Controller's Office such as the Countywide Cost Allocation Plan, calculation and apportionment of property taxes, internal audits, assuming a lead role in producing the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report and facilitating countywide training for accounting and finance personnel. Beginning in 2017, Enedina advanced rapidly through leadership, first as Accounting and Financial Manager, then as Accounting and Financial Division Chief, and ultimately as Deputy Auditor-Controller in 2018, a position she held for seven years. In that role, she provided strategic oversight of multiple Divisions, equivalent to the structure in the County of Monterey Auditor-Controller's Office. Enedina holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from California State University, Fresno.
Chief Deputy Auditor-Controller
James Lam, CIA, CFE, CGAP
James joined the Auditor-Controller's Office in 2021 with 18 years of local government auditing and management consulting experience. Prior to joining the County, James served as the Deputy and Assistant City Auditor at the Long Beach City Auditor's Office, where he was responsible for overseeing performance/operational audits, fraud investigations and special studies conducted by internal audit staff and external consultants. He has also worked as an internal auditor for the Los Angeles City Controller's Office and as the Managing Principal of Arroyo Associates, Inc., where he led the firm's management consulting practice providing operational and management audits and studies, and other consulting services for various cities, counties and special districts. James holds an MPP from Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government; an MBA from the Drucker School of Management; and a BA from the University of California, Irvine. He is a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and Certified Government Auditing Professional (CGAP).
Chief Deputy Auditor-Controller
Siomara Barajas, CPA
Siomara joined the Auditor-Controller's Office in 2020 and was promoted to Chief Deputy Auditor-Controller overseeing the General Accounting Division in 2022. Prior to joining the County, Siomara worked with a local CPA firm where she worked within the audit, accounting, consulting, and tax departments and gained experience across various industries including healthcare, non-profit organizations, employee benefit plans, and a governmental entity. Siomara is a licensed Certified Public Accountant and graduated from CSU, Monterey Bay, with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, concentrating in accounting.
Chief Deputy Auditor-Controller
Ma Mon
Mon started her career with the County of Monterey in 2007 and has 18 years of governmental finance experience. Prior to joining the Auditor-Controller's Office as a Chief Deputy Auditor-Controller for the Disbursements Division, she held various accounting/finance positions including Accounts Payable Supervisor at the Auditor-Controller's Office, Accountant II at Department of Child Support Services, Accountant III, and Finance Manager I at former Resource Management Agency, Finance Manager I at Health Department Behavioral Health Bureau, and Finance Manager II at Department of Social Services. Mon graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from UC Davis.
Departmental Information Systems Manager II
Usharani Talabhaktula, MBA, MSIT, CSM, CBAP
Usha joined the Auditor-Controller's Office in November 2014 as an ERP Business Analyst. She was promoted in 2022 to Departmental Information Systems Manager II, overseeing the Systems Management Division. Usha has an educational background of a Master's degree in Accounting equivalent to MBA in the US and a Master's degree in Information Technology (MSIT) from CSU Fullerton. Usha is a Certified Scrum Master (CSM), and a Certified Business Analysis Professional (CBAP). Usha has been acting as the Information Security Officer (ISO) for the Auditor-Controller's Office since 2016, providing technical support, guidance and recommendations on Systems related aspects. Prior to joining the Auditor-Controller's Office, Usha had worked for public and private organizations-a digital infrastructure and data center company in SFO bay area, CSU Monterey Bay campus IT department, an international marketing company among others.