Grants Management 2025-2026

Brian currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. Brian has a quarter century of senior leadership experience in Ohio’s state education agency guiding its fiscal and grant responsibilities.

Leading Ohio’s education agency team on grant and fiscal mandates for nearly two decades, Brian guides a large team with a multi-billion dollar portfolio of fiscal oversight mandates. Those mandates encompass federal financial compliance, internal control structure, risk assessment and subrecipient monitoring for the agency.

Prior to joining the state education agency, Brian served as an Audit Supervisor with both the Auditor of State (AoS) and the Ohio Department of Development.  During his tenure with the AoS, he led the agency’s auditing responsibilities of the Department Human Services at both the state and county levels.  While with the Department of Development, he was responsible for financial/programmatic compliance audits and technical assistance to numerous cities, counties and not-for-profits.

Brian is seen as a national leader in education fiscal policy, and he has presented at both state and national level conferences on both fiscal management and auditing in the education environment. 

Sarah James is an Assistant Administrator with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, leading the IDEA Resource Management Team in the Office of Fiscal – Administration. The IDEA Resource Management Team supports school districts and community schools in their use of federal IDEA Part B funds. The team also manages the fiscal requirements of the 30+ state-level projects funded with federal and state monies that are focused on the improvement of outcomes for students with disabilities.

Sarah joined the Department in 2018 as an Education Program Specialist in the Office of Federal Programs before joining the IDEA Resource Management Team in 2020. She came to Ohio after serving on the state team for the Part C program in West Virginia, providing a system of services and supports for children with disabilities ages birth to three. 

Brett Floyd is currently the Treasurer/CFO at New Richmond Exempted Village School District in Cincinnati, Ohio. Prior to his career in school finance, he was a music teacher from 2013 to 2022. In June 2022, Brett began the Treasurer internship program while simultaneously working in the accounts payable and payroll departments at North College Hill City Schools. He earned his Treasurer’s license in September 2022 and later became Treasurer/CFO at North College Hill in February 2023, before transitioning to New Richmond EVSD.

For over 20 years, Kim Zwayer has served in various roles with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. Kim currently serves as a Financial Analyst Supervisor in the Office of Grants Administration.  Kim leads a team who are responsible for the day-to-day fiscal operations. These functions include assisting constituencies in establishing effective fiscal management for grants, which encompasses monitoring and approving payments to grantees. Her team serves as an agency point of contact, providing sound guidance to ensure grant fiscal provisions are met.                                                                     

Kim’s past duties include serving as lead contact between the state education agency and the U.S. Department of Education for Ohio school districts' Indirect Cost Rate Plan Delegation Agreement.  She also served nationally in providing her expertise on the impact COVID dollars had on indirect cost rates.

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.