PORTLAND – The Portland Housing Authority is pleased to welcome Sarah E. Dodge, CPA, CGFM as its new director of finance, effective April 19. Dodge joins PHA from the Maine Office of the State Auditor, where she was an audit manager sharing responsibility for the State of Maine’s single audit and supervisory authority over its 25 auditors. The Maine OSA provides independent assurance that Maine government is accountable to the people by examining whether funds are spent legally and properly, and that data and systems are secure.
As Portland Housing’s director of finance, Dodge will serve in a chief financial officer capacity, overseeing the authority’s Finance Department and managing maintenance of the authority’s central accounting system. She holds professional licensure as a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Governmental Financial Manager.
Prior to her public service in the Office of the State Auditor, Dodge was an audit partner at Otis Atwell where she worked for over 10 years. Her practice focused on auditing housing clients including public housing authorities and projects involving Low Income Housing Tax Credits, state agencies, USDA Rural Development, and HUD multifamily financing. Dodge has expertise in single audits, grant compliance, and financial statement preparation. Prior to Otis Atwell, Dodge was an accountant at the Maine Municipal Bond Bank.
“Throughout her career as a professional accountant and auditor, Sarah has focused her work on housing because she understands the lifechanging impact that safe, affordable housing has on individuals and families,” said Cheryl Sessions, executive director of the Portland Housing Authority. “In this way, Sarah shares our team’s core values and our resident-focused culture and work ethic here at the Portland Housing Authority.”
Established in 1943, the Portland Housing Authority provides long-term, affordable fair rental housing and assistance to more than 3,000 low-income families, seniors and disabled individuals through its Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher programs. PHA houses over 6,500 residents, close to 10 percent of the City’s population. PHA believes that providing safe, quality, affordable housing gives residents the stability and opportunity for success they need and deserve. For more information, visit http://www.porthouse.org.