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troubleshooting, financial data analysis, and the development Tibeb Eshetu, Manager
of training classes and Wiki pages on SharePoint. With 18 years Tibeb provides leadership for MIL’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security
of experience in federal financial management system software Invoices team, Reimbursements team, and now the Financial
analysis including Momentum and SAP, Bonnie maintains the Reconciliations team. An accounting professional for over
trust of her client and serves as a valued advisor, all while guiding seven years, Tibeb’s has responsibility for reviewing interagency
her team to provide high quality services and deliverables.
agreements, communicating with the RM office, Charleston A/R,
Zach Coho, Assistant Vice President and BP Analysts to facilitate the reimbursement process daily, and
as well as for monitoring the SharePoint reimbursement request
Zach currently leads the GFSS team at DoS, which is a 35-person entries for accuracy. DS Reimbursements currently processes
team that supports several help desks, operations, and special more than 100 reimbursement agreements per month (more than
projects for the Department Comptroller. Zach also functions $50M) on average, and the Invoices team processes an average
as a subject matter expert in general ledger, budget, reporting, 1,000 invoices per month.
annual close, fixed assets, cost allocation, accounts payable,
automated disbursements, billing, and accounts receivable. With Esayas Zemedkun, Senior. Financial Analyst
14 years of Momentum experience under his belt, Zach’s vast Esayas supports MIL’s Overseas Protective Operations client at
technical knowledge and can-do attitude makes him an excellent DoS. Esayas has been responsible for a $30M reimbursement
ambassador for MIL at DoS.
process between agencies that includes creating and updating
Sara Tesso, Manager interagency agreement, reviewing and analyze invoices,
Sara leads MIL’s Financial Reporting and SharePoint team for the managing and reporting on the analysis of unliquidated
Bureau of Diplomatic Security program at DoS. Over the last year, financial obligations, distribution of vendor invoices, audit
Sara has taken on increased responsibilities and a larger team, all and documentation support, and vendor follow-up. Esayas has
while ensuring the success of critical client priorities including also provided outstanding support for several special project
the mid-year and year-end client briefings to the Deputy Assistant portfolios, ensuring that staff overseas are properly managing
Secretaries. Sara continues to help the team innovate by pushing their resources and contracts.
forward initiatives such as data analytics via dashboard tools such
as PowerBI and Tableau.

conferences

AGA Financial Systems Summit (FSS) AGA National Leadership Training (NLT)

MIL was proud to once again serve as a platinum corporate Occupying Booth #13 at this year’s AGA National Leadership
sponsor for the Association of Government Accountants Training (NLT) conference, MIL reps had the pleasure of
(AGA) annual Financial Systems Summit (FSS). This year’s FSS meeting and swapping stories with many fellow financial
conference took place on January 9, 2020 in Washington, DC, and industry professionals. NLT is AGA’s premier training events for
delivered sessions that highlighted federal CIO/CFO priorities, financial professionals. This year’s event, held in Washington,
agile, shared services, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies. DC on February 12-13, delivered powerful and timely messages
MIL’s booth at the event was well-attended, providing from innovators and thought leaders from across the financial
opportunities for our staff to mingle, network, and discuss MIL’s world and other dynamic fields. This year’s theme of “Superhero
capabilities with fellow attendees. In the spirit of this year’s Leadership” featured keynote speaker and filmmaker Brett Culp,
conference themes, MIL staffers discussed how MIL provides who discussed ways today’s leaders can use their management
customers financial system solutions that fit, innovations that roles to bring greater confidence and enthusiasm to their everyday
are affordable, and services that are accessible, whether a client is tasks, promote a shared vision, and serve as catalysts to spark
local or global. dialogue and collaboration among diverse groups of people. In
short, to find the ‘hero’ inside all of us ready to champion our
colleagues and clients.
8 | The mil connection | Spring 2020