Talia Lomax-O’dneal was appointed Metro Director of Finance in October 2015, shattering two glass ceilings by becoming both the first woman and the first African American to occupy this post.
As the Director of Finance, Talia has focused her efforts in four key areas: accountability, transparency, innovation and professional development. Among her proudest achievements is the Innovation Investment Fund which encourages collaborative, outcomes based private-public partnerships known as Public Investment Plans or PIPs. Whether helping the public better understand how the department works through a new Finance Foundations video series or engaging the community in the budgeting process with Balancing Act—Talia believes in empowering the Finance team to try new, innovative ways to make the department more focused on citizens.
A lifelong public servant, Talia started her career at the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration before moving to Metro in September 2000. Prior to her current appointment, Talia served as the Deputy Director where her primary responsibilities included preparation and monitoring of Metro’s operating and capital budgets.
A well-respected veteran of public finance, she has worked extensively in the field for more than 25 years. She is a Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM) and a Certified Municipal Finance Officer (CMFO), as well as a member of the Government Finance Officers Association and the Association of Government Accountants. She has received numerous leadership and professional awards for her work.
Talia—a native of Knoxville—received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. She is also an alumna of the Tennessee Government Executive Institute.