TARA N. MARKLAND
Ontario,California
Summary
Accounting professional with extensive experience in governmental accounting, specializing in managing federal, state, and housing grants exceeding $1 million. Demonstrates strong financial reporting, budgeting, and compliance capabilities, with a focus on providing fiscal updates that enhance decision-making and regulatory adherence.
Overview
26
26
years of professional experience
Work History
Accountant I
County of Riverside – RUHS Behavioral Health
Riverside, CA
03.2025 - Current
- Administer six or more federal, state, and housing grants exceeding $1 million while ensuring compliance with county, state, and federal regulations.
- Prepare and submit monthly and quarterly claims and reimbursement requests for all assigned grants and maintain supporting documentation and financial records.
- Develop budgets for newly awarded grants and monitor existing budgets by analyzing expenditures and budget-to-actual variances.
- Deliver fiscal updates and recommendations to program management and team members on underspending and budget utilization.
- Prepare financial reports, maintain grant trackers, and participate in grant audits by compiling supporting documentation and special project materials as requested by HWS.
Buyer II / Buyer I
County of Riverside – Department of Waste Resources
Moreno Valley, CA
04.2021 - 03.2025
- Managed procurements exceeding $100,000, researched vendors, evaluated pricing, and monitored expenditures.
- Tracked contract spending and supervised purchasing activities while training staff and collaborating with accounting personnel to ensure alignment with financial processes.
- Prepared contract amendments, sole-source justifications, and purchasing documents while ensuring compliance with County regulations.
- Prepared complex solicitations, RFQs, RFPs, contracts, and bid packages, enhancing support for departmental operations and capital projects.
Buyer Assistant
County of Riverside – Department of Waste Resources
Moreno Valley, CA
12.2019 - 04.2021
- Researched vendors and processed invoices while reconciling purchase orders and tracking project expenditures to maintain budget accuracy.
- Reviewed requisitions for completeness and compliance with County policies, issuing purchase orders through PeopleSoft to ensure timely procurement.
- Prepared internal invoices and analyzed monthly progress payments for landfill expansion projects, facilitating financial oversight.
Accounting Assistant II
County of Riverside – RUHS Behavioral Health
Riverside, CA
03.2018 - 12.2019
- Processed purchase orders and receivers, maintained order-tracking databases to ensure accurate tracking, and reconciled supply and service invoices for timely payments.
- Reviewed accounting codes for accuracy and monitored inventory levels to support multiple departments' operational needs.
- Resolved discrepancies and ensured compliance with departmental procedures and timelines to uphold standards and minimize errors.
Accounting Technician I
County of Riverside – RUHS Budget & Reimbursement
Moreno Valley, CA
01.2018 - 03.2018
- Prepared reports and gathered weekly financial information to support management decision-making.
- Compiled and analyzed data for state reports using Microsoft Access and Excel, contributing to special projects.
- Processed budget allocations for various departments within the health system.
- Maintained accurate records of reimbursements and expenditures for county projects.
- Assisted in preparing financial reports to support decision-making processes.
Accounting Technician I
County of Riverside – Department of Public Social Services
Riverside, CA
12.2016 - 12.2017
- Processed deposits, refunds, and repayment batches to ensure timely and accurate financial transactions.
- Researched discrepancies and reconciled payments, maintaining accurate financial records to support audit compliance.
- Processed budget requests for various departments within the healthcare system.
- Reviewed and reconciled financial statements to ensure accuracy and compliance.
- Assisted in preparing reports for budgeting and reimbursement activities.
Accounts Payable Specialist
Aviva Family and Children's Services
Los Angeles, CA
08.2007 - 07.2016
- Processed and reconciled approximately 500 invoices weekly and prepared month-end journal entries and reports.
- Maintained vendor records, W-9 forms, and 1099 documentation to ensure compliance during audits.
- Tracked expenditures and reconciled corporate credit card, medical, and dental statements for accurate financial reporting.
Audit Clerk
Nash Anderson Tapper & Co.
Kingston, Jamaica
01.2001 - 01.2003
- Prepared trial balances and bank reconciliations to ensure accurate financial reporting.
- Assisted with audits and reviewed internal controls, providing actionable recommendations for operational improvements.
- Processed financial documents for accuracy and compliance with company policies.
- Assisted in preparing audit reports and documentation for internal review.
- Coordinated communication between departments to resolve discrepancies effectively.
Education
Master of Accounting and Financial Management -
Keller Graduate School of Management
Sherman Oaks, CA01-2013
Bachelor of Science - Accounting
University of Phoenix
Los Angeles, CA01-2011
Skills
- Grant Accounting
- Budget Development
- Financial Reporting
- Budget preparation
- GAAP
- Nonprofit accounting
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Access
- PeopleSoft
- Team collaboration
- Project tracking
- Multitasking
- Attention to detail
- Problem solving
- Effective communication
- Microsoft Word
- Financial reporting
- Effective communication
- Problem-solving
Timeline
Accountant I
County of Riverside – RUHS Behavioral Health
03.2025 - Current
Buyer II / Buyer I
County of Riverside – Department of Waste Resources
04.2021 - 03.2025
Buyer Assistant
County of Riverside – Department of Waste Resources
12.2019 - 04.2021
Accounting Assistant II
County of Riverside – RUHS Behavioral Health
03.2018 - 12.2019
Accounting Technician I
County of Riverside – RUHS Budget & Reimbursement
01.2018 - 03.2018
Accounting Technician I
County of Riverside – Department of Public Social Services
12.2016 - 12.2017
Accounts Payable Specialist
Aviva Family and Children's Services
08.2007 - 07.2016
Audit Clerk
Nash Anderson Tapper & Co.
01.2001 - 01.2003
Master of Accounting and Financial Management -
Keller Graduate School of Management
Bachelor of Science - Accounting
University of Phoenix