Grants Management Seminar 2023-2024

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. 

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.

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. 

Mark Lynskey has been with the IDEA Resource Management Team since 2007, supporting school districts and community schools in the utilization of IDEA Part B funds.  In his efforts with school districts, Mark provides an understanding of the state and federal rules that impact the use of the Part B funds, and shares options and opportunities with school districts to help create optimum pathways for student success.

Mark joined the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce in 1991, beginning with the Division of Equal Educational Opportunities working with the former Disadvantaged Pupil Program Fund.  Prior to that Mark was an elementary and high school principal, as well as a junior high school teacher.

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.