
SE Region Fall School Finance Workshop 2025-2026
Includes a Live In-Person Event on 08/18/2025 at 8:30 AM (EDT)
Date: 08/18/2025
Location: OU Inn & Conference Center | 331 Richland Ave | Athens, OH 45701
Fee: $100 (Member) / $200 (Non-Member)
Please note: Registration for this workshop is in-person only. If you are unable to attend your region in-person, the Central region has a virtual attendance option.
This seminar provides essential updates for school finance professionals, covering key topics such as economic and market trends, recent legal developments, and changes in state foundation funding. It will also include updates from DEW and OASBO, as well as practical guidance on implementing the latest USAS Manual changes.
Seminar Director: Julie Smith, Treasurer/CFO, Northwest Local SD (McDermott); and OASBO Southeast Region Director
Agenda
8:30 a.m.
Economic and Market Update
Patrick King, Stifel
9:30 a.m.
Legal Update
10:30 a.m.
Break
10:45 a.m.
ODEW Updates and State Foundation Funding
Aaron Rausch or Elena Sanders, ODEW
12:00 p.m.
Lunch & Networking
12:45 p.m.
OASBO Update & Hot Topics
Chris Kline, Lawrence County Deputy Auditor
Katie Johnson, OASBO
1:45
Break
2:00 p.m.
USAS Manual Update: Implementation & Guidance
Practitioners/Members of Sub-Committee
3:00 p.m.
Conclusion and Q&A

Patrick King
Managing Director, STIFEL
Patrick King joined Stifel in April 2009 after entering the public finance business in 2001 and has worked on hundreds of financings with a par amount of more than $4 billion. Mr. King’s experience includes financings for cities, school districts, libraries, counties, special districts, authorities, and park districts in Ohio. Mr. King received a Masters of Public Administration from John Glenn Institute at The Ohio State University and a Bachelors of Arts from the University of Dayton. He maintains Series 7 and 53 licenses. Mr. King is active in the central Ohio community and currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio, the Columbus Metropolitan Library’s Friends of the Library, and the Hospital Commission of Franklin County.

Aaron Rausch
Chief of Budget and School Funding, Department of Education & Workforce
Aaron Rausch is the Chief of Budget and School Funding at the Department of Education & Workforce (previously Ohio Department of Education), where he manages an agency budget of more than $17 billion and administers the state’s school funding program. In 2019, Aaron received the Dick Maxwell School Finance Award from the Buckeye Association of School Administrators. Prior to joining ODE in 2014, Aaron worked for the Ohio Office of Budget and Management as a budget analyst in the education section. Aaron started his career in state government as a performance auditor, focusing on school district performance audits at the Ohio Auditor of State's Office. Active in his community, Aaron serves as an advisory board member on the Columbus and Central Ohio Children’s Chorus Foundation, sings with the Choral Union at Capital University, and rides in Pelotonia every year.

Elena Sanders
Senior Financial Manager, Office of Budget and School Funding, Ohio Department of Education & Workforce
Elena Sanders is a Senior Financial Manager at the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) Office of Budget and School Funding, where she oversees the state foundation funding and other state funding programs. Prior to coming to that office, she was an Assistant Director in the Office of Federal programs. She has an Ohio Treasurer’s license and master’s degree in educational administration and supervision. Elena is the captain of the USTA 3.0 tennis team and this year the team advanced into the districts to compete in Cincinnati.

Chris Kline
Lawrence County Deputy Auditor

Katie Johnson, Esq.
Executive Director, OASBO
Katie Johnson is the Executive Director of the Ohio Association of School Business Officials. Katie is the seventh Executive Director and the first woman to lead the organization since its inception in 1936.
Katie was the Deputy Executive Director for OASBO prior to being named Executive Director. In that role, she served as legislative lead and in-house legal counsel for the association, keeping staff and members abreast of legal and regulatory compliance issues in school business. In addition, she has served as the chief learning officer, developing curriculum to support OASBO’s strategic plan and the Ohio school business profession.
Katie also serves on boards and committees focused on public finance, including serving as a member on the Finance and Appropriations Committee for Columbus City School District, as Treasurer of the Confluence Community Authority, and as past President of the Ohio Chapter of Women in Public Finance.
Katie holds a bachelor's degree in Business Finance from the University of Colorado, a master’s degree in Education from The Ohio State University, and a law degree from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.
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