SW Region Fall School Finance Workshop 2025-2026

Charles Wise is a Senior Vice President in the Public Sector Group. In his role with Key, he oversees relationships with state governments, municipalities, counties, K-12 School Districts and Higher Education institutions.

Charles began his career in the field of government by serving in the Ohio House of Representatives as a legislative aide. From there he was promoted to a policy advisor to two former Ohio House Speakers, working on a variety of issues dealing with commerce and labor, financial institutions, insurance, pensions, public utilities, transportation and public safety, and workers’ compensation. Charles was a member of the Ohio Homeland Security Advisory Council and was elected to the Gahanna Jefferson School Board.

Mr. Wise holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Ohio Dominican University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Franklin University. He also holds his Series 52 and Series 63 license.

David Tiggett is a Director with KeyBanc Capital Markets.  Mr. Tiggett joined Key in 2017; prior to joining Key, Mr. Tiggett worked for William Blair & Co. and Fifth Third Securities, where he helped lead the firm’s expansion in the Midwest. Mr. Tiggett has over 14 years of experience underwriting transactions for Ohio municipalities, school districts, higher educational institutions and agencies of the State of Ohio, totaling over $10 Billion in aggregate. Having previously served as an issuer official with the Office of Debt management for the Ohio Treasurer’s Office, Mr. Tiggett brings a valuable perspective of both an issuer and municipal banker to his scope of services.

Mr. Tiggett is a Board Member of the Central Ohio Diabetes Association, a Board Member of Life Care Alliance, Vice President of the Russ Hellickson Central Ohio Youth Wrestling League, the Director of the Upper Arlington Mat Cubs Wrestling Program, a past Finance Committee Member for the Wexner Heritage Village, a past Member of the Citizen’s Advisory Committee for the Franklin County Children’s Services and a past Volunteer for the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Columbus, Ohio.

Mr. Tiggett holds a Bachelor of Science from The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.  He also has his Series 7, 63, 50, and 53 licenses.

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).

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).

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.

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 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.

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.