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. 

Join us at a Regional Fall School Finance Seminar for critical updates on the state budget and proposed property tax changes that could significantly impact school district finances. This seminar will help ensure your district is informed and prepared to respond to these evolving developments. The seminar will also provide essential updates on key topics such as economic and market trends, recent legal developments, and changes in state foundation funding—along with updates from DEW and OASBO.

Seminar Director: Julie Smith, Treasurer/CFO, Northwest Local SD (McDermott); and OASBO Southeast Region Director


Agenda

8:30 a.m. 
Economic and Market Update 
(CPIM Approved)
Patrick King, Stifel

9:30 a.m.
Legal Update
Brad Ruwe, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP
Brenda Wehmar, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP
Reginal Staples, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP

10:30 a.m. 
Break

10:45 a.m.
ODEW Updates and State Foundation Funding 
(CPIM Approved)
Aaron Rausch, ODEW 

12:00 p.m.
Lunch & Networking

12:45 p.m.
USAS Manual Update: Implementation & Guidance (CPIM Approved)
Practitioners/Members of Sub-Committee

1:45
Break

2:00 p.m. 
O
ASBO Update & Hot Topics (CPIM Approved)
Chris Kline, Lawrence County Deputy Auditor
Katie Johnson, OASBO 

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.

Brad Ruwe

Partner, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP

Brad has over 26 years of experience in public finance, serving as Bond Counsel for state/local governments and nonprofit organizations and in tax-exempt leasing and stadium financings.  He is regularly called upon to address governmental and quasi-governmental councils and boards on public finance issues, including the State of Ohio, GFOA, OASBO, counties, municipalities, treasurers, trustees, and the Ohio Municipal League. He is a member of the National Association of Bond Lawyers (former Tax-Exempt Leasing Panel Chair) and the Association of Governmental Leasing & Finance (Salmon P. Chase College of Law - J.D. 1996; Xavier University - B.S.B.A. 1992).

Brenda Wehmer

Partner, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP

Government and school officials throughout Ohio rely on Brenda for answers on all aspects of bond financing. Her primary focus is debt issuance for governmental issuers, including school districts, counties, municipalities, townships, and special districts as well as 501(c)(3) entities.

Brenda has served as bond or underwriter's counsel in transactions ranging from $20,000 to $480 million.

She has extensive experience in many types of municipal financings, including general obligations,utility revenue bonds, tax increment financings transactions, and lease-purchase transactions.

Reginald Staples, Jr.

Partner, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP

Reginald is a partner at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP in the firm’s public finance practice group.  Reginald is experienced in serving as bond counsel, underwriter’s counsel, disclosure counsel, issuer’s counsel, and bank counsel in an assortment of bond, note, certificate of participation, and lease financings.  He works on a variety of traditional governmental financings for capital projects, and tax-exempt and taxable refundings of existing debt obligations and has worked with various state and local government entities including municipalities, villages, townships, counties and school districts.  In addition to his public finance practice, he is co-chair of the firm’s Minority Attorney Affinity Group, where he helps promote diversity and inclusion within the firm.  He is a graduate of The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law (J.D., 2010) and Xavier University (B.A., 2006).

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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SE Region Fall School Finance Workshop 2025-2026
08/18/2025 at 8:30 AM (EDT)   |  6 hours, 30 minutes  |  Attendance Required
08/18/2025 at 8:30 AM (EDT)   |  6 hours, 30 minutes  |  Attendance Required
Course Survey
7 Questions
Contact Hours
5.50 Contact Hours credits  |  No certificate available
5.50 Contact Hours credits  |  No certificate available