AGA PDT 2026

Johana Ayers
Managing Director
GAO


Johana Ayers is the Managing Director of the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) Forensic Audits and Investigative Service (FAIS) team. In this position, she leads GAO’s efforts to provide Congress with high-quality forensic audits and investigations of fraud, waste, and abuse; other special investigations; and security and vulnerability assessments. The team also handles fraud, waste, and abuse tips received through GAO’s fraud hotline. The team led the development of GAO’s Fraud Risk Framework, which identifies leading practices for use by federal program managers in strategically managing fraud risks, and GAO’s Antifraud Resource, which is a new online interactive resource to inform federal officials, Congress, the media, and the public about fraud schemes and how to combat them. FAIS’s work cuts across a diverse array of U.S. federal government programs administered by Internal Revenue Service, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Defense, among others. Prior to being named Managing Director by the U.S. Comptroller General in 2016, Ms. Ayers served as a Director in GAO’s Defense Capabilities and Management team and an Assistant Director in the Contracting and National Security Acquisitions team. In recognition of her efforts during her more than 25 years with GAO, Ms. Ayers has been the recipient of numerous awards, including a Distinguished Service award and two Meritorious Service awards and the EEO, Diversity, and Inclusion Award. She received her bachelor’s degree from the American University in international studies and her master’s degree in international affairs from the George Washington University.

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