Born and raised in Long Beach, Laura Doud attended Wilson High School, Long Beach City College, and California State University, Long Beach. She graduated with a degree in accounting and then accepted a position with the Office of the City Auditor as a Staff Auditor.

Laura became a Certified Public Accountant, a Certified Fraud Examiner, and earned a Law Degree. She became Controller of the Water Replenishment District of Southern California, a position that gave her the opportunity to help one of the most financially challenged government bodies become one of the best.

With her expertise and years of experience, Laura successfully campaigned for the position of Long Beach City Auditor. It surprised her that many people did not know that Long Beach has a City Auditor – ever since, Laura has made public outreach a priority.

First elected in 2006 and re-elected for a second four-year term in 2010, Laura has energized this vital City department. In addition to completing significant reports such as audits of the Long Beach Police Department and the Queen Mary, her office has conducted nationally recognized, award-winning audits of the Long Beach Museum of Art and the City’s Towing Operations.

To assure Long Beach residents that the City Auditor’s Office complies with the highest standards of the profession, Laura instituted a new policy of undergoing triennial independent peer reviews. These “audits of the auditor” are required of organizations following Government Auditing Standards by the Comptroller General of the United States, the official auditor of the U.S. Congress. In 2009, the Office underwent its first peer review since the 1988 requirement. The audit found that the Office’s internal operations are in full compliance with Standards to ensure that the work of the Office is reliable and credible.

One of Laura’s top priorities is to find better ways for the Office to serve the public. She often highlights her discussions with residents of Long Beach by asking two questions, “How are we doing?” and “How can we do better?”

Laura Doud was a leader in the passage of Proposition H, a voter-approved referendum that resulted in raising $3.7 million annually for public safety. Economic challenges of the past several years have strengthened Laura’s resolve to find ways to increase revenue to the City, protect taxpayers’ dollars, and give the residents of Long Beach a world class auditing office.

Laura lives in Long Beach with her husband, Jim, and their young daughter, Kelly. In addition to her public service, she is an active member of her church and supports many community organizations.