As the Director of School Finance for the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), Cathy oversees teams responsible for general education and categorical funding, levy process and certification, financial audits, aid payments, budget forecasting, and more. Her work also includes managing data related to students, transportation, and MDE-ORG sites, as well as overseeing special education funding and facilities maintenance. She frequently speaks at Minnesota Association of School Business Officials (MASBO) conferences and co-presents at the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) Phase II Finance training. Before joining MDE in July 2022, Cathy spent 23 years in school finance, serving in leadership roles at Duluth Public Schools, Arrowhead Regional Computing Consortium (ARCC), and Lake Superior School District. She also taught school finance as an adjunct instructor at St. Mary’s University. Cathy holds a bachelor's degree in management from the College of St. Scholastica.