As state auditor, Wood is responsible for making sure North Carolina agencies are getting good values on contracts and spending money as intended by the General Assembly.According to her campaign biography, Wood grew up on her family’s farm near Cove City in eastern North Carolina, put herself through East Carolina University and became a CPA in 1987.She worked in the State Auditor's Office for 15 years before leaving her post in 2007. The next year, she ran against and beat her former boss. She was re-elected in 2012. Although she faced scrutiny early in her first term for not releasing an audit related to former Gov. Mike Easley, Wood has since earned a reputation as leading an agency that is willing to criticize departments overseen by fellow Democrats.