CEDAR FALLS - A investigation into a senior official at a University of Northern Iowa children's program found nearly $20,000 in improper charges, primarily related to trips to Europe, Jamaica and various U.S. cities.

The state auditor's office investigated Diane Engbretson of Cedar Falls, former assistant director of Camp Adventure program, after UNI officials could not find invoices for charges she made on a university credit card.

The report noted $9,373 in personal purchases such as airline tickets, lodging and car rentals; $2,799 in lodging taxes; $1,788 in unspent travel money not returned to the program; and 20 days of unrecorded personal leave valued at $4,686.

After confronted with the charges early last year by university officials, Engbretson disclosed additional expenses, paid back $9,463.69 and was docked pay for improper vacation time, said Bill Callahan, UNI's dean of the College of Education.

When asked to explain her actions, she told officials she had accidentally charged the expenses to the wrong credit card, Callahan said. She resigned from her position in July.

Engbretson rose through the ranks after she first joined Camp Adventure as a college student in the early 1990s.

"She worked her way up from the bottom to assistant director, so it was very tough on all of us to see this happen," Callahan said.

Engbretson could not be reached at her home phone number on Monday for comment.

Results of the investigation were filed with Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, state attorney general and Black Hawk County Attorney's Office.

The program has already implemented recommendations made by the auditor's office, Callahan said. Travel requests must now be approved in advance by an internal auditor and camp director, and then reviewed by Callahan afterward.

Camp Adventure is a youth program based at UNI that serves 750,000 children of servicemen and women on military bases around the world. Students at universities across the country travel to the bases as volunteers.

Contact Jens Manuel Krogstad at (319) 291-1580 or jens.krogstad@wcfcourier.com.