The U.S. Senate confirmed a Mahoning County native to a high-level job in the General Service Administration
WASHINGTON
The U.S. Senate confirmed Carol Fortine Ochoa, a Mahoning County native, as inspector general of the General Services Administration.
The Senate voted Wednesday by unanimous consent to appoint Ochoa, nominated March 11 for the job by President Barack Obama.
“I am very happy to be confirmed, and look forward to working with the talented staff at the GSA office of the inspector general,” Ochoa said.
Ochoa is a 1976 graduate of Cardinal Mooney High School who grew up in Boardman and Poland.
“Our family is very proud of this milestone in Carol’s career,” said Michael Fortine of Canfield, her brother. “No one is more deserving of such an honor. I’d like to think that the entire Youngstown-area community is sharing in our celebration of her achievement. This is a good thing, a very good thing.”
Ochoa spent the past 10 years as assistant inspector general in the IG’s oversight and review division of the U.S. Department of Justice. She also spent three years as director of the oversight and review commission at the DOJ.
Between 1989 and 2002, Ochoa was an assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia in the fraud and public-corruption section, and was an associate independent council at the Office of Independent Counsel from 1987 to 1989.
The GSA oversees the federal government’s real-estate and supply purchases.
The inspector general of the GSA is responsible for promoting economy, efficiency and effectiveness as well as detecting and preventing fraud, waste and mismanagement in the administration’s programs and operations, according to the agency.
Also, the IG performs independent financial, program, information technology, contract and compliance audits; criminal and civil investigations, reviews proposed legislation and regulations; and other services to senior GSA, congressional and law-enforcement officials.
During a June 17 hearing, both Democrat and Republican members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs praised her work for the federal government.