School Financial Services Team
The SFS Finance team is comprised of individuals with diverse, specialized education and professional experience in public school finance and management services, governmental accounting and auditing, data management systems and relevant state and federal policies and legislative processes.
Grant Management Accountants
The grant management accountants team is composed of seven (7) accountants who process over $7 billion in payments annually. They are responsible for processing payments and determining federal allocations for local education agencies and other external organizations. Our accountants work with other DPI teams to assist in managing both state and federal aids and grants.
School Finance Auditors
School finance auditing and accounting is comprised of three (3) school finance auditors. The team does a variety of tasks including reviewing audit reports from LEA’s and other agencies who receive subawards from DPI.
School Administration Consultants
School district consultants or DPI’s professional level program managers are subject matter experts. We have 4.0 of these positions and their responsibilities range from calculating $5.2 billion in general school aids to responding to questions regarding school district reorganization.
Technology
We have three (3) information specialists/information technology and one (1) fiscal data coordinator that work to maintain our online reporting and data collections systems for state aids student membership and financial information.
Leadership
The team is supervised by a Team Director and two Assistant Directors.
Educational Specialist
The SFS Team shares an education specialist with the Parental Education Options Team.
Director
Mark Elworthy
mark.elworthy@dpi.wi.gov
(608) 266-9534
Assistant Directors
Angeline Gaster
angeline.gaster@dpi.wi.gov
(608) 264-9541
(vacant)
Program Staff
Glenn Aumann
glenn.aumann@dpi.wi.gov
Grant program assignments
(608) 266-3489
Olivia Bernitt
olivia.bernitt@dpi.wi.gov
(608) 261-2137
Kelly Bolin
kelly.bolin@dpi.wi.gov
(608) 266-3892
Rick Cruz
ricardo.cruz@dpi.wi.gov
(608) 266-8255
Jacque Darrow
jacqueline.darrow@dpi.wi.gov
Grant program assignments
(608) 267-9134
Ryan Egan
ryan.egan@dpi.wi.gov
Grant program assignments
(608) 266-1723
Kathy Fry
kathleen.fry@dpi.wi.gov
(608) 224-5343
(Vacant)
(608) 267-2883
Ben Kopitzke
benjamin.kopitzke@dpi.wi.gov
(608) 267-9279
Roger Kordus
roger.kordus@dpi.wi.gov
(608) 267-3752
Jim Rhinerson
james.rhinerson@dpi.wi.gov
(608) 266-7692
Sumana Sengupta
sumana.sengupta@dpi.wi.gov
Grant program assignments
(608) 267-9205
Najat Shorette
najat.shorette@dpi.wi.gov
Grant program assignments
(608) 266-6856
Jake Smith
jake.smith@dpi.wi.gov
Grant program assignments
(608) 266-1773
Aaron Ziemke
aaron.ziemke@dpi.wi.gov
Grant program assignments
(608) 266-2205
General Information
dpifin@dpi.wi.gov
(608) 267-9114
Staff Assignments
- Aid Payments: Sumana Sengupta
- Annual Reports: Mark Elworthy
- Budget Hearing and Adoption: Roger Kordus
- Budget Reports: Roger Kordus
- Challenge Academy: Roger Kordus
- Common School Fund (Library Aids): Roger Kordus
- Community Programs and Services (Fund 80): Roger Kordus
- Cooperative Agreements (sec. 66.0301, Wis. Stats): Kathy Fry
- Debt Service Reporting: Olivia Bernitt
- Energy Efficiency Exemption: Roger Kordus
- Equalization/General Aid: Ben Kopitzke
- Federal Impact Aid: Jim Rhinerson
- Fees (Student): Roger Kordus
- Fiscal Audit Questions: Olivia Bernitt
- Foster or Group Home Membership: Kathy Fry
- Fund 41 (Capital Expansion Fund): Roger Kordus
- Fund 46 (Long Term Capital Improvement Fund): Roger Kordus
- High Cost Special Education Aid: Rick Cruz
- Indirect Cost: Olivia Bernitt
- Membership Report: Roger Kordus
- Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB or Fund 73): Olivia Bernitt
- Per Pupil Aid: Ben Kopitzke
- Referendum: Roger Kordus
- Residency: Roger Kordus
- Revenue Limit: Ben Kopitzke
- SAGE Debt Service, sec. 118.43(4), Wis. Stats: Ben Kopitzke
- School District Reorganization: Kathy Fry
- School Level Reporting/ESSA Financial Transparency: (vacant)
- Special Education and School Age Parent State Aid: Rick Cruz
- State Tuition Aid Payments: Kathy Fry
- Summer and Interim Courses (Fiscal, Membership): Roger Kordus
- Supplemental Aid, 115.435 WI Stats: Roger Kordus
- Tax Incremental District (TID/TIF): Ben Kopitzke
- Transfer of Service to Revenue Limits: Kathy Fry
- Transportation Aid: Kathy Fry
- Tuition (Paid by Parents or LEAs): Roger Kordus
- WUFAR: Jim Rhinerson