Total Credits: 10 MASBO Credit(s), 10 BOSA Credit
Tags: Events Winter Conference
The Winter Conference is virtual and includes two days of live sessions plus recorded on-demand webinars. In addition, all live sessions will also be recorded to be viewed on-demand following the conference.
Please note: the schedule is tentative and subject to change.
| Monday, February 2 | |
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| Recorded Content Available | |
| Thursday, February 5 | |
| 8:30-9:20am | Opening Announcements and Keynote |
| 9:40-10:50am | Breakout Sessions |
| 11:00-11:50am | Breakout Sessions |
| 12:30-1:30pm | Breakout Sessions |
| 1:50-2:40pm | Breakout Sessions |
| 2:50-3:40pm | Breakout Sessions |
| Friday, February 6 | |
| 8:30-9:20am | Breakout Sessions |
| 9:40-10:30am | Breakout Sessions |
| 10:40-11:10am | 30-Minute Office Reset |
| 11:20am-12:10pm | Breakout Sessions |
| 12:30-12:50pm | Legislative Update |
| 1:00-1:50pm | Breakout Sessions |
| 2:00-3:00pm | Workshops |
Keynote Speaker
Speaker Company
Session description
Thank You, Keynote Sponsor!
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Thank You, Technology and Engagement Sponsor!
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Cancellation Policy: Cancellations received by the MASBO office at least 48 hours prior to the event are eligible for a refund of the registration fee. No refunds will be provided for cancellations received fewer than 48 hours prior to the event.
Audio/Video Policy: Registration and attendance at, or participation at association events constitutes an agreement by the registrant to association’s use and distribution of the registrant or attendee’s image or voice in photographs, videotapes, electronic reproductions and audiotapes of such events and activities.
Code of Conduct: MASBO is dedicated to providing a welcoming environment for all participants, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, race, or religion. MASBO will not tolerate harassment of event attendees in any form. Those violating these rules may be sanctioned, expelled from the event without a refund, and/or excluded from attending future events, at the discretion of the organization.
Zachary Cronen is a shareholder with Rupp, Anderson, Squires, Waldspurger, & Mace, P.A. His primary areas of practice include general municipal and school law, civil litigation, real estate transactions and litigation, labor and employment, and election law. He earned his B.A. from the University of Minnesota and his J.D., summa cum laude, from William Mitchell College of Law.
Baillie Nash is the Assistant Director at Edina Public Schools, where she plays a key role in managing the district’s financial operations, including budgeting, bank reconciliation, auditing, and financial reporting, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and smooth processes. She has a strong foundation in school finance and is actively involved with the Minnesota Association of School Business Officials (MASBO), serving as Vice Chair of the Professional Development Committee, and has completed MASBO’s Leadership Academy and Next Level Leadership program to further strengthen her leadership and expertise. Baillie holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Business Management and earned her School Finance Officer (SFO) Certification in 2025, reflecting her commitment to professional growth. Outside of work, she enjoys helping on her family’s crop production farm and spending leisure time with family and friends playing bingo and board games.
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.
Paul Ferrin is currently the supervisor of the special education funding and data workgroup at the Minnesota Department of Education. He has worked at the department for 5 years in various roles including monitoring special education expenditures and providing data analytics to the special education funding workgroup.
Tracey Fiereck is the Director of Business Services with Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools, with responsibilities include overseeing the business operations of the district, transportation, nutrition services, and buildings and grounds; duties also include annual budget preparation, negotiations, risk management, annual audit preparation, and procurement. Tracey joined Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools in the fall of 2020, and previously served as the Executive Director of cmERDC - ESV Region III. She spent over 20 years of her career at cmERDC, learning many aspects of school finance and operations. Additionally, she served on the Sauk Rapids-Rice School Board. Tracey earned an AAS degree in Accounting from St. Cloud Community and Technical College and continued her studies in Business Management at St. Cloud State University. She is currently serving as a Director on the MASBO Board.
Tiffany Gustin serves as the Director of Management and Insurance Trust Services for the MN School Boards Association. Before working for MSBA, she served as a school district Business Manager for ten years. Prior to working in school finance, she was a software engineer and database analyst in the private sector and worked in county government.
In her spare time, she is a volunteer first responder, church pianist, and is the Chief Operations Officer of a crazy household made up of her husband, two adult children and way too many animals. She loves coffee, bacon, campfires, and spending time with her family, especially the dogs.
Michael Hart is a Managing Director of Public Finance in Minnesota for PMA Securities. He has over a decade of experience in public finance including leading school districts through the financial aspects of bond issues and referendums for both capital projects and operating funds. Mr. Hart holds Series 7, 50, 53, 54 and 63 FINRA licenses.
Noel has worked with the retirement and OPEB plans offered by for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. He frequently consults with pension plan sponsors on de-risking strategies including lump sum window campaigns and plan terminations. He also has extensive experience with the actuarial valuation of pension and retiree health programs for private employers. Noel is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and an Enrolled Actuary.
Mark F. Kerr, JD, CFE, is the Office of the State Auditor's Special Investigations Director. In various capacities, Mark has practiced local government law for over 25 years. Prior to assuming his current role, he served the Office of the State Auditor as Assistant Legal Counsel. He also practiced law for three years with the Ratwik, Roszak & Maloney law firm representing school districts and other local units of government. After graduating from the WIlliam Mitchell College of Law, magna cum laude, Mark served as judicial clerk for the Chief Judge of the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
Before joining the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE), Molly worked in both school operations and charter school authorizing, providing oversight to schools that were both operational and start up. She holds a BS degree from Augsburg University in mathematics.
Kristy Larson is MSBA’s Associate Director of Management Services. She has a background in communications and technical writing and brings experience from both the investment industry and eight years in human resources serving local government. Kristy is dedicated to supporting Minnesota’s public schools through her work with MSBA.
Peter Martin has spent the past 30 years providing advice to school districts regarding business contracts, employment disputes, special education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) complaint investigations, student discipline, and other general school law matters. Mr. Martin has also been active in the Minnesota legislature as a lobbyist and has been involved in developing many school-related legislative initiatives over the past decade. He is a member of the State Bars of Minnesota and Wisconsin, the National Association of Bond Lawyers, and the National School Boards Association Council of School Attorneys.
Deb graduated magna cum laude from Augsburg University with a B.A. in Business Administration with a concentration in accounting and finance. She was an auditor for 4 1/2 years for the Minnesota Department of Transportation, and has 16 years of experience as a Supervisor of Accounting for two different school districts. Deb has worked at MDE since December 2014 in the Division of School Finance.
Sarah Miller, Director of Business in three Minnesota schools/consultant with Minnesota charter schools - 12 years. For the past 12 years, at the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) – Financial Management/Budget Facilities teams. Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration/Accounting from UNC, Greeley, Colorado. Homeland Security Emergency Management representative for MDE.
Adrienne has 19+ years of public sector finance experience and specializes in public accounting and governmental audits, successfully guiding clients through ever-changing complexities related to administering federal funds. She is a leading resource on Federal Uniform Guidance and compliance with various federal financial programs for school districts and local governments.
Danny Nelson is a Director at PFM Asset Management where he manages relationships for municipal governments in Minnesota. He provides investment advisory services, develops investment policies, helps with cash flow analyses, and monitors guidelines/strategy implementation. Danny provides public entities with training, technical, and analytical support with respect to clients’ investments.
James works with organizations of all sizes to provide in-depth guidance on a broad spectrum of workplace issues, including employment law compliance, leave management, human resources matters, best practices, liability exposures, workers' compensation, etc. In addition to advising clients, he writes articles on employment and risk management issues, and regularly conducts leadership, harassment, and legal compliance training for our clients' managers and staff.
Steve Pumper joined PMA Financial Network in July of 2009. Prior to joining PMA, Steve worked as a school business manager in Minnesota schools for 22 years. He brings that experience in helping PMA develop services that are beneficial to the Business Manager in the field. Steve is a Registered Representative with FINRA and holds his series 7, 50 and 63 securities licenses.
Zach consults with clients to navigate the Employee Benefits landscape by evaluating plan designs, implementing/educating new wellness programs, handling complex benefit issues and service challenges, and ultimately, acting as the best liaison between clients and insurance carriers.
Chris Williams has been a consultant at Aviben for 8 years. He specializes in HRAs, FSAs, and ACA employer compliance. Before Aviben, Chris attended the University of Northern Iowa where he received a BA in Business Management.
Elleka Yost is the Director of Advocacy & Research at ASBO International, where she leads efforts to advance education policy and support school business professionals through research-driven advocacy. Since joining ASBO International in 2014, she has held several roles, including Marketing and Communications Coordinator, Government Affairs and Communications Coordinator, Government Affairs & Communications Manager, and Director of Advocacy before being promoted to her current position in January 2024. Elleka’s professional interests include political science, international affairs, public policy, nonprofit management, and education, reflecting her passion for strengthening the connection between policy and practice in the education sector.
Jodie is a Senior Municipal Advisor who joined Ehlers’ Education Finance Team in 2009. She previously served 15 years as the Director of Financial Operations for the South Washington County School District. Her first-hand knowledge of district financial operations gives her unique insight into referendum planning, tax impacts and debt issuance for education projects.
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Thursday, February 5 |
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Live Virtual Sessions (all sessions recorded for on-demand viewing, except where indicated *) |
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8:30-9:20am |
Opening Announcements & Keynote – Dignity Index Confirmed! — Presenter coming soon |
| 9:20-9:40am | Break |
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9:40-10:50am |
Breakout Sessions Mastering LTFM: From Planning to Compliance — Sarah Miller, Minnesota Department of Education Employee Classifications — Speaker coming soon |
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10:50-11:00am |
Break |
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11:00-11:50am |
Breakout Sessions Early Retirement Incentives OPEBs under GASB 75 and Minnesota Department of Education OPEB Levy — Noel Johnson, USI Consulting Group; Jan Carlson, Minnesota Department of Education The Intersection of MARSS and Finance — Sandy Gaulke, The Center for Effective School Operations (CESO) |
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11:50am-12:40pm |
Break |
| 12:40-1:30pm |
Breakout Sessions From Posting to Placement: Strengthening Your Hiring Process — Zach Cronen, Squires, Waldspurger & Mace P.A. Special Ed Finance Updates — Paul Ferrin, Minnesota Department of Education |
| 1:30-1:50pm |
Break |
| 1:50-2:40pm |
Breakout Sessions What If Tips and Tricks — Cathy Erickson, Minnesota Department of Education We Need to Talk— Daniel Ludvingston, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle |
| 2:40-2:50pm |
Break |
| 2:50-3:40pm |
Breakout Sessions Building Fiscal Resilience: Strategic Forecasting for Financial Stability — Lori Volz, Baker Tilly; Ryan Fetters, Baker Tilly Federal Funding in Flux: What's in Store for MN Schools? — Elleka Yost, ASBO International |
Friday, February 6 |
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Live Virtual Sessions (all sessions recorded for on-demand viewing, except where indicated *) |
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8:30-9:20am |
Breakout Sessions Coffee Talk — Cathy Erickson, Minnesota Department of Education From Gatekeeper to Guide: Facilitating Collaborative Budgeting with Difficult Stakeholders — Mike Kray, South Central Service Cooperative
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9:20-9:40am |
Break |
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9:40-10:30am |
Breakout Sessions Case Law Update — Peter Martin, Kennedy & Graven Dollars & Sense: Beyond the Basics — Jodie Zesbaugh, Ehlers, Inc. |
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10:30-10:40am |
Break |
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10:40-11:10am |
30-Minute Office Reset: Chair Yoga, Breathwork & Stress Tools |
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11:10-11:20am |
Break |
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11:20am-12:10pm |
Breakout Sessions UFARS 101 — Deb Meier, Minnesota Department of Education; Molly Koppes, Minnesota Department of Education Unlocking the Power of an Invested HRA — Chris Williams, Aviben |
| 12:00-12:30pm | Break |
| 12:30-12:50pm |
Legislative Update for Minnesota School Business Officials — Speaker coming soon |
| 12:50-1:00pm | Break |
| 1:00-1:50 pm |
Breakout Sessions Navigating PFML Together — Zach Savitz, USI Insurance Services; James Olney, USI Insurance Services Bridging the Gap: Strategic Cash Flow Management with Aid Anticipation Borrowing — Ryan Fetters, Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors |
| 1:50-2:00 pm | Break |
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2:00-3:00 pm |
Workshops From Policy to Practice: HR in Schools — Tiffany Gustin, Minnesota School Boards Association; Kristy Larson, Minnesota School Boards Association AI at Work: Tools and Strategies — Andrew Adams, Eden Prairie School District MEGS: Practical Guidance for Grant Management — Tracey Fiereck, Sauk Rapids-Rice Public Schools, ISD #47; Baillie Erickson, Edina Public Schools State SPED Revenue: Breaking it Down — Adrienne Mutzenberger, The Center for Effective School Operations (CESO) LTFM in Action: Ask, Learn, Apply — Steve Pumper, PMA Financial; Michael Hart, PMA Securities; Bill Menozzi, Shakopee Public Schools |
State Compliance Issues — Mark Kerr, Office of the State Auditor
Description coming soon
Beginner School Finance Excel Tools — Mert Woodard, Edina Public Schools
Learn how to utilize Excel tools for specific work in the school business office.
Economic Update and Current Market Conditions — Danny Nelson, PFM Asset Management, a division of U.S. Bancorp Asset Management, Inc.
Moderating growth, shifting policy dynamics, and evolving inflation trends continue to shape the economic landscape. In this session, we will present a macroeconomic outlook, highlighting baseline expectations for gross domestic product, the labor markets, consumer activity, and interest rates. The discussion will explore how recent developments ñ including Federal Reserve policy signals and fiscal adjustments ñ are influencing the trajectory of economic expansion.
Thank you, Keynote Sponsor!
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Thank you, Technology and Engagement Sponsor!
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MASBO Credits:
The "MASBO Credit" is our standard credit and will be offered for each one-hour live or recorded session. MASBO Credits can apply toward your MASBO certification designation.
Board of School Administrators Credits:
Approved administrative continuing education credits are available for most MASBO conferences, workshops, and professional development programs. For in-person events, registered attendees must attend the full event to receive credit. BOSA credits may also be available for select live or recorded webinars
CPE Credits:
There are not any CPE credits offered for the Winter Conference.
| Availability | Module Title | Speaker | Credits | Course Type | Duration | Course Details |
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| Feb 05, 2026 @ 09:40 AM (CST) |
Mastering LTFM: From Planning to Compliance
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N/A | Webinar | 45 Minutes | More info » | |
| Feb 06, 2026 @ 11:20 AM (CST) |
UFARS 101
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N/A | Webinar | 45 Minutes | More info » |
