Paula G. Lettice assumed the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Architect of the Capitol, on December 4, 2006. She returned to public service after a six-year hiatus as the chief operating officer of a professional society. As the CFO, Ms. Lettice now has financial management and accounting responsibility for the Capitol Building and grounds, the Botanic Garden, the House and Senate office buildings, the building and grounds of the Library of Congress and Capitol Police, the Capitol Power Plant, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Just prior to her current appointment, Ms. Lettice was the Executive Director of the Entomological Society of America (ESA) in Lanham, Maryland. ESA is the largest organization in the world serving the professional and scientific needs of entomologists and people in related disciplines. During her tenure, the Society made a dramatic financial turnaround, introduced many technological improvements such as electronic commerce, received a succession of clean audits, and instituted improved business processes and internal controls.
A career-long federal employee until 2001, Ms. Lettice held the position of Managing Director of Budget and Planning, U.S. Department of State, from 1989 to 2001, and had responsibility for the financial management of over 25 different appropriations and funds and served as the financial interface with State’s bureaus on all personnel, procurement, logistics, and facilities issues. She became a member of the Senior Executive Service in 1992. Her previous federal career was with the Department of Navy where she began as a Management Intern and rose through progressively more responsible positions with the Naval Air Systems Command and the Naval Supply Systems Command, having departed as the latter’s Director of Programming and Budget. She received numerous awards throughout her federal career, including the Secretary of State’s Career Achievement Award and the Department of Navy’s Meritorious Civilian Service Award.
Ms. Lettice is very involved in professional organizations and in her local community. She currently serves as Vice President for Club House of the American New Women’s Club, Washington, DC, is a member of her parish Finance Council, and is involved in fundraising for Good Shepherd Housing, a non-profit that works to prevent homelessness in the Route One area of Fairfax County.
She earned a B.A. in Political Science from Trinity College, Washington, DC, and her Masters of Public Administration from the George Washington University. She has two grown sons—Jeffrey, a graduate of Georgetown University, and Stephen, a graduate of the College of William and Mary.
