ACUA Member Spotlights are featured members who show commitment, exemplary service, and/or dedicated volunteerism towards the organization. Whether it’s going above and beyond in a committee, or presenting an exciting session at one of our conferences, ACUA wants to spotlight our best and brightest.
Christine T. Monteiro, MSDA, CIA, CFE
Executive Director of Internal Audit / Chief Internal Auditor
Northern Illinois University. 13 years in higher education.
“ACUA has been an integral part of my career in internal audit. The support and education provided to auditors in our unique sector are second to none. I especially appreciate that education and resources are developed and presented by our peers. This has encouraged me to volunteer to write a Kickstarter (Title IV Consumer Disclosures and Activities), and to speak at two AuditCons! I hope to continue to find interesting and applicable subjects for more Kickstarters in the future.”
Professional Background
Christine began her career in higher education auditing in 2011 at DuPaul University after some time in the banking and finance industry, where she was a compliance/loan/ collections officer. At DePaul University, she served as a Senior Internal Auditor and enjoyed working with a great team. These experiences have propelled Christine to a recent change as the newly appointed Executive Director of Internal Audit / Chief Internal Auditor at Northern Illinois University.
Agnessa Vartanova CPA, CIA, CFE, CISA, CRMA
Associate Vice President, Internal Audit University of Colorado. 3 years in higher education.
“Engaging with ACUA was the perfect way to build my network and expand my understanding of the higher education operational and risk landscape.”
“One of the best things about working in higher education is the ability to share wisdom and leverage methodologies across our teams. ACUA is such an important part of that exchange! I enjoyed opportunities to present at AuditCon and conduct Quality Assessment Reviews in the last couple of years. ”
Professional Background
Agnessa’s first higher education adventure began in February 2021 when she joined the University of Colorado (CU) as the Associate Vice President and Chief Audit Executive. Prior to joining CU, she held leadership roles in global internal audit functions at Ball Corporation and DaVita, Inc., Colorado-based Fortune 500 companies. A Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in accounting from University of Wyoming and a professional graduate certificate in corporate sustainability and innovation from Harvard University Extension School are the cornerstones of Agnessa’s impressive career. She is a Certified Public Accountant in Colorado, and holds other professional certifications in internal auditing, information systems auditing, fraud examination, and risk management assurance. Agnessa strives to elevate the role of internal audit by consistently delivering pragmatic and meaningful insight to stakeholders.