Audit Committee members
To ensure independence in the audit function, the city established an audit committee comprised of five voting members, including the mayor or mayor's appointee, the council president or his appointee, and three at-large members. The at-large members must be city residents with auditing experience and hold professional certifications as a public accountant, internal auditor, or management accountant. At-large members are appointed by the city council to a four-year term.
Members' primary duties include the following:
Members' primary duties include the following:
- Providing general direction to the internal audit function by reviewing the annual audit plan and any proposed amendments, and submitting the plan to the committee’s recommendations to the council;
- Reviewing and approving internal audit reports before the final audit report is issued;
- Evaluating the effectiveness of the audit function and reporting the results of that evaluation annually to the council;
- Providing oversight of the external audit efforts and coverage; and
- Performing such other duties as provided for by an ordinance of the council.
Danielle Hampton,
Appointed: August 2018
Ms. Hampton is employed by Georgia Pacific LLC as an Audit Director. She has audit oversight and accountability for Strategic Sourcing and Procurement as well as the Building Products Group. Outside of manufacturing, Danielle's audit experience includes the banking, insurance, and gaming industries. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Jackson State University and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from Cardinal Stritch University. Danielle is a Certified Internal Auditor and a Certified Fraud Examiner.
Appointed: August 2018
Ms. Hampton is employed by Georgia Pacific LLC as an Audit Director. She has audit oversight and accountability for Strategic Sourcing and Procurement as well as the Building Products Group. Outside of manufacturing, Danielle's audit experience includes the banking, insurance, and gaming industries. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Jackson State University and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Accounting from Cardinal Stritch University. Danielle is a Certified Internal Auditor and a Certified Fraud Examiner.
Donald T. Penovi, CPA, Chair
Appointed: December 2020
Mr. Penovi is an accomplished finance, audit and controls professional with wide-ranging experience in risk-based financial and compliance audits. Alumni of Ernst and Young CPA firm and 28 year career in the Coca-Cola System.
Appointed: December 2020
Mr. Penovi is an accomplished finance, audit and controls professional with wide-ranging experience in risk-based financial and compliance audits. Alumni of Ernst and Young CPA firm and 28 year career in the Coca-Cola System.
Dargan Burns, III
Appointed: December 2020
Mr. Burns is a graduate of Morehouse College and an Alumnus of the Big Eight CPA firm of Ernst & Whinney (E&Y). Over his more than 30 year Accounting and Tax Professional Career Mr. Burns has been an Auditor, Senior Accountant, Accounting Manager, Controller, Executive Director, and CFO for various For-Profit and Non-Profit businesses. Presently Mr. Burns runs his own Atlanta based Accounting Firm providing Tax Consulting, Accounting, Consulting and Equity Funding to a special niche of high income, high network clients through the United States.
Appointed: December 2020
Mr. Burns is a graduate of Morehouse College and an Alumnus of the Big Eight CPA firm of Ernst & Whinney (E&Y). Over his more than 30 year Accounting and Tax Professional Career Mr. Burns has been an Auditor, Senior Accountant, Accounting Manager, Controller, Executive Director, and CFO for various For-Profit and Non-Profit businesses. Presently Mr. Burns runs his own Atlanta based Accounting Firm providing Tax Consulting, Accounting, Consulting and Equity Funding to a special niche of high income, high network clients through the United States.
Charles Bell, Vice Chair
Appointed: May 2025
Mr. Bell is a graduate of Morehouse College (’80) and Atlanta University (’82) with a BA degree and MBA respectively majoring in Finance. Upon receiving his MBA, the Central Foundry Division of General Motors (G.M.) in Saginaw, Michigan recruited him as an Internal Auditor. Shortly thereafter he was added to Central Foundry’s Cost Accounting Division.
After just over 2.5 years with G.M., Lockheed Georgia recruited Mr. Bell who then returned to Atlanta as a Budget Analyst and was subsequently promoted to Pricing Analyst with Lockheed’s
C-130 Hercules Aircraft Division (4.3 years).
In 1989 Bell began what would be a 33.3-year career with the City of Atlanta in the financial arena. He split time between the City’s Finance Department and its Department of Aviation.
His tenure with the City included but not limited to 20.5 years as Budget Chief in the Department of Aviation and 3 .5 years as the City’s Budget Chief.
Mr. Bell is now Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Credit Union of Atlanta previously known as the City of Atlanta Employees’ Credit Union.
Appointed: May 2025
Mr. Bell is a graduate of Morehouse College (’80) and Atlanta University (’82) with a BA degree and MBA respectively majoring in Finance. Upon receiving his MBA, the Central Foundry Division of General Motors (G.M.) in Saginaw, Michigan recruited him as an Internal Auditor. Shortly thereafter he was added to Central Foundry’s Cost Accounting Division.
After just over 2.5 years with G.M., Lockheed Georgia recruited Mr. Bell who then returned to Atlanta as a Budget Analyst and was subsequently promoted to Pricing Analyst with Lockheed’s
C-130 Hercules Aircraft Division (4.3 years).
In 1989 Bell began what would be a 33.3-year career with the City of Atlanta in the financial arena. He split time between the City’s Finance Department and its Department of Aviation.
His tenure with the City included but not limited to 20.5 years as Budget Chief in the Department of Aviation and 3 .5 years as the City’s Budget Chief.
Mr. Bell is now Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Credit Union of Atlanta previously known as the City of Atlanta Employees’ Credit Union.