Who is Pope Audit Group?
The Pope Audit Group team has more than 42 years’ combined experience in working with Texas public school districts. This experience includes more than 28 years performing and managing taxable value audits, internal audit, risk management, training, general consulting and fraud investigations for districts of all sizes. Pope Audit Group has netted Texas school districts millions of dollars in additional funding with these services. In addition, our team has conducted reviews alongside state agencies and have worked with more than 400 schools across the state of Texas. Our goal is to unfailingly provide superior services to school districts of all sizes to meet the specific needs of every district we serve with a tailored approach designed to achieve their mission and goals. We are committed to exceeding expectations and providing comprehensive services to the Texas public educational community.
What Does Pope Audit Group Do?
- Taxable Value Audits
- Self-Report Appeals
- Internal Audits
- Fraud Investigations
- Districtwide Risk Assessments
- Onsite Training
- Review of Internal Controls & Procedures
- District Selected Department Review
- Construction Audits & Bond Preparedness
- Legal Services & General Consulting
Our Team
Dr. Missy Pope, Ed.D., MBA, CFE, CCA
Missy Pope, MBA, is the founder and principal of Pope Audit Group. With over 22 years of fraud investigation and internal auditing experience (both general and specialty), she is both a Certified Fraud Examiner and Certified Construction Auditor. Missy’s career has been dedicated to all aspects of Texas Public School Districts and related non-profit organizations, with particular focus in the areas of Risk Management, Construction, Finance, Property Tax, Purchasing and Transportation. Prior to starting Pope Audit Group, she worked as an Audit Director, Consultant, Federal Grant Auditor and Analyst. She is an Associate Member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, and of the National Association of Certified Construction Auditors, as well as past service on multiple Boards for local education-related non-profit organizations in various roles including Treasurer, Director of Partnerships and Advisory Committee Director. She serves on various community committees and was recently awarded the Emerging Leader of the Year Award for 2021. She holds degrees in both Business and Behavioral Science, as well as an M.B.A. and doctorate degree from Concordia University in Educational Leadership.
Patsy Williams
Patsy brings more than 42 years’ experience in management, auditing, and accounting to the Pope Audit Group team. Patsy worked as Supervisor and Supervising Auditor with the Comptroller of Public Accounts and has more than 28 years’ experience with the Property Value Study and Taxable Value Audits. She has served in administrative roles such as Controller, Director, Supervisor, Manager and Owner of her own practice. Patsy also brings the consulting experience of performing Appraisal Standard Reviews (ASRs) for Appraisal Districts that do not meet the requirements of the Comptroller’s ASR protocol as defined the Tax Code Section 5.102. When Patsy is away from her desk she spends her time as a real estate Broker!
Dr. Billy Walker. Ed.D
Billy Walker, Ed.D., brings the experience of a 38-year career in Texas public education systems to Pope Audit Group. Before his 2013 retirement from the role of Superintendent of the Randolph Field Independent School District, he served in nearly every capacity during his tenure ranging from Bus Driver, Teacher, Coach and Athletic Director, all the up to elementary campus Principal, Asst. Superintendent for Business Services and Superintendent of Districts ranging from 400 to 35,000 students. In addition to his specific operational and managerial roles, he also brings vast experience from serving in higher level administrative roles focused on long-range strategic planning for multiple Texas Public School Districts, including leading strategic teams tasked with addressing academics, staffing, facilities, and finance. Dr. Walker continues to serve the students of Texas as the Executive Director of the Texas Association of Federally Impacted Schools. Dr. Walker dotes on his seven grandchildren, is a marathon runner and a triathlete!
Scarlett Tucker
Scarlett Tucker is the General Counsel of Pope Audit Group and offers a wide-range of legal counsel, research and risk management services to the company and its clients. Ms. Tucker has broad corporate and business law experience, having spent the last few years as half of the in-house legal department of a public company which nearly doubled in value during her tenure (to roughly three-billion dollars). She has significant exposure to all aspects of organizational risk management, for example, insurance and employee matters, construction law, tax planning, regulatory compliance, facilities and energy management, real property and various commercial financial transactions. She also has direct litigation experience, including extensive work on a class-action case against a state University in New Mexico. She was awarded a B.A. in Legal Studies, summa cum laude, from University of Massachusetts Amherst, a J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law, Dean’s List, and intends to pursue an L.L.M in Risk Management from Texas A&M School of Law in 2018. She moved to Austin to bask in the great weather and enjoy all the live music!
Lori Lee, CPA
Lori Lee has 29 years’ experience in working with Texas public schools in various roles. As the previous Audit Director of Austin ISD and a previous Auditor for the Texas Education Agency Lori has experience in all areas of school district operations. From auditing to working directly with the district’s administration and governing board, she brings a vast amount of knowledge to the team. In her work as an auditor and director, Lori has worked in all areas of school district operations and recently served as a consultant for a Legislative Budget Board School District Performance review. Lori has degrees from Concordia University and the University of Houston and holds her designation as a Certified Public Accountant. In her free time Lori loves to travel all over the world!
Payton Jackson, CSRM
Payton Jackson, our newest team member, has over 9 years experience working for school districts. He has served in various specialty roles within districts, most recently, serving as a school district accountant. Payton has experience in many financial facets of the industry including school district financial controls, fixed asset accounting, federal grants, activity fund accounting and auditing, financial planning, ERP implementation, and budgetary analysis. His financial experience within school districts helps him translate seamlessly into an auditor role and his background in marketing provides value to our team. He will be involved in onsite auditing, detailed data analysis, project management, and client relation management. He graduated from Texas State University with a B.A. in accounting, and plans to pursue a Certified Internal Auditing certification. In Payton’s free time he enjoys heading down to the coast for a weekend of fishing or hitting the courses for a round of disc golf with his friends!