Futsum Tekle

Futsum Tekle currently serves as the Special Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and External Affairs. Since his appointment in September 2023, Futsum has supported the operations of the Office of Policy and External Affairs, the Office of the Assistant Secretary, and EDA as a whole.  

Futsum most recently served as a White House intern for the National Economic Council where he focused on labor, workforce, and industrial strategy. During his time as an NEC intern, Futsum assisted with tracking $435 billion in private sector investments covering over 240 projects across the country, at the time, which prompted the creation of the invest.gov website. He also tracked current unionization efforts and rail sick leave across various industries and subsequent illegal union busting tactics.

Prior to joining the Biden-Harris administration, Futsum was a research assistant at the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness (CREC) where he produced research and analysis for CREC’s research and technical assistance programs including literature reviews, data identification and access, quantitative and qualitative data analysis, and visualizing data and concepts through charts, graphs, and maps for local, regional, state, federal, and philanthropic clients. His primary focus area was supporting projects such as Black and Latino low-income youth pathways to college and career as well as the budget report on counting U.S. postsecondary and secondary credentials for the Credential Engine.

Futsum is a proud alumnus of the University of Maryland, College Park where he holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics and minors in Global Poverty and International Development & Conflict Management. He is also an alumnus of the AEA Summer Program at Howard University, a prestigious program that enables students to develop and solidify technical skills in preparation for the rigors of a Ph.D. in Economics. Futsum also holds an associate’s degree in business from Montgomery College.