Jennifer Signs

Jennifer currently serves as the Finance Manager/Treasurer for the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District located in Bellingham, Washington. The District provides water and sewer utilities to about 11,000 people in the Lake Whatcom watershed. Jennifer previously served as the Finance Director for the City of Monte Vista in Southern Colorado. She is responsible for the direction, planning, forecasting, and management of the District’s finances, analysis, and accounting services. Along with this, responsibilities for the District include the annual budget preparation, utility billing, annual audit, monthly financial oversight and preparation, and the investment and debt management of the District’s funds. She came to the public sector after serving in the private enterprise for 15 years in the accounting, banking, and legal fields. She has developed and fostered policies that have increased growth and transparency, implemented financial best practices, compiled comprehensive financial policy manuals, developed citizen’s academies, managed project portfolios and finances for an $8.6 million community event and recreation center and assisted in the facilitation of sale tax initiatives for growth and development of public services. Her strengths are strategic planning, financial analysis, budgeting and forecasting, risk management, and financial policy.

Along with her responsibilities at the District, Jennifer has held leadership positions within professional organizations and investment pools to include a Trustee on the Board of Trustees for COLOTRUST (Colorado Local Government Liquid Asset Trust) and Chairperson of the Small Government Forum with Government Finance Officers Association. She is a member of Women in Public Finance, Washington Government Finance Officers Association, and the Washington Public Treasurers Association. Jennifer earned a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with studies focused in pre-law and accounting from Adams State University, as well as an Associates of Arts degree in Business Administration and Paralegal Certification.