Meet the City Auditor

Abinet Belachew, CPA, CIA, CFE, CFF, CGFM

Abinet Belachew was appointed as the City Auditor for the City of Daytona Beach in September 2025. He has more than two decades of experience in financial management, auditing and oversight across federal, state, county and city governments.

Prior to his appointment, Belachew served as the Director of Finance and Controller for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), where he provided financial leadership and oversight for multi-million-dollar programs. He began his career as an auditor and has served in senior roles at the city, county, state and federal levels, consistently focusing on accountability, compliance and effective stewardship of public funds.

As the Director of Internal Audit in Maryland, Belachew led operational, financial and compliance audits, as well as investigations into fraud, waste and abuse. His leadership has been instrumental in strengthening internal controls, improving efficiency and enhancing public trust in government operations.

Belachew holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in accounting. He is also a licensed Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and holds several other professional certifications, including Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF), and Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM).

With a strong commitment to transparency, accountability and service, Belachew is dedicated to ensuring that the Internal Audit Office provides independent, objective and impactful oversight for the benefit of the citizens of Daytona Beach.