Crit Luallen was elected the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s forty seventh Auditor of Public Accounts in November of 2003.  Ms. Luallen won statewide office on her first foray into elective politics after a distinguished career in public service.  In fact, Ms. Luallen is beginning her 4th decade of service to the people of Kentucky.  This service began in 1974 as a campaign staff member to Wendell Ford and culminated in her nearly seven years as Secretary of the Governor’s Executive Cabinet, then the highest appointed position in Kentucky state government.  As Secretary of the Executive Cabinet, Crit Luallen was the chief operating officer of Kentucky, with responsibility for over 35,000 full – time employees and a budget of $17 billion.

Luallen also served as State Budget Director, Secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet, Secretary of the Kentucky Tourism Cabinet, Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of the Arts, and Special Assistant to the Governor.  She also spent four years in Louisville and served as President of the Greater Louisville Economic Development Partnership, a regional economic development agency. In 2001 Luallen was awarded the National Excellence in Leadership Award by Women Executives in State Government. 

During her thirty years of service to Kentucky Ms. Luallen was pivotal in many of the Commonwealth’s greatest accomplishments.  She played a key role in developing and securing passage of the historic Higher Education Reforms of 1997 and the Early Childhood Development initiative. Ms. Luallen chaired EMPOWER Kentucky, a government efficiency initiative that produced savings to Kentucky taxpayers of $600 million.  She helped develop the Agricultural Development Board that determines the uses of Kentucky’s tobacco settlement funds and she chaired Kentucky’s Homeland Security Team.  In response to allegations of wrongdoing in the Transportation Cabinet, Ms. Luallen spearheaded the creation of an Office of Inspector General.  Ms. Luallen also played a leadership role in developing the Governor’s School for the Arts, the Kentucky Information Highway, the Kentucky History Center, the Northern Kentucky Convention Center, and the expansion of the Commonwealth Convention Center in Louisville.

During her tenure as State Auditor, the Office has uncovered millions of dollars in government fraud and questionable expenditures, leading to the prosecution of several public officials.  In an effort to ensure government efficiency and protect taxpayers the office has expanded the use of performance auditing and special investigations.

The Glasgow Daily Times praised Luallen as a “skilled administrator with extensive, honorable government experience.” The Lexington Herald – Leader said she “earned a reputation as a skilled administrator with high standards for her and state employees.”  The Courier Journal pointed to the bipartisan support of Luallen’s “skills and contributions.”

Luallen is a native of Frankfort, a graduate of Centre College where she serves on the Board of Trustees and is married to Lynn Luallen, retired CEO of the Kentucky Housing Corporation and current president of The Louisville Housing Partnership.