Danielle Hightower Email & Phone Number

Knoxville, Tennessee Area

Knoxville, Tennessee Area

ssisted with risk workshops enabling the identification and assessment of enterprise risks and opportunities that impact the successful achievement of TVA business objectives. Owned efforts to develop and improve enterprise risk management tools, practices, and policies. Participated in cross functional strategic business unit discussions to ensure risk management strategies are aligned with business practices to meet enterprise strategic imperatives. Coordinated the process to identify, develop, monitor and report on key risk indicators to assist in maximizing value by reducing risk across the enterprise. Managed relationships with Enterprise Risk Management stakeholders and customers, ensuring consistent facilitation of the ERM process.

Knoxville, Tennessee Area

Financial consultant for Energy Right Solutions, External Relations. Provided accurate and timely monthly financial analysis and forecasting. Maintained close working relationships with personnel to ensure project performance was reported accurately. Provided management with financial and operational insight to drive effective decision making. Provided appropriate commentary, analysis, etc. to reports to provide relevant and insightful business unit-specific information to management. Educated and informed management on financial matters to improve financial and business acumen.

Knoxville, Tennessee Area

Focused on key operational, accounting, and financial reporting controls within the assigned areas and scope to accurately record and report the financial position of TVA in accordance with Sarbanes-Oxley and other SEC guidelines. Identified key controls, assessed controls for design deficiencies, and updated process. Detected operating deficiencies and proposed ways to remediate control failures. Identified mitigating controls to minimize risk exposures. Participated in the implementation of new processes and corrective action plans to ensure SOX compliance. Prepared detailed findings for review with appropriate management personnel and ensured to communicate SOX testing results to the appropriate authority.

Knoxville, Tennessee Area

Conducted fair and reliable assessments of compliance with TVA’s power contracts, while creating an environment that is conducive to preventing, detecting, mitigating and remediating any compliance issues. Ensured and enhanced each Local Power Company’s level of compliance with TVA’s power contract. Monitored the implementation of corrective actions required to mitigate non-compliance findings.

Oak Ridge, Tn

•Conduct internal audits including branch audits following standard auditing procedures with the annual risk-based audit plan. Perform auditing activities as directed including planning, researching, assessing risk, interviewing, sampling, testing, analyzing, reporting, recommendation formulation and completion of work papers. Evaluate internal controls for soundness and adequacy, and determine compliance with credit union and regulatory policies and procedures.•Perform regularly occurring periodic activities including audit confirmations, audit reports, researching inquires directed to the Supervisory Committee, and preparing monthly Supervisory Committee package.•Assist external auditors, examiners and the Supervisory Committee with informational requests.•Assist Internal Audit Manager with the development of individual audit plans and activities related to organizational growth. Developed technical proficiency through treading information related to the profession of internal auditing in a financial institution environment. Familiar with knowledge-based best practices.

Maryville, Tn

•Responsible for monitoring and testing the applicable compliance standards in accordance with the company’s Information Security Plan. •The Information Security Plan addresses safeguarding customer and employee data. It tests various information security procedures to determine whether VMF is in compliance with the Information Security Plan standards which may include the transmission, storage, disposal, access, and processing of sensitive customer/employee data. •Testing may include threats, risks, and breaches to the Plan. Verified that certain tests are conducted by other internal or external auditing teams. •Verified, verbally with management, measures taken to protect VMF against an information security breach. Tested and recommended employee training. •Conducts origination, compliance, and servicing audits to ensure that Vanderbilt Mortgage & Finance is in accordance with company and industry standards and guidelines. •Develop recommendations for areas of improvement, write reports documenting findings, and follow up on recommendations to ensure suggestions are implemented. •Complete audit reports for dissemination to management and ensure proper follow up outstanding items and recommendations •Made suggestions for improvement of audits, including but not limited to automated auditing and control self assessments.•Communicate results of audits via written reports and oral presentations to management.

•Responsible for maintaining the branch to adhere to all First Tennessee Bank Financial policies and procedures, ensuring financial center efficiency and successful audit.•Responsible for limiting operational risk by providing support and oversight for the financial center personnel and by maintaining all necessary audit controls.•Directed customer service and provided leadership, training, and staff support.•Maintained a proficient understanding of the components of Financial Planning, Deposit products, Credit products Small Business products, Investment products, and Insurance products.•Recognized for performance in selling the benefits of our Work Perks program; signing up the most companies for the month of August.

Masters Of Business Administration, Accounting

Bachelors Of Science, Business Administration

Associate Of Science, Criminal Justice

Education record