Sedona News – The city of Sedona welcomes Barbara Whitehorn as the new director of financial services after a nationwide search with the assistance of a recruiting firm. Starting the position on September 23, 2024, Whitehorn will manage the Finance Department and its nine employees who administrate the budget, procurement, utility payments and operation of the revenue and expenses of the city.
Through her experience in municipalities, including those heavily involved in tourism, Whitehorn has demonstrated strength in government accounting and forecasting, and has proven herself to be a public servant who is steadfast with her ethical commitment with public dollars.
Whitehorn holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Texas at Dallas and a bachelor’s in history of art, both of which brought her to have interest in the position in Sedona. She started her finance career working in municipalities in Texas, until she was given the opportunity to work as the Finance Director in Ashville, N.C. where she spent seven years significantly upgrading their financial systems and credit rating until recently, she took on larger community challenges as the Finance Director in the city of San Bernardino, Calif. She brings over 15 years of governmental experience in accounting and over 10 years of leadership of finance departments to Sedona.
She continues to provide leadership in the profession by serving nationally on committees and as an instructor for the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) on several governmental accounting and finance topics regularly.
“I am excited to bring my skills to Sedona, especially because of my experience in understanding the ins and out of a tourism economy, how to implement new systems and policies and how to lead a team. I can’t wait to get started and become part of this community,” said Whitehorn.
“We could not have found a better fit in Barbara, who truly provides the technical expertise and leadership experience needed for our organization and community,” said City Manager Anette Spickard.
Whitehorn starts on September 23, 2024.