Rethinking Budgeting

David Goldman

Deputy City Administrator & Finance Director, City of Oak Harbor, WA

David Goldman is an accomplished municipal finance leader whose multidisciplinary background inspires his constant drive to innovate and educate. He has implemented new methods and models for budgeting that incorporate innovative approaches, collaboration, and most importantly, humor.

He is currently the Deputy City Administrator and Finance Director for the City of Oak Harbor, Washington where he is continuing to innovate budget processes. He is a member of the Government Finance Officer’s Association (GFOA) Budgeting and Fiscal Policy Committee (BUDGET), is involved in GFOA’S Rethinking Budgeting and Rethinking Financial Reporting Initiatives, is a member of the National League of Cities (NLC) Finance, Administration & Intergovernmental Relations Committee (FAIR) and Small Cities Council, and is a member of the Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council (GASAC).

Mike Funk

City Manager, City of Minnetonka, MN

Mike Funk was appointed Assistant City Manager/Director of Administrative Services for the City of Minnetonka, MN in September 2019. Mike has more than 24 years of city administration experience working in urban, suburban, and rural communities. 

Before joining the City of Minnetonka, Mike served as the Assistant City Manager/HR Director for the City of Maplewood, MN and City Administrator for the communities of Minnetrista, MN; Olivia, MN; and Gibbon, NE.

Kirsten Decker

Director of Organizational Strategy, Denver Public Library, CO

Kirsten C. Decker is a local government leader with a keen ability to facilitate the connection between traditionally siloed areas of public policy and management, connect resources to organizational priorities and establish meaningful methods of measuring public services and community outcomes.

Kirsten has led government organizations to address changing community needs by rethinking financial decision-making systems, identifying efficiencies and aligning daily actions with desired outcomes. She currently serves as the Director of Organizational Strategy & Development for the 27-branch, 700+ employee Denver Public Library System.

Kari Carlson

Deputy Finance Officer, City of Bloomington, MN

Kari Carlson is the Deputy Finance Officer for the City of Bloomington, Minnesota. She began her career with the City as an Accountant and has advanced through several leadership roles, including Assistant Finance Manager and Budget Manager. She led the successful implementation of the City’s ERP system and has since used that platform to modernize and streamline Bloomington’s finance operations. Under her leadership, the City’s budget has become more transparent, accessible, and engaging for both policymakers and the public.

In her current role, Kari oversees the City’s budget, grants, purchasing, utility billing operations, and special financial projects. Before entering the public sector, she worked as a Senior Accountant at Cargill Inc. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting with a minor in French from Iowa State University and is a Certified Public Finance Officer (CPFO). Kari also serves on the GFOA’s Committee on Governmental Budget and Fiscal Policy.

Travis Rothweiler

City Manager, City of Twin Falls, ID

Travis is an International City/County Management Association Credentialed Manager. He is an innovative organizational leader with a Master’s Degree and nearly fifteen years of increasing responsibility in organizations ranging from the Montana House of Representatives to the City of Twin Falls, Idaho. 

A graduate of the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service’s Senior Executive Institute (SEI) and LEAD Program, Travis has hands-on experience in the areas of creating high performance organizations, organizational leadership, economic development, community empowerment, finance, budgeting, and planning. He also has advanced professional training in the areas of leadership, management, and the technical aspects of public sector management. Experienced and proven ability in developing and building organizational teams and enhancing organizational team skills.

Mark McAvoy

City Manager, City of Liberty Lakes, WA

Mark McAvoy is a perpetual optimist when it comes to local government and believes it is the purest form of representative government. His professional motto is, “Let’s work together to make tomorrow better than today.” Early in his career in local government, he developed a knack for diagnosing problems and finding innovative ways to solve them. Mark has gone on to spend the next 25 years using this skill to help make meaningful improvements with several cities, including Houston, TX and Fort Worth, TX. He is currently the City Administrator in Liberty Lake, Washington and is leading his organization through a Rethinking Budgeting initiative. 

In his spare time, Mark enjoys camping, hiking, fishing, and studying theology. He relishes any opportunity to help fellow local government practitioners thrive in their roles and would love to connect with anyone who is seeking a sounding board for their idea.