AGA NLT 2025

John Lynskey
Deputy Chief Financial Officer and Controller
Smithsonian Institution


John Lynskey is the Deputy Chief Financial Officer and Controller of the Smithsonian Institution, overseeing its financial and accounting operations, including financial reporting (federal, trust, and endowment), treasury, cash management, and official financial records. He supports audit activities and advises senior leadership on financial matters while providing financial guidance across the institution. John retired in 2023 after 31 years of federal service, having spent over 20 years as Controller and Deputy Division Director for Financial Management at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). As NSF’s Controller, he led financial stewardship for the $10 billion agency, managing financial reporting, grant administration, internal controls, and the financial system. Under his leadership, NSF consistently achieved “clean” audit opinions and was recognized for financial reporting excellence. He also oversaw NSF’s cloud-based financial system and spearheaded grantee financial outreach to over 1,700 institutions. Before NSF, John served eight years with the U.S. Secret Service, where he developed the agency’s first financial statements and budget model for protective events. He held key financial management roles supporting protective operations at major events, including political conventions, UN General Assemblies, the State of the Union Address, and the Olympics. His experience instilled in him the highest levels of trust and accountability. An active member of the AGA, John served in multiple leadership roles, culminating as National President (2018–2019), where he restructured AGA’s governance and expanded certification and student programs. John earned his BBA in Accounting with honors from James Madison University and holds CPA and CGFM certifications.

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