Essentials of Budgeting & Forecasting 2023-2024

Ryan Pendleton is the Executive Director of the North Coast Shared Services Alliance where he coordinates financial and operations support for northeast Ohio school districts through the Educational Service Centers of Northeast Ohio, Medina, and Lorain Counties.

Ryan is very active in state and federal issues concerning education and the potential impact on the students of Ohio. He is a member of the Fair School Funding Work Group, co-chairing both the Base Cost and Analysis and Support Groups.  As an inaugural member of the Work Group, Ryan made significant contributions to creating and advocating for Ohio’s new state funding formula.  His efforts contributed to the Fair School Funding Formula being included in the 2022-2023 Biennium Budget.

Ryan is a Leadership Akron Class 32 graduate and dedicated to serving the community, in particular the students across Ohio. Prior to working at North Coast Shared Service Alliance, Ryan was the CFO/Treasurer of Akron Public and Barberton City Schools and worked previously as a financial advisor.  

Ryan earned a BA in Business Administration from Malone College and an MBA from Cleveland State University.  

Becky started her career as the assistant treasurer for her Alma Mater, Martins Ferry City Schools. After 12 years, she accepted the treasurer/CFO position for the Wellsville Local School District. Her love of the Central Ohio area found her accepting the assistant treasurer position at the fastest growing school district in the state of Ohio - Olentangy Local Schools. After a year and a half she was promoted to the Treasurer/CFO role. The district grew over twice its size to over 16,000 students under her financial leadership. After nine years with Olentangy Schools, she was recruited by the New Albany-Plain Local Schools and has been with this district for ten+ years. Becky has had the fortune of leading districts considered both wealthy and poor which gives her a unique perspective on the various challenges diverse districts face.

During these career transitions, Becky also helped lead OASBO. She held the offices of Board Southeast Region Director, Vice-President, President Elect, President and Immediate Past President. Through the years she has served on numerous committees and continues to serve on the Legislative Committee as well as many focus committees. Becky is also asked to speak on a variety of topics not only for OASBO seminars but other state organizations as well. 

Kristine Blind is the CFO/Treasurer for the London City School District in Madison County. She previously held this position from August 2011 through August 2017 before leaving for the same position with Gahanna-Jefferson Local Schools.

Kristine has been involved in school finance since 1996, beginning as a support staff member in Washington County. She has held several positions throughout her career before becoming a Treasurer in 2009. As a long-time OASBO member, Kristine has participated in numerous committees and serves as a seminar director, mentor as well as frequent presenter.

Meghan Sullivan-Homsher joined Frontline Education on Feb. 1, 2022. She was previously with the Ohio Department of Taxation and has been a great resource to Ohio schools.  Meghan had been with the Tax Analysis Division of ODT since 2005.  Her responsibilities have included providing analysis of proposed legislation and contributing to department publications.  Meghan’s specific areas of interest include property tax, school district income tax, and state/local revenue sharing. 

Stacy Overly provides direct financial services to clients. He has over 30 years of experience serving as school district treasurer, including 25 plus years of developing financial forecasting tools, and providing instruction and training opportunities attended and used by over two hundred of Ohio’s public school treasurers. Stacy works with clients to analyze trends and review local economic data to help determine a long-term operating strategy for the organization.  He holds his Master of Business Administration and his Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Ohio University.

Chris has over 38 years of proven successful governmental finance and management experience and is a licensed school treasurer, business manager, and holds an Ohio Health, Life and Variable Annuity license. He began his career at the Ohio Auditor of State's Office as an examiner and field audit supervisor leaving that position to become Treasurer/CFO and Executive Director of Business Affairs of public school system in 1984. He has served district from $30 million to $200 million in budget and has managed both CFO and Director of Business Affairs simultaneously in Dublin and Springfield CSD. Chris has received many awards during his career including Ohio School Treasurer of the Year, Ohio School Business Manager of the Year and the Virginia Ramsay Award for Distinguished Service to the profession. He brings considerable expertise to school clients in five year forecast assistance in areas of modeling, projecting and presentation; levy analysis; school comparison studies; efficiency reviews; budget preparation and monthly financial report preparation; superintendent and treasurer executive recruiting; mentoring for school business officials, and strategic planning.

Chris earned a MBA majoring in finance and administration, along with a BS in accounting from Miami University of Ohio, and an AS in business administration from Edison State College. He also holds a designation of Registered School Business Administrator and holds the Ohio Financial Accountability Certificate issued by the auditor of state's office. 

Ryan Ghizzoni, Director of Ohio Analytics, began his career in finance at the Auditor of State’s Office, and served over 15 years as a school district treasurer before switching to the private sector to provide solutions and support on a larger scale.  During his CFO career, he has been the recipient of several ‘Association of School Business Officials’ International Meritorious Budget Awards and was the recipient of the ‘Ohio Association of School Business Officials’ 2011 Outstanding Treasurer of the Year Award. Ryan holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Youngstown State University and is a Certified Administrator of School Finance and Operations.

Cynthia Ritter is a School Business Consultant with K-12 Business Consulting, Inc. and Grant Consultant to Envision Ed Plus. Cynthia has served as a consultant to Ohio Department of Education with the Academic Distress Commissions and Education Reform. She has over 32 years of successful leadership and management experience as treasurer/CFO for several school districts.

She has been a member of the Education Standards Board Ohio Department of Education, OASBO Board President, served on the Auditor of State Regional Advisory Committee, Board member and treasurer of the Pickaway County Employees Benefit Program, speaker and presenter at numerous OSBA, BASA, OASBO and ASBO seminars.

She has received many awards and recognitions including the Rich Unger Professionalism Award, Distinguished Service Award and was a Herb Brum Scholarship recipient.

Since 2016, Kim has served at the Department of Education & Workforce (previously Ohio Department of Education), as the assistant director of the Office of Financial Analysis & Oversight which manages school district bond finance related approvals, performs five-year forecast examinations, provides technical assistance to school districts projecting potential deficits and administers fiscal oversight of school districts in fiscal caution, fiscal watch, and fiscal emergency. Kim is a licensed treasurer and business manager with over twenty years of budget and financial management experience in both the profit and non-profit business sectors. 

Craig Yaniglos began his career as a Treasurer/CFO in 2017 at Brookfield Local School District (BLSD), and briefly the Treasurer/CFO of BLSD and Niles City Schools (2019) before accepting his current position at Brecksville-Broadview Heights CSD.  Craig's career began by inheriting a district under the fiscal emergency designation for 4 years and quickly turned the district around in 10 months to remove its emergency designation.  He was later asked to perform shared services with Niles City Schools, which was under fiscal emergency designation for a little over a year, and began the process of restoring fiscal integrity.  Shortly after undertaking two districts though, Craig was recruited and hired by Brecksville-Broadview Heights CSD in February of 2020 where he is currently the Treasurer/CFO.

After 31 years as Treasurer/CFO of NwOESC, Dorthy joined the Department of Education & Workforce (previously Ohio Department of Education), as a fiscal consultant in 2016. She uses her experience as a treasurer to provide technical assistance to school districts experiencing fiscal distress, including districts in fiscal caution, watch and emergency. She was granted the Virginia Ramsey Service Award for chapter, committee, and local efforts.

Cajon Keeton is the Treasurer for the Benton-Carroll-Salem School District in Northwest Ohio. Prior to becoming a Treasurer, Cajon spent 5 years in the classroom as a business and technology teacher. He has a passion for school finance, as well as teaching and learning. 

Mr. Keeton holds a B.A. in Education (Bowling Green State University) and a M.A. in Educational Administration (Tiffin University).

Jeff Dornbusch is the Treasurer for the Port Clinton City School District in Northwest Ohio. He also serves on his local school board as well as a member of the board of directors for his local community hospital.

Prior to becoming a Treasurer Jeff spent 15 years in the private sector as a corporate controller.  He also has a business education teacher license and holds a Master’s degree in Educational Administration.

Jeff also runs Golden Gate Financial Services, LLC which provide financial consultations to public schools in Ohio.