Heather Pajak

Heather joined the office of Management and Budget (OMB) in 2013. During her tenure at OMB, Heather has covered a variety of portfolios including internal controls, financial reporting, budgeting, improper payments, and fraud. In her current role, Heather leads the payment integrity practice within OMB and works closely with the agency management and inspectors general to identify inefficiencies in programs and improve the detection and prevention of improper payments and fraud risk across the Federal Government.

Heather was instrumental in the development and launch of the ‘Getting Payments Right’ Cross Agency Priority Goal under the President’s Management Agenda, which focuses on identifying and implementing solutions to prevent improper payments and fraud. As the lead author of OMB Circular No. A-123, Appendix C, Heather is also responsible for developing and implementing improper payment policy.

Heather began her career in the Federal Government in 2006 at the General Services Administration. Before joining the Federal Government, Heather analyzed market trends at J.J.B Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, Inc. and evaluated multiple Criminal Justice Information Systems for the creation of a statewide methamphetamine information repository at the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. Heather earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from DePauw University and a Master of Public Affairs in Public Financial Administration and Criminal Justice from Indiana University. Heather was a member of the President’s Management Council interagency rotation program in 2013.