SENIOR DIRECTOR – NUTRITION FINANCE at ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS (2023-05 – Present)
- 72 Locations: Oversee 72 individual school nutrition operations - providing financial statement oversight, compliance guidance, budget counsel, and proactive financial advisory to site leaders across the district.
- GAAP-Compliant Financial Reporting: Oversee all financial reporting for a $40M non-profit program ensuring full compliance with GAAP, GASB, FASB, and GaDOE guidelines. Prepare monthly and annual financial statements and P&L reports for each location.
- Grant Reporting & Federal Claims: Oversee Federal claims and compliance reporting for SNP, CACFP, and FFVP. Passed GaDOE financial audit with zero overclaims filed and minimum procurement findings.
- Budget Development & Forecasting: Prepare annual budgets and monthly forecasts for all client operations. Built P&L templates from scratch for all 72 locations; lead month-end close including bank and inventory reconciliations.
- Internal Controls Training: Develop and deliver finance training and internal control procedures across 72 locations; create standard operating procedures to ensure consistent policy compliance at every site.
- Client Relationship Management: Maintain strong, trust-based relationships with site administrators, department leadership, and state agencies. Deliver custom financial performance reports and actionable insights to senior leadership monthly and annually.
- Staff Mentoring & Development: Lead and develop a team of 6 finance professionals — individual development plans, ongoing coaching, and technical skills building to drive professional growth across the team.
PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL BUDGETS at ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS (2021-04 – 2023-04)
- Financial Advisor to 86 Schools: Primary finance resource for school principals and district leadership across a $1.2B budget - delivered budget analyses, resolved financial issues, and provided ongoing strategic counsel throughout the fiscal year.
- Budget Development & Multi-Year Forecasting: Built school budget templates, funding formulas, and revenue estimates; developed multi-year financial models to project budget scenarios and outcomes for upcoming fiscal years.
- Compliance & Internal Controls: Drafted and oversaw policies governing financial transactions; developed internal procedures to ensure school compliance and reviewed transactions to ensure accuracy across all schools.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Coordinated across HR, Federal Programs, Accounting, and Procurement to ensure budget accuracy from creation through reconciliation.
SENIOR BUDGET POSITION ANALYST at ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS (2019-01 – 2021-03)
- Financial Analysis & Client Support: Prepared district-wide budget analyses, multi-scenario forecasts, and financial projections for 58+ schools under a $1.2B budget. Developed recommendations to resolve financial issues for school administrators.
- Staffing & Budget Alignment: Partnered with HR to align FTE positions with approved budgets; prepared financial data for annual staffing conferences with school administration and Assistant Superintendents.
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & ACCOUNTING, SCHOOL SUPPORT CENTER at CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS (2016-08 – 2018-06)
Promoted to serve as outsourced financial resource and single point of contact between central office and 515 district schools. Reported to VP of Finance and Executive Director.
- Outsourced Finance Director - 515 Schools: Primary financial advisor to 515 non-profit schools — the single point of contact for all finance, accounting, compliance, and operational financial matters across the district.
- 97% Reduction in Federal Funds Payback: Cut payback from $3.5M to $100K in one year through targeted training and assigning dedicated Financial Specialists to each of the 515 schools to eliminate grant indiscretions.
- Client Staff Training & Internal Controls: Built a 4-week instructor-led training program for 40 finance staff covering policy, GAAP compliance, and internal controls — reduced client-facing financial errors by 25%.
- Audit Oversight & GAAP Compliance: Oversaw audit preparation across 515 schools; developed SOPs for all department functions and ensured all reporting met GAAP and governmental standards.
- Team Leadership: Managed 45 staff (5 Managers, 40 indirect reports) across an $8.9M department budget; recruited 18 team members and provided mentorship and development to all staff.
MANAGER OF FINANCIAL SPECIALISTS, SCHOOL SUPPORT CENTER at CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS (2011-01 – 2016-08)
- Client Financial Services - 160 Schools: Led 15 Financial Specialists serving 160 schools across a $1.3M budget - delivered hands-on financial advisory, internal controls coaching, and compliance support to school administrators.
- Audit Pass Rate: 62% → 82%: Achieved in one year by instituting monthly financial document reviews and in-person site visits to verify internal controls at each location.
- Budget Allocation Accuracy +90%: Made individual appointments with all 160 schools each budget season to ensure correct fund allocation across every line item.
- New Hire Training & Mentoring: Built full onboarding curriculum — two-week shadowing, strengths assessment, and four-week classroom training on policies and internal controls — directly improving advisory quality delivered to clients.
GRANT MANAGEMENT COMPLIANCE COORDINATOR, NETWORK 14 at CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS (2008-10 – 2010-12)
- $105M Governmental Grant Oversight: Managed State and Federal budget transfers, ensured spending plan alignment, and opened/closed 200+ staff positions annually across 28 schools.
- Client Training & Audit Preparation: Delivered onsite compliance training to principals; prepared all 28 schools for State of Illinois compliance visits - serving as the primary financial liaison between school leadership and central office.
FINANCIAL SPECIALIST, BUSINESS SUPPORT CENTER at CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS (2005-10 – 2008-09)
- Audit Turnaround: Elevated audit rating from unsatisfactory to the highest rating. Improved fund spending accuracy by 90% before grant expiration; helped 5 schools pass financial audits in a single year.
- Client Training: Trained business managers on policy, internal controls, and correct fund expenditure guidelines across 14 schools with 25 client contacts.
SCHOOL BUSINESS MANAGER at ROBERT FULTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (2002-05 – 2005-09)
- $7.0M Budget: Managed full school budget; recovered 100% of misplaced or stolen funds and deposited all recovered amounts into the bank.
