FY26 September Program

Matthew Deninger is the Chief Strategy and Research Officer at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. In this role, Matt works to support school districts in their efforts to enhance equity, use research to inform decision-making, and use resources to improve academic achievement across the board, especially in areas that serve historically underserved students. He oversees the administration and implementation of a wide range of funding mechanisms, including several major federal grant programs (ESSER, ESSA, IDEA, and Perkins).

Rob proudly serves as the Director of the Office for Food and Nutrition Programs at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. In this capacity for the past 7 years, he has overseen the administration of 12 USDA Child Nutrition and Food Distribution Programs in Massachusetts. Before working at the Department, Rob worked in the field of education policy and school finance, first for the Massachusetts State Legislature and later for Massachusetts’ Governor Deval Patrick in the Office of the Special Advisor on Education. Rob previously served on the Institute of Child Nutrition’s National Advisory Council and currently serves as the Northeast Representative on the School Nutrition Association’s State Agency Advisory Council. At the state level, Rob serves on the Massachusetts Food Policy Council, in addition to the inter-agency Food Security Leadership Working Group. Rob is inspired by mission-driven work, creating positive impact and, above all else, he is inspired by the selfless work of program operators across the Commonwealth.

Jay Sullivan is the Associate Commissioner for District & School Finance in the Department of Elementary & Secondary Education. In this capacity, he directs the Offices of School Finance, School Business and Regional Governance. He also oversees a variety of financial programs, including Special Education Circuit Breaker, School accounting, End of Year Financial Reporting and Auditing, Transportation, as well as federal compliance issues relative to maintenance of effort requirements and the calculation of district’s indirect cost rates. Jay has worked for the Department for over 43 years as an auditor, administrator and business manager.

Cynthia Mahr has spent more than twenty-five years in state and school finance. She joined Wellesley Public Schools in 2018. Prior to Wellesley, Cynthia served as the Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations for Weston Public School and Director of Administrative Services for the Public Schools of Brookline. She is a Certified Administrator of School Finance and Operations and a Meritorious Budget Award recipient (Weston and Wellesley) from the Association of School Business Officials International, as well as the recipient of the President's Award from the Massachusetts Association of School Business Officials (MASBO). Cynthia is a Past President of MASBO. Cynthia earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Hartwick College and her Master’s in Public Administration degree from Suffolk University.

Kirsteen serves as the Director of Finance and Operations at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School District, overseeing the district's financial planning, budgeting, and operational functions. With a strong background in public school administration, Kirsteen ensures fiscal responsibility while driving initiatives that support student achievement and district goals. Kirsteen is dedicated to fostering transparent communication, streamlining processes, and implementing innovative solutions to optimize resources and enhance operational efficiency.