For Immediate Release: Tuesday, July 30, 2019
ROCKVILLE, Md., July 30, 2019—Today the Council unanimously named Megan Davey Limarzi as Montgomery County’s new inspector general. Ms. Limarzi, who is currently the clerk of the Council, will lead the County’s independent Office of the Inspector General which was established in 1997. The Office of the Inspector General is responsible for enhancing the productivity, effectiveness and efficiency of County government including independent County agencies.
“Ms. Limarzi’s combination of professional experience, understanding of government operations at all levels and no-nonsense approach to problem solving will make her an outstanding inspector general,” said Council President Nancy Navarro. “She is a dedicated public servant who will work to identify fraud, waste and abuse, just as she did as inspector general for the Maryland Department of Health. While Ms. Limarzi’s departure is a significant loss for the Council, we recognize that her legal expertise and leadership skills will serve the greater good as she monitors and investigates the operations of our County as inspector general.
“The Council appreciates the work of the independent nominating panel in putting forth Ms. Limarzi’s nomination. The County was fortunate to have a number of highly qualified applicants to become the County’s next inspector general, and we appreciate the deliberative way in which the group approached the selection process.”
Limarzi’s professional background includes serving as inspector general for the Maryland Department of Health where she oversaw a staff of 60 auditors, investigators and health care professionals. In addition, she supervised the department’s corporate compliance programs, audit functions and accountability efforts. Limarzi directed and reviewed audits and investigations into suspected healthcare fraud within the Medicaid Program, compliance with state and federal regulations and fiscal accountability requirements. She also served as the liaison with auditors from the Office of Legislative Audits and federal agencies.
Prior to serving in the Department of Health, Limarzi spent more than a decade as a prosecutor at the state and local levels. She served in several roles at the Maryland Attorney General’s Office including the deputy director of the Criminal Division and as the chief of the Economic Crimes Unit that included supervising and working with investigative auditors, Maryland State Police officers and support personnel. She also led the criminal section of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit that included teams of attorneys, investigators, auditors and staff. During her tenure, Limarzi led grand jury investigations and prosecuted felony and misdemeanor financial crimes such as theft, procurement fraud, tax fraud, mortgage fraud, securities fraud, Medicaid fraud, bribery and embezzlement.
Moreover, Limarzi served as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for nearly four years. She is a member of the Maryland Bar and earned her law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law. Limarzi received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maryland in College Park.
Limarzi received The Daily Record’s Leading Women award in 2016 and is a member of Leadership Montgomery, Class of 2019. She also is a member of the Maryland and Montgomery County Women’s Bar Associations.
The Montgomery County inspector general provides the Council and the Executive with the products required—in terms of independent audit, investigative and inspection reports—to increase legal, fiscal and ethical accountability; to prevent and detect fraud, waste and abuse; and to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of County programs and operations. In developing recommendations, the inspector general may: conduct investigations; budgetary analyses; and financial, management or performance audits and similar reviews; and seek assistance from any other government agency or private party or undertake any project jointly with any other governmental agency or private body.
The inspector general must be professionally qualified, by experience and education, in auditing, government operations, financial management or law and is selected solely based on professional ability and personal integrity, without regard to political affiliation.
More information about the Office of the Inspector General can be found at: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/oig/ .
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Release ID: 19-266