CDFA is governed by a 32-member Board of Directors. Policy is developed by the Board of Directors based on committee recommendations and concerns of the membership. Click on the (More) links to learn even more about CDFA’s distinguished leaders.

CDFA is managed by a professional staff headquartered in Columbus, OH. The staff and various advisors carry out the day-to-day administration of the Council. To contact a member of the staff or an advisor, use the following information.

Council of Development Finance Agencies
100 E. Broad Street, Suite 1200
Columbus, OH 43215

Phone: 614-705-1300

	Toby Rittner President & CEO 614-705-1300 | Toby Rittner is the President & CEO of Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA), a national association dedicated to the advancement of development finance concerns and interests. CDFA is comprised of the nation’s leading and most knowledgeable members of the development finance community representing hundreds of... public, private and non-profit development entities. Members are state, county and municipal development finance agencies and authorities that provide or otherwise support economic development financing programs. Mr. Rittner runs the day-to-day operations of the Council including the organization’s various educational, advocacy, research, resources and networking initiatives. Rittner is one of the most vocal and recognized leaders of the development finance industry nationwide and has advised state and federal government leaders, including President Biden and President Obama’s Administration Transition Teams, on economic development finance policy. Through his leadership and guidance, CDFA was successful in preserving private activity bonds and other critical development finance tools during the 2017 tax reform deliberations and has had numerous pieces of legislation introduced in the United States Congress. In 2021, Rittner successfully led a national effort to reauthorize and fund the $10B State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) program as part of the American Rescue Plan Act. Rittner focuses on sustainable finance with an emphasis on infrastructure, clean energy food systems, small business and innovations in the development finance industry to drive sustainable outcomes. He has written extensively about impact ready initiatives that leverage and engage capital in ways that drive local sustainability in both the environment and economy. Rittner is a frequent speaker at local, state and national conferences and events focused on economic development finance. He has been featured in The Bond Buyer, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, NPR and other national media publications concerning the advancement of development finance tools. He is the author of CDFA's highly acclaimed Practitioner's Guide to Economic Development Finance and co-author of CDFA's Unlocking Capital: A Handbook for Becoming a High Performing Development Finance Agency. Rittner is an adjunct faculty member at The Ohio State University and Carnegie Mellon University teaching planning and finance for sustainable economic development. He is also a Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) and has completed the prestigious Oxford University Sustainable Finance Foundation Course. Prior to joining CDFA, Mr. Rittner was the Director of Legislative Affairs for the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). Mr. Rittner has also worked for the Franklin County, Ohio Board of Commissioners and the City of Gahanna, Ohio. Mr. Rittner previously served on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Financial Advisory Board and is a member of the Advisory Board for the National Community Fund I. Mr. Rittner holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master's of City and Regional Planning degree from The Ohio State University. Mr. Rittner was awarded the Ohio State University College of Engineering Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2016. (More)
	Katie Kramer Vice President 1-614-705-1318 | Katie Kramer is a Vice President at the Council of Development Finance Agencies and has been with CDFA since 2005. She is an accomplished non-profit executive with expertise in fundraising, grant writing, operations, and building organizational capacity. In her role at CDFA, she leads Government & External Affairs,... provides technical assistance to communities, and builds strategic partnerships with foundations, federal agencies, and other industry non-profits to grow the professional acumen of CDFA members and the development finance industry at-large. Ms. Kramer interacts with thousands of development finance practitioners each year, guiding them through their professional development and understanding of the diversity of development finance programs. She has developed numerous courses in the CDFA Training Institute, edited several CDFA publications, and designed marketing and communications collateral for the association. Her writing has been featured in publications and reports on development finance, including those commissioned by The Kresge Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, World Bank, U.S. Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, and U.S. Department of Agriculture. She regularly speaks about development finance at national and local conferences and is a guest lecturer at The Ohio State University. Previously, Ms. Kramer served as CDFA’s Director of Education & Programs and Development Director. Before joining CDFA, Ms. Kramer worked in the Assessment Division at Ballard & Tighe, Publishers as Project Coordinator where she managed projects involved with the development of standardized language tests. Prior to Ballard & Tighe, Ms. Kramer was employed by Scripps College as Assistant Director of the Annual Fund where she organized fundraising campaigns for alumnae, parents, and students. She studied art history at Scripps College and holds a BA in English with honors from Cleveland State University. Ms. Kramer is a board member for the Ohio Statewide Development Corporation and serves on the advisory board for St. Agatha School. (More)
	Hannah McConnell Senior Director, Programming 614-705-1305 | As the Director of Programming, Hannah McConnell oversees the day-to-day activities and execution of CDFA programming including: the CDFA National Development Finance Summit, state events, tailored seminars and webinars, as well as the CDFA Training Institute, Summer School, and the DFCP program. Prior to joining CDFA, Ms.... McConnell was a Continuing Medical Education Coordinator with The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. With OSUWMC, she oversaw event logistics, marketing efforts, education certification standards, and speaker coordination for state and nationwide events that provided continuing education credit to practicing physicians across the country. Ms. McConnell holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Ecology from The Ohio State University. (More)
	Noelle Sheets Senior Director, Development 614-705-1304 | Noelle Sheets is the Senior Director of Development for the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA). In this role, Ms. Sheets is responsible for leading and managing CDFA’s sponsorship, membership and partnership efforts. Noelle's main objective is to do whatever it takes to ensure CDFA member organizations receive... the highest level of customer service. Ms. Sheets joins CDFA with a broad range of experience within nonprofit associations including SSTI, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry of Central Ohio and the Girl Scouts of Ohio's Heartland. She is skilled at connecting with people in an authentic and impactful manner that leads to effective collaboration and shared success. Ms. Sheets holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations from Capital University. (More)
	Jerad Groves Director, Marketing & Communications 614-705-1300 | Joining CDFA in 2021 as Director of Marketing and Communications, Jerad is responsible for CDFA’s external marketing efforts, overseeing day-to-day communications and developing long term strategies and marketing plans. He works across all departments of CDFA, helping them promote their respective programs, publications,... and initiatives, as well as providing graphic design and creative development. Prior to joining CDFA, Jerad spent 20+ years working in brand consulting agencies, during which he served as a graphic designer, creative director, director of strategy, and principal. His clients ranged from start-ups to Fortune 500s across a variety of sectors and included financial institutions such as Bank One, Chase, and Huntington. He worked extensively with individual credit unions as well as the Ohio Credit Union League, a non-profit trade association, where he developed a deep appreciation for mission-based organizations. He continues to consult with other non-profits, primarily in the economic development and art/design sectors, and currently serves at Vice President of the McConnell Arts Center’s Board of Directors. (More)
	Meghan Wentz Director, Operations 614-705-1301 | Meghan Wentz is the Director of Operations at the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA). Mrs. Wentz is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the CDFA Staff and Office. Her responsibilities extend from Human Resources, IT, and Accounting to Payroll and New Employee Orientation. She also works with the staff... to ensure proper procedures and standard practices are kept in place to ensure an efficient workplace environment. As a liaison between CDFA Staff and vendors, Meghan allows for more time to be spent on CDFA tasks and goals. Meghan has previously spent time building her professional skill set at several positions that range from professional sales to retirement investment administration, before joining CDFA in 2019. Meghan graduated from The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and French Languages. (More)
	Eric Silva CDFA Legislative Representative 202-930-1437 | Eric Silva serves as CDFA's Legislative Representative in Washington, DC. Eric has been an instrumental part of CDFA's legislative success over the past two decades. Mr. Silva is a founding partner at NSGS. He began his career in Washington as a Fellow with the Congressional Hunger Center and the Corporation For Enterprise... Development before serving as an aide to Senator James Jeffords (I-VT) and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Prior to founding NSGS, Eric practiced law for more than eight years in the Government and Regulatory Affairs group of Winston & Strawn LLP, a major international law firm. Mr. Silva has significant experience in a number of policy areas, including tax, agriculture, financial services, health care, energy and the environment, and trade. Mr. Silva has successfully advocated for client interests on some of the most significant legislation of the past decade, including the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act, the Affordable Care Act, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and the 2008 and 2012 Farm Bills. While practicing law, Mr. Silva served as legal counsel to clients on matters related to the Federal Election Campaign Act, the Lobbying Disclosure Act and congressional and executive branch ethics rules. He also served as in-house counsel to a major law firm Political Action Committee. Mr. Silva received a B.A. from Boston College and a J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School. While at Boston College, he was a member of the University President’s Council on Student Formation and the recipient of the Congressman John Joseph Moakley Award for International Service. In law school, he competed on the Notre Dame International Moot Court Team and represented clients pro bono on a variety of matters through the Notre Dame Legal Aid Clinic. Eric proudly serves as a Board Director for the Congressional Hunger Center, Boston College Alumni Association, and the Belfast Beltway Boxing Project. (More)
	Genna Auteri Director, Education 614-705-1303 | As Director of Education, Genna is responsible for coordinating and executing all of the virtual training courses offered by the CDFA Training Institute. Genna also plans and executes CDFA's Virtual Summer School, CDFA's largest educational event of the year. Genna oversees the Development Finance Certified Professional... Program (DFCP) - a comprehensive certification program exclusively offered by CDFA. Working closely with development finance professionals to help guide them through the DFCP program and encourage their professional development. Genna oversees the production of content for the CDFA TV Finance Toolbox Series including a series on broadband financing and a series on infrastructure finance. Previously, Genna worked as a Coordinator on the Research & Technical Assistance team. Prior to working at CDFA, Genna sharpened her data analysis and visualization skills by working for a nonprofit focused on community-based research and data. Genna is most proud of her work on a comprehensive report about sex trafficking in Central Ohio and facilitating focus groups with low-income women about their childcare needs. Genna is a graduate of Ohio University where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a minor in Women and Gender Studies and a Master’s degree in Sociology with a focus on intersectionality and gender violence. Genna strives to create a positive working environment and enjoys planning parties for her friends and colleagues at CDFA. (More)
	Ariel Miller Director, Research & Technical Assistance 614-705-1319 | Ariel Miller is a Research & Technical Assistance Director with the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA). Her work is primarily focused on the W.K. Kellogg Foundation-funded initiative “Defining the Food System Asset Class,” through which CDFA is exploring how development finance can become more engaged in... advancing localized food systems. This includes researching and writing about efforts to finance food-related projects, collecting data to demonstrate the viability of food system investment, and developing strategic approaches for restoring local and regional food systems. She also researches energy and broadband infrastructure finance, revolving loan funds, public-private partnership financing, and strategies to increase access to capital for underserved groups. For more than a decade, Ms. Miller has dedicated her career to building a more equitable and resilient food system that is economically, ecologically, and socially viable. She currently serves as Chair of the Franklin County Local Food Council, which partners with Columbus Public Health and Franklin County Economic Development and Planning to implement the joint City/County Local Food Action Plan. Ms. Miller received her Master of City and Regional Planning degree from The Ohio State University, where she also earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology. (More)
	Allison Rowland Director, Research & Technical Assistance 614-705-1308 | As Director of Research and Technical Assistance for the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA), Allison oversees all of CDFA’s food systems finance work, including the W.K. Kellogg Foundation-funded initiative to “define the food system asset class” to advance opportunities and leverage existing financing streams... to scale local and regional food systems by increasing access to healthy foods and creating new living wage jobs in communities across the country. Throughout this work, Allison has collaborated with hundreds of stakeholders and co-authored the CDFA Food Finance White Paper Series. Allison also is working alongside five food system pilot projects across the country, leads the Food Systems Finance Advisory Council, and is initiating a variety of technical assistance projects to help position communities, their resources, and their financial products to support equitable, local food economies. Allison also researches financing tools for the energy sector and economic development tools for Native American communities. She also produces several monthly newsletters and manages various webinar series. Allison is a graduate of The Ohio State University where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in City and Regional Planning with a focus on sustainable community and economic development. (More)
	Brendan Barry Coordinator, Research & Technical Assistance 614-705-1321 | Brendan Barry is a Coordinator in the Research & Technical Assistance Division at the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA). Brendan is responsible for contributing to the CDFA Practitioner's Guide to Economic Development Finance 3rd Edition, the National Development Finance Summit, and various other internal... projects. Brendan’s areas of focus chiefly include bond financing, federal financing programs, tax credits, tax increment finance, and volume cap. Brendan has assisted with several major projects, including updating the Federal Financing Clearinghouse. Brendan is currently a senior at The Ohio State University majoring in City and Regional Planning. (More)
	Ronita Jackson Coordinator, Development 614-705-1300 | As the Coordinator of Development, Ronita is responsible for CDFA’s extensive database systems, as well as membership and sponsorship support helping to ensure CDFA member organizations receive the highest level of customer service.Prior to joining CDFA, Ms. Jackson was raising her four kids with her husband in Ohio.... However, she was excited to rejoin the workforce and become a valuable asset to CDFA. Ronita spent five years with Marion Technical College as the Diversity Outreach Coordinator where she founded the Diversity Club and taught "Dealing with Diversity" courses as an adjunct faculty member. She also performed public speaking in high schools to inform and educate the students about the advantages of exploring nontraditional courses as they navigated through school, college, and the workforce. Ms. Jackson also worked as an Insurance Agent where she honed her skills at cultivating relationships, delivering superb customer service, and developing prospect lists. Ronita is a graduate of The Ohio State University where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a minor in African American Studies. She is very proud to proclaim that as a mother of three (while pregnant with her fourth), she earned her Master’s degree from Mount Vernon Nazarene University in Organizational Management. (More)
	Anneliese McClurg Coordinator, Research & Technical Assistance 614-705-1315 | Anneliese McClurg is a Coordinator of Research & Technical Assistance at the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA). Anneliese is responsible for working on the Kellogg and USDA grant. This includes research for strategic plans, writing for best practices document, research support for TA communities, as well as... working on food and rural newsletters, headlines and online webinars. Anneliese is currently a senior at The Ohio State University majoring in City and Regional Planning. (More)
	Sydneigh McConnell Coordinator, Programming 614-705-1316 | As the Coordinator of Programming, Sydneigh is responsible for building and executing events, coordinating logistics, securing speakers, facilitating marketing, and providing pre-event/post-event management. These events include online webinars and in-person conferences, covering a variety of development finance tools and... topics. Prior to joining CDFA, Ms. McConnell worked as a Senior Admissions Counselor at the Ohio State University. In her time at OSU, she oversaw the entirety of admissions for the Doctor of Dental Surgery and Dental Hygiene programs. This included hosting recruitment and interview events, meeting admission standards and timelines, and effectively communicating across a vast array of demographics. Sydneigh holds a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities and Marketing from Wright State University. (More)
	Zeyu Zhang Coordinator, Research & Technical Assistance 614-705-1302 | Zeyu Zhang is a Research & Technical Assistance Coordinator for the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA). She contributes to the team by conducting research on development finance-related topics, generating reports, and performing data analysis. Zeyu received her Ph.D. degree in Mass Communication at Ohio... University in 2021. She has expertise in media studies, research designs, and data analysis. Her dissertation examined media’s strategic use of appeals and cultural values in influencing consumer behavior and purchase intentions. She also has a Master’s degree in Digital Storytelling from Ball State University. Prior to joining CDFA, she worked as a researcher, instructor, research assistant, and program assistant. She is excited to advance her career by deepening her knowledge in the field of development finance. (More)

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CDFA Legal & Financial Disclaimer
CDFA is not herein engaged in rendering legal, accounting, financial or other advisory services, nor does CDFA intend that the material included herein be relied upon to the exclusion of outside counsel or a municipal advisor. This publication, report or presentation is intended to provide accurate and authoritative general information and does not constitute advising on any municipal security or municipal financial product. CDFA is not a registered municipal advisor and does not provide advice, guidance or recommendations on the issuance of municipal securities or municipal financial products. Those seeking to conduct complex financial transactions using the best practices mentioned in this publication, report or presentation are encouraged to seek the advice of a skilled legal, financial and/or registered municipal advisor. Questions concerning this publication, report or presentation should be directed to info@cdfa.net.

CDFA Non-Discrimination Policy
The Council of Development Finance Agencies does not discriminate in any manner contrary to law or justice on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, veteran's status or national origin in its programs or activities, including employment, membership, participation and sponsorship.

CDFA Cancellation Policy
Written cancellations received by email or mail on or before 10 business days prior to the start of the events you are registered for will receive a refund less a $75 administrative charge. No cancellations will be received or refunds issued after this date, however, a substitute may attend at no additional charge. No refunds are given for no-shows; however, the registrant may request that course materials be sent. CDFA is not responsible for cancellations that were sent but never received. Please call to confirm receipt of any such requests. A cancellation confirmation email will be sent within 10 days. Please contact CDFA if you do not receive a confirmation.