Nicole Galloway facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nicole Galloway
38th Auditor of Missouri
In office April 27, 2015 – January 9, 2023
Governor	Jay Nixon Eric Greitens Mike Parson
Preceded by	Tom Schweich
Succeeded by	Scott Fitzpatrick
Personal details
Born	Nicole Marie Rogge (1982-06-13) June 13, 1982 (age 43) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Jon Galloway
Children	3
Education	Missouri University of Science and Technology (BS) University of Missouri (MBA)

Nicole Marie Galloway (born June 13, 1982) is an American accountant and politician. She served as the state auditor of Missouri from 2015 to 2023. The state auditor's job is to check how government money is spent. They make sure everything is fair and correct.

Nicole Galloway was chosen for the auditor job by Governor Jay Nixon in 2015. This happened after the previous auditor, Tom Schweich, passed away. She was then elected by voters for a full term in 2018. She was the only woman and the only Democrat holding a statewide office in Missouri at that time.

In 2021, Galloway decided not to run for auditor again. Her term ended in January 2023. She was the last Democrat to hold a statewide office in Missouri.

Growing Up and Going to School

Nicole Galloway grew up in Fenton, Missouri. She went to high school at Ursuline Academy in Oakland, Missouri. After high school, she studied applied mathematics and economics. She earned her bachelor's degree from Missouri University of Science and Technology. While in college, she played on the soccer team. She also worked at a restaurant.

Later, she earned a master's degree in business from the University of Missouri. She is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). This means she is an expert in checking financial records. She is also a Certified Fraud Examiner. This means she can investigate money crimes.

Working Before Government

Before working in government, Nicole Galloway worked for a company called Brown Smith Wallace. There, she checked the money records of very large companies. She also worked for big insurance companies like Allstate Insurance and Shelter Insurance. She helped make sure their money was handled correctly.

Galloway said her experience helped her be a "strong, independent watchdog" for Missouri. This meant she could keep a close eye on how the state's money was used. She also helped a group that invests in new businesses. This group helps create jobs for people in Missouri.

Serving Boone County

Nicole Galloway was the treasurer for Boone County, Missouri. She held this job from 2011 until 2015. As treasurer, she managed about $100 million of the county's money. She also helped the county borrow money for important projects.

She made sure that how the county handled its money was clear to everyone. Boone County was the first county in Missouri to let people search online for unclaimed money. This helped give back about $20,000 to people in 2014. She also worked to make sure county employees in same-sex marriages had equal retirement benefits.

Missouri State Auditor

As the State Auditor, Nicole Galloway's main goals were to be professional and responsible. She wanted to make sure her office and other government offices were doing their best. She also wanted to protect the private information of Missouri citizens.

The State Auditor's Office has about 115 employees. Many of them are CPAs. Their job is to be an independent "watchdog" for the government. They check state agencies and counties to make sure public money is used wisely. They look for waste and ways to prevent fraud. They also check if government programs are working well.

Important Audits

Callaway County Money Missing

In 2018, Auditor Galloway's team found that $300,000 was missing. This money was from the Callaway County Collector's Office. The person in charge of that office later admitted to taking the money. She was sent to prison for her crime.

Putnam County Hospital Investigation

In 2017, Auditor Galloway found problems at Putnam County Memorial Hospital. The hospital was sending bills for lab tests done all over the country. These bills were worth $90 million and seemed wrong. This discovery led to many lawsuits against hospitals in Missouri. Insurance companies wanted their money back.

Viburnum City Clerk Theft

In 2017, an audit showed that the city clerk of Viburnum, Missouri stole $100,000. The clerk had worked there for 14 years. She changed customer accounts and destroyed records. After the audit, she was charged with a serious crime. She was later given probation and had to pay back the money.

Lawsuit Against the Auditor's Office

A group called the Missouri Alliance for Freedom asked for many of Nicole Galloway's work messages. Her office gave them about 47,000 pages of information. This included text messages. The group then sued her office, saying she didn't give them everything.

However, a judge later ruled that Nicole Galloway's office followed the law. The judge said her office made a "good-faith effort" to provide the records. The lawsuit ended with the judge ruling in favor of Galloway.

Elections

2018 Missouri State Auditor Election

Nicole Galloway was first appointed as State Auditor in 2015. She then ran for the job in 2018 and won. She chose not to run for reelection in 2022. Her term ended in January 2023. After she left office, the Democratic Party no longer held any statewide elected positions in Missouri.

Running for Governor in 2020

In 2019, Nicole Galloway announced she would run for Governor of Missouri. She won the Democratic primary election in August 2020. She then ran against the current Republican governor, Mike Parson.

Galloway said she wanted to fight corruption in government. She also wanted to reduce the influence of special interest groups. She was the only Democrat holding a statewide office in Missouri at the time. She was also the only woman holding a statewide office. If she had won, she would have been Missouri's first female governor. However, she lost the election to Governor Parson.

Who Supported Her

Many people and groups supported Nicole Galloway's campaign. These included former President Barack Obama and former Vice President Joe Biden. Other supporters were Senator Elizabeth Warren and Governor Phil Murphy. Famous people from St. Louis like model Karlie Kloss also campaigned with her.

Groups like the Sierra Club and EMILY's List also endorsed her. Major newspapers in Missouri, such as The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and The Kansas City Star, also supported her.

Election Results

Her Family Life

Nicole Galloway was born in Fenton, Missouri. She now lives in Columbia, Missouri with her husband, Jon Galloway. They have three sons. Her husband used to work for the State Treasurer.

In 2016, Nicole Galloway announced she was expecting her third child. She was the first statewide officeholder in Missouri to be pregnant while in office. Her third son was born in January 2017.

She has also been involved in her community. She was on the board for the Heart of Missouri United Way. She also helped a local resource center. She has mentored children and is a member of her local Rotary club.

Images for kids

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  Nicole Galloway