Beth Wood is the North Carolina State Auditor

North Carolina State Auditor

The North Carolina State Auditor is a statewide elected office in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The State Auditor is responsible for overseeing and reviewing the financial accounts of all state government agencies...

 since January 10, 2009. She defeated incumbent Republican State Auditor Les Merritt

Les Merritt

Leslie Merritt is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of North Carolina and a former North Carolina State Auditor, a position to which he was elected in 2004. Merritt was defeated by Democratic Beth Wood in the North Carolina Council of State elections, 2008 as part of a Democratic sweep....

 in the 2008 election. She is North Carolina

North Carolina

North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

's first female state auditor.

Wood is a certified public accountant

Certified Public Accountant

Certified Public Accountant is the statutory title of qualified accountants in the United States who have passed the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination and have met additional state education and experience requirements for certification as a CPA...

 and a former training officer at the Office of the State Auditor. Her 2008 run for State Auditor as a Democrat was her first attempt at any elective office.

Wood is a graduate of Wayne Community College

Wayne Community College

Wayne Community College is a community college located in Goldsboro, North Carolina. It currently consists of nine buildings, with a campus area of over 287,000 square feet . Over 14,000 curriculum and extension students are enrolled at the college per year.Wayne Early/Middle College High School is...

 and East Carolina University

East Carolina University

East Carolina University is a public, coeducational, engaged doctoral/research university located in Greenville, North Carolina, United States. Named East Carolina University by statute and commonly known as ECU or East Carolina, the university is the largest institution of higher learning in...

.