2026 Annual Conference Speakers

Thomas Akers
Actor/Writer/Director/Former Superintendent of Schools    

Mark Altmayer
CFO & Treasurer
Huntley CSD 158

Joel Babbitt
Benefits Coordinator
Illinois Public Pension Fund Association

David Bein, Ph.D., SFO
Retired CSBO 

Ryan Berry
CSBO
River Trails SD 26

Joseph Blomquist
Asst. Superintendent/Finance & Operations    
Elmhurst CUSD 205

Audra Braski
SVP. LGIP Director    
PTMA Financial Solutions

Aimee Briles
SVP/Director of Government Banking    
Wintrust Financial

Stuart Brodsky,AIA, LEED AP
Principal, PK-12 Education
Wight & Company

Edward Brophy
Dir. of Human Resources & Admin. Servs.
Northbrook SD 28

Jan Bush
Business Manager
Murphysboro CUSD 186

Adam Bussard
Assistant Superintendent
Illinois Valley Central SD 321

Audra Bussard
State Manager
American Fidelity Assurance Co.

Caty Campbell
Business Manager
Pekin SD 108

Leo Cassidy, CPMM, CPS
Dir./Operations
Oak Lawn-Hometown SD 123

Stephen Chassee
Principal
GreenAssociates, Inc.

Arthur Chmiel
Business Manager/CSBO
Union Ridge SD 86

Robyn Cornelissen
Executive Dir./Financial Services
School District U-46

Calvin Cornish, CEM
Sr. Project Consultant, Certified Energy Manager
Johnson Controls, Inc.

Stefanie Croix
Dir./Business Services
Lockport Twp. HSD 205

Steven Crouse
Lead Sr Advisor, Analytics
Frontline Education
Josh Curran, P.E.
Vice President
F.H. Paschen

Adam Dauksas
Partner
Franczek P.C.

Garrett DeFauw
Director of Communications
Comm. Unit Sch. Dist. 300

Todd Drafall
Sr. Exec. Dir. Business & Financial Ops
Illinois Mathematics & Science Academy

Cindy Dykas
Asst. Supt. for Business Services/CSBO
Worth SD 127

John Fester
Partner
Himes Petrarca & Fester
Lindsey Fish, CPA
Partner
Sikich, LLP

Michael Frances
Chief Financial Officer
Naperville CUSD 203

Judy Freeman
District Auditor/Accountant
Aurora East SD 131

Kelley Gallt
Superintendent
Lake Zurich CUSD 95

Malgorzata Gasior
Grants & Medicaid Supv. 
Mundelein Elem. SD 75

Scott Gaunky, CPMM
Retired
Matt Geerdes
Principal
Sikich, LLP

Matthew Glanzman
Asst. Dir./Finance and Operations
North Chicago CUSD 187

Jeffrey Goelitz
Partner
Hodges, Loizzi, Eisenhammer, Rodick & Kohn LLP

Jeff Grosso
CSBO/Transportation Director
Channahon SD 17
Charles Gusswein
Assurance Manager
Baker Tilly US, LLP

Cortnee Gutierrez
Chief School Business Official
E. F. Lindop SD 92
Matthew Hanigan
Institutional Sales and Relationship Manager
PFM Asset Management
Julie Harrelson
Supervisor of School Business Services
Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)

Elizabeth Hennessy
Managing Directo
Raymond James & Associates, Inc.

Jennifer Hermes, SFO
Chief Operating Officer, CSBO
Lake Forest SD 67 & 115
Ben Hettel, CPMM, CPS, CSBO, M.Ed., MBA
Executive Director of Operations
Troy CCSD 30-C

Seth Hill
Dir./Transportation
New Berlin CUSD #16
A. Lynn Himes
Partner
Himes Petrarca & Fester
Mandy Johnson
Supervisor of School Business Services
Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)

Cathy Johnson
Asst. Supt./Finance & Operations D75/120
Mundelein CHSD 120

Eric Jonasson, CPMM, CPS
Director of Facilities
Lincolnshire Prairieview SD 103
Jay Kahn
Dir./Finance & Operations, CSBO
Lake Bluff SD 65

Debby Karton
Principal/Public Education K-12
NPPFA Benefits
Cathy Kedjidjian
Coor./Community Relations
Deerfield Public SD 109
Tim Keeley
Chief School Business Official
Bensenville Elem. SD 2

Brian Keller, CEM, LEED, AP, BD+C
Energy Advisor
Franklin Energy

Nicole Kennedy, CPMM, CPP
Purchasing Manager
Comm. Unit Sch. Dist. 300
Troy Kerr
Principal
FGM Architects

Anita Kochar
Dir./Service & Support
NPPFA Benefits
David Kopf
President, Founder
Omella
Bennett Kostecki
Business Manager, CSBO
Deerfield Public SD 109

Darcy Kriha
Partner
F3 Law

Gina Lanier
CFO, ASBO Intl. Director
Adams 12 Five Star Schools
Albert Lerman, ChFC
Regional Representative
Horace Mann Insurance Company

Robert Lewis
Senior V.P./Managing Director
PTMA Securities, LLC
Chanbopha Loera
District Accountant
Aurora East SD 131
Jim Lovelace
President
Transportation and Residency Specialists, LLC

Kaitlin Luke
School Benefits Specialist
American Fidelity Assurance Co.

Andrew Mace
Vice President
Meristem Advisors LLC
Scott Mackall, CPMM, CPS
Dir./Educational Services
GSF USA

Tyler MacKenzie
Account Executive
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
Linda Matkowski
Chief Financial Officer
Champaign CUSD 4
Marta McCullough, CPMM
Facilities & Transportation Manager
Glenbard Twp. HSD 87

Howard Metz
Partner
Robbins Schwartz

Melissa Mickey
Business Manager
Grayslake CHSD 127
Tamara Mitchell, SFO
Chief Financial Officer/CSBO
Evanston-Skokie CCSD 65

Melissa Morgese
Asst. Superintendent of Business
Addison Elem. SD 4
Anne Noble
Managing Director
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company
Ray Olsen
SVP, Senior Director - Enterprise Fraud Management
Wintrust Financial

Mark Orszula
Chief School Business Official
Elmwood Park CUSD 401

Patrick Palbicke
Asst. Supt./Business, CSBO
Lincolnshire Prairieview SD 103
Paul Parise
Metro South Territory Field Rep.
IMRF

Adam Parisi, Ed.S.
Assistant Superintendent for Finance/CSBO
DuPage County SD 45
James Petrakos, AIA, LEED AP
Principal Architect
TRIA Architecture, Inc.
Jen Porett
Manager, Organizational Performance
Wipfli LLP

Jennifer Prosise
Financial Advisor/Certified Financial Planner
The Voyager Group Ltd.

Aaron Raftery
Solar & Efficiency Advisor
Nania Energy Inc.
Mark Rajcevich, CPS
Building Manager
Glenbard Twp. HSD 87

Steven Richart
Partner 
Hodges, Loizzi, Eisenhammer, Rodick & Kohn LLP
Dean Romano, Ed.D., SFO
Asst. Supt. for Business & Operations
Lake Zurich CUSD 95
David Schuh, CPMM, CPS
Dir./Operations
Crystal Lake CSD 47

Brian Scully
Associate Principal
DLA Architects, Ltd.

Wendy Sedwick
Coordinator of Business Services
Comm. Unit Sch. Dist. 303
Melanie Shaker
Sr. Vice President
FHN Financial Capital Markets, a division of First Horizon Bank

Don Shaw
Principal
Lauterbach & Amen, LLP
Teri Shaw, Ed.D.
CSBO
Mokena Public SD 159
Elizabeth Shields
Business Manager/CSBO
Morris CHSD 101

Matthew Shipley
Chief School Business Official
Indian Prairie SD 204.

Scott Shouse
Sr. VP/Employee Benefits
Assured Partners
Steven Smidl
Director of Business Services/CSBO
LaGrange CSD 105

Angie Smith
Bookkeepers
Waltonville CUSD 1
Sean Smith, CPMM, CPS
Dir./Buildings & Grounds 
Gurnee SD 56
Angela Smith, Ed.D.
Associate Superintendent of Operations & CSBO
Aurora West SD 129

Griffin Sonntag
Asst. Supt./Finance and Operations
Pleasantdale SD 107

Tyreese Stafford, CPS
Director of Transportation
Bellwood SD 88
Michelle Swanson, MBA
Bookkeeper
Woodridge Elem. SD 68

Ian Tapia
Digital Service Manager
EasyArchive Inc
LeeAnn Taylor
Chief School Business Official
Frankfort CUSD 157-C
Becky Thompson
Sr. Energy Advisor    
Nania Energy Inc.

Will Thompson
Account Executive
Tarkett

Ray Toliver Jr.
Chief School Business Official 
Carbondale CHSD 165
Vien-Phong Trinh
Principal
ARCON Associates, Inc.

Daniel Ulrich
Executive Director of Finance & Grants
Aurora East SD 131
Keri VanSant, AIA, LEED AP BD+C
Principal
DLR Group
Gregory Volan
Director of Finance and Operations
North Chicago CUSD 187

Emily Warnecke
Dir. Public Relations/Deputy Dir. Governmental Relations
Illinois ASBO

Shannon Weld
Assistant Director of Fiscal Services
Adlai E. Stevenson HSD 125
Tim Whelan
Program Director 
Illinois Education Retirement Consortium

Annaka Whiting
CFO
Rock Island-Milan SD 41
Jeremy Wickham
Executive Director of Technology and Operations
North Shore SD 112
Ann Williams, Ed.D., SFO
Deputy Superintendent
School District U-46

Frank Williams, Ed.D.
Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer, CSBO
Comm. Unit Sch. Dist. 300

Craig Williams
Director, Infrastructure Consulting Svcs.
ClientFirst Technology Consulting
James Wolf
Education Account Executive
Johnson Controls, Inc.

Rachel Wright
Business Manager
Herrin CUSD 4
Mary Zarr
Interim Director of Technology
Lake Zurich CUSD 95