KENTUCKY — Every day, women are making history, stamping their mark as inventors, engineers, politicians and much more. Women’s History Month started in 1981 as a week-long celebration, and now each year during the month of March, we continue to highlight a fresh wave of women who are driven to forge new paths to the future.

One woman in the Commonwealth who is breaking barriers for women in leadership roles is state auditor of public accounts, Allison Ball, R-Ky.

The office of the auditor of public accounts was established by the Kentucky Legislature June 22, 1792, but did not become an elected office until the adoption of Kentucky's third constitution June 11, 1850.

Generally, the auditor's office serves as the primary agency that collects taxes and acts as the comptroller and general administrative officer. The office also conducts technology audits, special investigations and performance reviews.

Ball has been serving as the 48th auditor of public accounts since Jan. 2024. Before that, she served two four-year terms as Kentucky state treasurer (2016–2024).

"I feel like I'm an old hand in the role that I'm in, but you're right there is kind of an overlap that I was doing the treasurer's job as a watchdog role," Ball said. "It checks the money on the front end in real time. And the auditor's office is also a watchdog, so I love having that kind of oversight, making sure that finances are correct and that all government is following the law, that there's compliance."

"It is a very fulfilling job to do, it's an important job to do and I'm very honored to have the chance to do it."

During this In Focus Kentucky segment, Ball also discussed the importance of Women's History Month, sharing advice for the younger generation of women who are interested in taking the leap and looking at the world of politics as a future career.

"I love this month because one of the things that I feel very privileged to get to do is I get to talk to women a lot," she said. "I talk to young women, whether they're Girl Scouts or I'm talking to high school students or college students, and of course, just women in general and their variety of things they're involved (with) in their lives. I'm always trying to encourage women and empower women. I think there are more opportunities for women throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and I try to encourage them to take on greater leadership roles, run for office, start businesses, do whatever you feel called to do."

"I hope that I can be a little bit of an encouragement seeing that as a woman, I've been able to now serve as treasurer and now serve as auditor, so I've been able two run races and win. As you know, I was the first Kentucky constitutional officer to give birth while serving in office when I (had) my son Levi, and I'm the first one to do it twice when I had my daughter Marigold, so I'm a working mom like so many moms across the state. I really do believe that you can be a good spouse, you can be a good mom, you can have a fulfilling career; you can do all of these things, and you can even do them well with intentionality at the same time. I hope that it encourages women all across Kentucky to do the things that they want to do with their lives."

You can watch the full In Focus Kentucky segment in the player above.