New deputy finance director Karen Ajayi outlines priorities as committee seeks steady rhythm of briefings

The Finance Committee heard an introductory presentation from Karen Ajayi, the city's new deputy director of finance, and discussed expectations for recurring, substantive finance briefings leading into budget season.

Ajayi said she "officially started, last Thursday on the twelfth" and described more than 20 years of experience, including time at Deloitte and CliftonLarsonAllen and prior work for Anne Arundel County government. She told the committee she has experience issuing bonds, preparing the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report and addressing material audit findings. "My job right now is just to get my hands around everything that is going on and to address immediate issues," she said, adding that she plans to conduct risk assessments and prioritize major issues.

Committee members welcomed Ajayi and discussed how the finance department should present recurring updates. Alderman Thorpe and others asked for a rhythm of substantive, trend-focused briefs that highlight the top issues (the "top 3–5 things") rather than only raw quarterly data, to better support oversight and preparation for the budget season. Members noted the permanent finance director position was recently posted and that the FY25 final report is expected this month.

The committee asked Ajayi to coordinate with Alderman Huntley, Alderman O'Neil and staff to define the cadence and content of future finance briefs. No formal vote was taken on the briefing schedule during the meeting; members asked staff to return with a routine deliverable to help track trends and risks.