Alex Tessema currently serves as the budget officer for the Office of Planning and as the budget officer for the Economic Development and Regulation Cluster (EDRC), working closely with the cluster budget director. In addition, he serves as the agency security officer for the cluster, providing oversight into system access and data security protocols.

Prior to joining EDRC, Tessema worked for 14 years at the Office of Budget and Planning, where he advanced from budget analyst to senior budget analyst, gaining comprehensive experience in operating and capital budgets. His expertise in these areas led to his selection as the capital budget functional lead for the District Integrated Financial System implementation project in 2019. In that capacity, he played a critical role in launching the enterprise resource planning application and the projects and grants module. Following the project’s completion, Tessema continued to support system enhancements as part of a team responsible for budget system implementation, before returning to the Office of Budget and Planning as a capital budget advisor - a role he held prior to joining the EDRC cluster.

Tessema holds a master’s degree in accounting and is a certified public accountant. He holds the Certified Government Financial Manager and Certified Internal Control Auditor credentials, along with various Oracle certifications including Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. His professional background spans budgeting, accounting, and auditing, and he previously served as a senior accountant and payroll manager in the private sector before joining the Office of the Chief Financial Officer.

Known for his approachable and collaborative nature, Tessema enjoys engaging with colleagues and is an active member of multiple professional associations.