Dereje Belay, since January 2022, has served as the agency fiscal officer for the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, and the Department of For-Hire Vehicles. Prior to his current position, he supported these agencies as a financial manager since August 2016.

Belay joined the Office of the Chief Financial Officer in 2012. He also served as senior accountant and accountant and has worked for the Office of the State Superintendent of Education and DC Public Schools. Prior to joining the Government of the District of Columbia, Belay worked for several not-for-profit organizations including American Astronomical Society, Vital Voices Global Partnership, and Relief International.

He has a master's from Maharishi University of Management, Fairfield, Iowa, and a bachelor's in accounting from Unity University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.