Chief Audit and Compliance Officer

Parsons Townsend oversees the Internal Audit and Compliance Divisions. These functions aim to improve organization practices, risk management, accountability, and governance through value-driven audits, evaluations, investigations, and advisory services engagements.

Townsend began his state service in 2008 at the Texas State Auditor’s Office, auditing critical state programs and overseeing the federal compliance portion of the statewide single audit. Townsend joined TxDOT’s Compliance Division in 2015 as a compliance specialist; in 2016, Townsend became the Compliance Section Director for the Compliance Division, responsible for carrying out TxDOT’s Internal Compliance Program and held that position until 2021. In 2021, Townsend joined the Texas Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General as an Audit Director, responsible for overseeing a portfolio of complex audits covering Medicaid and Texas Health and Human Services programs before returning back to TxDOT in 2022 as Director of the Compliance Division.

Townsend is a native of Waco and served in the United States Marine Corps from 1999-2003 obtaining the rank of Sergeant. After serving in the United States Marine Corps, Townsend returned to Texas and graduated from Tarleton State University in Stephenville with a bachelor's of science in finance in 2007. Townsend is a certified internal auditor, a certified fraud examiner, a certified government audit professional, and a certified compliance and ethics professional.