Heidi Semann, Acting Inspector General
Heidi Semann joined the Department of Education OIG as Acting Inspector General in July 2025. In this position, Acting Inspector General Semann oversees a nationwide team charged with promoting economy, efficiency, and effectiveness, as well as preventing and detecting fraud, waste, and abuse in Department of Education programs and operations.
Acting Inspector General Semann has over 20 years of experience as a Federal criminal investigator primarily in the Inspector General community, including the Federal Reserve Board OIG, the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program, and the Department of the Interior OIG. In these roles, Semann led multi-agency investigations into complex financial fraud and misuse of Federal funds; executed search warrants; conducted interviews with witnesses, subjects, and victims nationwide to build cases that comply with Federal laws, leading to indictments, convictions, and the recovery of misused Federal funds. Semann has also presented fraud awareness briefings and case studies to government and industry audiences, highlighting red flags, investigative trends, and educating audiences on the OIG's oversight role and mission to detect and prevent fraudulent activities.
Semann also served as a civilian Federal criminal investigator with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, where she developed annual fraud program plans and conducted various investigations affecting the Air Force and Department of Defense resources and operations. Semann was also designated as the Program Manager for Counterintelligence Investigations and was deployed to support Operation Iraqi Freedom, earning the Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award. Before her Federal service, Semann was a prosecutor and criminal investigator at the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office.
Acting Inspector General Semann earned a Juris Doctor from Hamline University School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She is also a Certified Fraud Examiner.
René Rocque, Deputy Inspector General
René L. Rocque joined the Department of Education OIG as the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) in December 2023. As Deputy Inspector General, she is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the OIG and assists the Inspector General in leading and coordinating the OIG’s oversight of the Department of Education.
Deputy Inspector General Rocque has over 20 years of experience in matters related to fraud and government oversight. Prior to joining OIG, she served as the Assistant Inspector General for Evaluation and Inspections at the Department of Justice (DOJ) OIG, where she led the establishment of the routine prison inspection program. While at DOJ OIG, she also served as Senior Counsel to the DOJ Inspector General.
Rocque has served as acting Counsel and Principal Deputy Counsel at the Central Intelligence Agency OIG. She also served in a series of progressively more responsible roles at the Department of Homeland Security OIG, including Senior Policy Advisor to the Inspector General and founding Director of the Office of Governmental and Public Affairs.
Rocque began her Federal career as a Trial Attorney in the Civil Fraud section of the DOJ, where she investigated and litigated fraud against the Federal government. Working with United States Attorneys’ Offices, OIGs, and whistleblowers, she assisted in the recovery of millions of dollars to the Federal treasury. Prior to that, she served as a litigation associate at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver, and Jacobson, LLP, where she worked on False Claims Act matters and internal investigations.
Deputy Inspector General Rocque earned an Bachelor of Arts degree, with honors, in English and American Literature at Harvard University and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School.
Jason Williams, Assistant Inspector General for Investigation Services
Jason Williams is the Assistant Inspector General for Investigation Services, responsible for investigative operations, including information technology-based crimes and criminal activity involving the Department of Education’s programs and operations. Williams previously served as the Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigation Services. Williams began his Federal career in 2001 with the U.S. Department of Transportation as an Operations Research Assistant in Washington, DC. During that time, he worked on loss of life quantitative studies and participated in a white paper group that analyzed potential terrorism scenarios involving the use of hazardous materials. That experience led Williams to pursue a career in law enforcement and in 2004, he became a Hazardous Materials Enforcement Investigator with the U.S. Department of Transportation and later a Senior Investigator and Program Manager.
In 2008, Williams joined the Department of Education OIG as a special agent, rising to the position of Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge of the Southeastern Regional office in 2016. In 2019, Williams became the Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture OIG Southeast Region, a position he held until returning to ED OIG in January 2023. Assistant Inspector General Williams holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Howard University, a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati, and a certificate in Strategic Management from Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies.
Theresa Perolini, Assistant Inspector General for Enterprise and External Affairs
Theresa Perolini was selected as the Assistant Inspector General for Enterprise and External Affairs in June 2024, leading the team responsible for facilitating activities that impact the entire OIG enterprise, including strategic planning, organizational performance management, and internal and external communications. Assistant Inspector General Perolini had previously served at the OIG’s Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Audit Services since 2022.
Perolini began her career in the Federal government in 2003 with the Internal Revenue Service, and shortly thereafter joined the Department of Education OIG as an auditor in New York. In 2009, Perolini became Assistant Regional Inspector General for Audit for the New York audit region, managing audit projects and leading regional audit staff. In 2011, she transferred to the OIG’s Quality and Integrity Group and became Director in 2018. In this role, Perolini established and administered the OIG’s internal quality assurance program, providing oversight of OIG audits, inspections, criminal investigations, and business operations. She also oversaw OIG’s internal affairs program, supervising investigations of employee misconduct; and developed and facilitated the OIG’s enterprise risk management program. Perolini obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Information Systems and a Master of Science in Accounting degree from Queens College, City University of New York. She also has a Master of Policy Management degree from Georgetown University and is a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Fraud Examiner.
Antigone Potamianos, Counsel to the Inspector General
Antigone Potamianos serves as Counsel to the Inspector General. She and her team are responsible for providing legal advice and services and managing the OIG’s Freedom of Information Act and ethics programs.
Prior to joining the OIG in August 2018, Potamianos she served as Deputy Counsel to the Inspector General at U.S. Department of Agriculture, where she and her staff also provided legal services to the Council of Inspectors General for Integrity and Efficiency. She also served as Senior Counsel in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the General Services Administration Office of Inspector General, where she worked on procurement fraud litigation matters, including assisting on significant civil False Claims Act settlements, and on matters involving oversight of the Medicaid and Medicare programs. Further, Potamianos worked as a committee staff member for the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee (now the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.)
Potamianos earned her undergraduate degree from the College of William and Mary, and her law degree from George Mason School of Law.
Takiyah Golden, Assistant Inspector General for Management Services
Takiyah “Tia” Golden is the Assistant Inspector General for Management Services, a position she has held since May 2025 after serving as the Deputy Assistant Inspector General since August 2024. Assistant Inspector General Golden has a wealth of experience in human capital management, budget, contract administration, procurement, strategic planning, and program evaluation.
Prior to joining the OIG, Golden served at the U.S. Department of State as the Deputy Executive Director for the Trafficking in Persons Office, having previously served as the Director of Business Operations at the Foreign Service Institute’s Leadership and Management School. Golden’s civil service career began with the Defense Intelligence Agency, where she held several positions such as instructor, Program Manager, and Acting Branch Chief. Her professional background also includes 12 years of active military service with the U.S. Army, serving as both a non-commissioned and commissioned member of the Adjutant General Corps focused on administrative services, personnel management, and workforce readiness.
Golden earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from St. Leo University, and holds a Master of Business Administration from Webster University and a Masters of Science in Data Analytics from American University. Assistant Inspector General Golden is also a graduate of Northwestern University’s Chief Digital Officer Executive Program and the Secretary’s Leadership Seminar, a Harvard Business School executive development program sponsored by the Department of State. Golden also holds professional certifications in coaching, organizational development, and process and program improvement.
Terry V. Harris, Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigation Services
Terry V. Harris was selected as the Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigation Services in June 2024. Prior to this role, Harris served as the Special Agent-in-Charge of the OIG’s Eastern Regional Office, a position she held since 2020, after having served as an Operations Officer at the OIG since 2016. Deputy Assistant Inspector General Harris brings to the position more than 20 years of experience and expertise in planning, conducting, supervising and managing complex programmatic criminal and civil investigations.
Harris began her law enforcement career in 1992, as a U.S. Air Force Security Police K-9 Handler. In 2001, she joined the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, serving in various positions. She became the Deputy Branch Chief, Central Systems Fraud Unit in 2005, and two years later, was selected to serve as the Acting Resident Agent in Charge for the Joint Criminal Investigation Task Force, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where she conducted complex counterintelligence and counterterrorism investigations. In 2011, Harris served as Special Agent-in-Charge of a large unit where she supervised investigations involving counterintelligence, contract and loan fraud, and felony criminal investigations affecting Air Force and Department of Defense resources. In 2013, she assumed the position of Deputy Desk Chief, Fraud Integration Desk where, as a subject matter expert, she monitored and directed investigations of fraud, waste, and abuse focused on white collar crime.
Harris completed her undergraduate studies at the University of New Orleans, and holds a Master of Arts, Criminal Justice degree from the University of Alabama and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Washington. Deputy Assistant Inspector General Harris is also an adjunct instructor for the CIGIE Inspector General Academy, leading courses in the Inspector General Investigator Training Program and the Transitional Training Program.
Keith Cummins, Acting Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Audit Services
Keith Cummins is the OIG’s Acting Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Audit Services and leads the team responsible for audits, inspections, and other activities that ensure integrity in the Department of Education’s operations and programs while identifying opportunities for improvement. Acting Deputy Assistant Inspector General Cummins took on this role in June 2025 after having served as the Director of Audit Services’ State and Local Advisory and Assistance Team since September 2020.
Cummins joined the OIG in May 2005, starting as an auditor with the Operations Internal Audit Team and rising to the position of Assistant Director before moving over to the State and Local Advisory and Assistance Team. In these roles, Cummins gained extensive experience in conducting performance audits and was responsible for a wide range of activities, including coordinating and providing guidance to all OIG staff involved in audits and other reviews of the Department of Education’s elementary and secondary education, special education and vocational rehabilitation, and higher education programs and operations. Cummins holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance, Government, and Politics from the University of Maryland and a Master of Policy Management degree from Georgetown University.
For more information on the senior leadership team, contact the OIG Public Affairs Office.