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106: Boston Speaks Up with Diana DiZoglio, Massachusetts State Auditor

Writer's picture: Zach ServideoZach Servideo

Boston Speaks Up (BSU) is a podcast owned and operated by Value Creation Labs.



Diana DiZoglio has played a pivotal role in public service throughout her career, serving as an advocate, legislator, and now, Auditor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In her role, DiZoglio is committed to increasing transparency and accountability in state government, ensuring that all residents receive equitable treatment, regardless of their background, financial status, or zip code. Her work as Auditor underscores her dedication to fostering a fair and inclusive government for all.


Being born and raised in Methuen, MA, Auditor DiZoglio is a product of Massachusetts public schools. After graduating from Methuen High School, DiZoglio attended Middlesex Community College before earning a financial scholarship to Wellesley College. Her career in public service began as an aide in the State Legislature and as Chief of Staff for the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts. After years of working with local nonprofits and community organizations, she successfully ran for public office in 2012, serving three terms as State Representative for the 14th Essex District. In 2018, she was elected State Senator for the 1st Essex District, where she served two terms.


DiZoglio's decade-long service on Beacon Hill has equipped her with the fortitude to collaborate with elected officials, labor organizations, community advocates, and residents across the Commonwealth. Her humble beginnings and extensive experience in nonprofits and labor have enabled her to build strong relationships with a diverse array of people, amplifying their voices in government.


Throughout her career, DiZoglio has remained driven by a profound commitment to equity and public service. In a recent CommonWealth Beacon article, DiZoglio stated, “These are gaps in the system that we can help to identify. We can raise that to legislators. We can let them know about where these challenges exist for the purposes of improving the system and helping the Legislature to work better for those it’s meant to serve.” Through her work as Auditor, she is dedicated to creating a more inclusive and accountable government for all.


Prior to recording this episode, Auditor DiZoglio embarked (and completed) a 141-mile walk across Massachusetts to raise awareness for ballot Question 1, which would give the state auditor the authority to audit the Legislature. In August, DiZoglio told The Boston Globe, “Government is not supposed to operate the way the Massachusetts Legislature is operating right now.” If passed, the state auditor would be given the express authorization to audit the Massachusetts Legislature. In this episode, we’ll discuss her journey to this point, her walk across the Commonwealth, and take a deep dive into the importance of Question 1. 


You can listen to our podcast discussion embedded below or on any podcast platform you prefer: (YouTube, SoundCloud, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Google Play): 



Written Q&A: 


Growing up in Methuen, what experiences from your childhood or early life have had the most lasting impact on who you are today? 


Like too many Massachusetts residents, I grew up housing insecure. This experience growing up in Lawrence and Methuen taught me how important housing is, as one of the most basic, fundamental needs that can set families up for success, or for struggle. My mom and I were grateful to have friends and family who could take us in on occasion, providing us some stability in difficult times. My story is not that different than the stories of many other people here in Massachusetts. We need to do better by those who are working hard to make ends meet, yet still struggling.


Is singing still a hobby of yours? I recall your ‘Willow Tree’ duo with Michael Bernier (a previous BSU guest) being quite popular with Merrimack Valley locals in the 2000s. And what other hobbies do you rely on to find inner peace and continue on your purposeful pursuits? 


I enjoy singing specifically, but really music of all types. I often use it as a way to express myself, but also process my feelings. You may recall I wrote a song specifically about opening up the doors of power for all people - I did that as an impulse, sitting at my piano. So singing and playing instruments are both hobbies and tools. But I also enjoy the quiet, and so never miss an opportunity to get outdoors and hike.


Who has been the most influential person in your life, and how has their influence shaped you?


I have had a number of invaluable mentors throughout my life, including  my godmother Tina Croteau, who encouraged me to pursue my dreams no matter what they were and always provided great support. She taught me to be willing to work hard. Before you can even hope to find success in your given field, you need to be ready and willing to do what it takes to get there. I also learned the importance of failing forward - being able to turn your failures into opportunities to learn and grow. To outwork and outperform your own expectations.


What about your role as the Massachusetts State Auditor has been most surprising to you that you didn’t anticipate?


I didn’t expect that my work to audit the legislature to take the direction that it has. I assumed there would be some pushback, but I never anticipated needing to have to collect tens of thousands of signatures and work countless hours to rally our neighbors.




Tell us about your 141-Mile walk across Massachusetts. What did you learn from it?


It was an extraordinary experience walking across the state in support of increasing transparency, accountability, accessibility and equity to help make government work better. During this journey, I met so many warm, welcoming and civically engaged members of the community who are eager to shine a light on the dark areas of state government and provide fellow taxpayers more opportunity to access the information they deserve.




How do other states handle allowing the State Auditor to conduct an audit of the state Legislature? Is Massachusetts behind the ball on this? What has been the hold up? What are the potential detrimental effects of not voting ‘yes’ on 1?


The Massachusetts Legislature is infamous for being a closed-door operation and continues to be ranked as having one of the least transparent and least accessible state legislatures in the nation. It is deeply concerning that legislative leaders have refused to cooperate with our office to help promote transparency and identify ways to improve service to the people of Massachusetts. With the passage of Question 1, we will return to the historical practice of this office auditing the Legislature, as has been the case for the vast majority of the history of this office.




Beyond Question 1, how else do you plan to improve the Commonwealth through your role?


There is much work to be done. As Auditor, I am the chief accountability officer for the Commonwealth, and right now, good government organizations consistently rank Massachusetts as the least transparent of any government in the United States. In my role, I am doing my best to change that. All too many families have been ignored by a system and state government that's not working for all families in Massachusetts. We must have a better, smarter government that does more to lift people up and that is responsible and accountable. Our government should spend tax dollars well and on the right things. As Auditor, my goal is to work with the entities we audit, identify areas for improvement, and work as partners with those entities on implementing those improvements so that our government works better for everyone.




What legacy do you hope to leave behind, not just in your career but as a person?


That more people are aware of this office, the impact it can have, and that the impact it has left is that of a better working government.


FINAL QUESTION: We like the idea of ending our episodes with a challenge for the  listeners/readers. Whether it be reaching out to an old friend, reading 5 pages a day from  a book, creating a new healthy habit… What is one challenge you have for the listeners? 


Everybody has an issue that they care about, and on which they want their government to act. Unfortunately, Beacon Hill leaders can act the way they do because too few people contact them. So my challenge to every listener is to think of an issue they care about and email their local legislators about it. Now for the toughest part: don’t stop. Don’t stop asking, advocating, emailing, and calling. Because the State House is the People’s House.


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You can follow BSU on Twitter at @BostonSpeaksUp, and recommend BSU guests by contacting team@valuecreationlabs.co.


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