Joshua Diaz is originally from the island of Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. He is a Chamorro, one of the indigenous cultures of the CNMI. He currently resides on the island of O’ahu, Hawaii. In his free time, he loves to go to the beach, work out, travel, and spend time with his family. He is attending the University of Texas Permian Basin’s Accounting program and working full-time as Auditor II with the City and County of Honolulu.

Q & A with Joshua

Where and what are you currently studying, and why did you choose this?

Currently, I am a full-time student at Liberty University in pursuit of a Doctor of Public Administration. In addition, I am also concurrently a part-time Master of Professional Accountancy student at the University of Texas at the Permian Basin. I decided in 2020 that Public Administration and government operations are what I am genuinely passionate about. In addition, I decided to pursue a Master of Professional Accountancy Degree because the discipline of accounting provides beginning and intermediate knowledge on effectiveness, efficiency, and my favorite, internal controls! Both degrees complement each other for well-rounded expertise within the field of Government Finance.

What government are you working in or hope to work at in the future?

I am currently working for the City and County of Honolulu – Office of the City Auditor as an Auditor II conducting performance audits for the City and County. 

What are your future career goals?

My short-term goals include finishing both my degrees and obtaining a CPA license. My long-term goal is to continue my path with government auditing/finance and hopefully lead a government audit office, whether that be federal, state, or local. I would love to be able to lead the government auditing office in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Island, my home. 

How will GFOA’s scholarship help you achieve those goals?

I received the Government Finance Professional Development Scholarship. This scholarship will provide me with financial assistance to obtain my Master of Professional Accountancy Degree. In addition, I will be able to use the resources gained via the scholarship to promote better government finance practices.