Karina B. Alvarez takes reins as Imperial County Auditor-Controller

Karina B. Alvarez Begins Tenure as Imperial County Auditor-Controller

EL CENTRO – The County of Imperial announced that Karina B. Alvarez began her tenure as the Imperial County Auditor-Controller Tuesday, May 3. The Imperial County Board of Supervisors unanimously appointed Alvarez Tuesday, April 12, according to a County press release.

“The Board of Supervisors welcomes Mrs. Alvarez into the Imperial County family and looks forward to working alongside her and the department to provide significant support services including administrative, accounting, audit, payroll, and consulting services to our County government,” Chairman of the Board, Jesus Eduardo Escobar said in the press release. “I would also like to commend our Assistant Auditor-Controller, Shelly Smail, for her dedication and commitment to our County and her colleagues throughout her career.” 

Alvarez brings valuable governance experience, the release said, working on various local boards, including the McCabe Elementary School District Board of Trustees, Imperial County Workforce Development Board, and El Centro Rotary Executive Board. Additionally, she has been a small business owner in the city of El Centro for nearly two decades.

“I am honored and grateful for the Board of Supervisors,” Mrs. Alvarez said in the release, “for providing me this opportunity to serve our public and instill trust, from both the public and county employees, back into the Office of the Auditor-Controller.” 

The release said the Imperial County Auditor-Controller is an independent, nonpartisan elected office established to provide budget for the County’s $655.8M budget, payroll for approximately 2,400 County employees, handling of vendor payments, property tax allocation and distribution, and preparation of the county’s financial statements. The department is comprised of four divisions: Administrative, Accounting, Audit, and Property Tax.

Alvarez resides in El Centro with her husband, Andy Alvarez. They share four daughters, two currently attending local public schools and two enrolled in college. Alvarez obtained her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Northern Arizona University and Master of Science in Accounting from Keller Graduate School of Management. In addition to her degrees, she is also a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Financial Examiner, per the report.