SFS Team Program Assignments
School Financial Services
School Financial Services 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
School Financial Services is supervised by a Director and two Section Leaders.
Educational Specialist
School Financial Services shares an education specialist with the Bureau of Education Options.
Director
Jennifer Buros
jennifer.buros@dpi.wi.gov
(608) 266-1966
Section Leaders
Michael Brendel
michael.brendel@dpi.wi.gov
(608) 224-6164
Nathan Anderson
nathan.anderson@dpi.wi.gov
(608) 267-1063
Program Staff
(vacant)
(608) 266-3489
Olivia Bernitt
olivia.bernitt@dpi.wi.gov
(608) 261-2137
Rick Cruz
ricardo.cruz@dpi.wi.gov
(608) 266-8255
Jacque Darrow
jacqueline.darrow@dpi.wi.gov
Grant program assignments
(608) 267-9134
Stephanie Durrant
stephanie.durrant@dpi.wi.gov
(608) 266-1098
Ryan Egan
ryan.egan@dpi.wi.gov
Grant program assignments
(608) 266-1723
(vacant)
(608) 224-5343
Ben Kopitzke
benjamin.kopitzke@dpi.wi.gov
(608) 267-9279
Deborah Mann
deborah.mann@dpi.wi.gov
Grant program assignments
(608) 266-6856
(vacant)
(608) 266-7692
Sumana Sengupta
sumana.sengupta@dpi.wi.gov
Grant program assignments
(608) 267-9205
Jake Smith
jake.smith@dpi.wi.gov
Grant program assignments
(608) 266-1773
DiAnna Steines
dianna.steines@dpi.wi.gov
(608) 267-1281
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: Michael Brendel
- Budget Hearing and Adoption: Stephanie Durrant
- Budget Reports: Stephanie Durrant
- Challenge Academy: Michael Brendel
- Common School Fund (Library Aids): Michael Brendel
- Community Programs and Services (Fund 80): Stephanie Durrant
- Cooperative Agreements (sec. 66.0301, Wis. Stats): Michael Brendel
- Debt Service Reporting: Olivia Bernitt
- Energy Efficiency Exemption: Ben Kopitzke
- Equalization/General Aid: Ben Kopitzke
- Federal Impact Aid: DiAnna Steines
- Fees (Student): Michael Brendel
- Fiscal Audit Questions: Olivia Bernitt
- Foster or Group Home Membership: Stephanie Durrant
- Fund 41 (Capital Expansion Fund): Ben Kopitzke
- Fund 46 (Long Term Capital Improvement Fund): Ben Kopitzke
- High Cost Special Education Aid: Rick Cruz
- Indirect Cost: Olivia Bernitt
- Membership Report: Michael Brendel
- Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB or Fund 73): Olivia Bernitt
- Per Pupil Aid: Ben Kopitzke
- Referendum: Michael Brendel
- Residency: Michael Brendel
- Revenue Limit: Ben Kopitzke
- SAGE Debt Service, sec. 118.43(4), Wis. Stats: Ben Kopitzke
- School Calendar: Michael Brendel
- School Census: Michael Brendel
- School District Reorganization: Michael Brendel
- School Level Reporting/ESSA Financial Transparency: Stephanie Durrant
- Special Education and School Age Parent State Aid: Rick Cruz
- State Tuition Aid Payments: Stephanie Durrant
- Summer and Interim Courses (Fiscal, Membership): Michael Brendel
- Supplemental Aid, 115.435 WI Stats: Jennifer Buros
- Tax Incremental District (TID/TIF): Ben Kopitzke
- Tax Levy: Michael Brendel
- Transfer of Service to Revenue Limits: Stephanie Durrant
- Transportation Aid: Stephanie Durrant
- Tuition (Paid by Parents or LEAs): Michael Brendel
- WUFAR: Olivia Bernitt