1098-T Information Reporting 101 (Fall 2024)

Christine Blakney is the senior managing director of student business services (SBS) at Texas Tech University (TTU). She has been with TTU SBS since 2009 and has worked in higher education since 2003. She is a certified public accountant, licensed in 1995, and holds bachelor’s and master's degrees from Texas Tech. Prior to her current role as bursar, she was the director of accounting services for the TTU Health Sciences Center. She has been an instructor at TTU and a consultant with financial aid services in the student business services area.

Blakney is the 2021 NACUBO Student Financial Services Award recipient. She is a current member and past chair of the NACUBO Student Financial Services Council, currently serves as vice president for THEBO, is former vice chair of the TASSCUBO SFS committee, and is a past president of Texas BUC$. 

Chris Cook currently resides in Nashville, TN, where he serves as the executive director of the office student accounts for Vanderbilt University. A native of Mississippi, Cook studied at the University of Southern Mississippi where he earned a bachelor’s of science in business administration with an emphasis in accounting. Cook began his career in higher education working for his alma mater, where he gained a wealth of knowledge in various positions within the department of finance. His first official role in student financials came in 2004 when he accepted the position of assistant bursar at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM). During this time, he was able to learn, develop, and hone skills that would help him identify and successfully interact with the many parties (both on and off campus) critical to the needs of the institution. Cook remained at USM in this capacity until 2013 when he accepted the role of university bursar at Vanderbilt University. 

Cook is a current member of the NACUBO SFS Advisory Council and was recently named as the 2023 NACUBO SFS Award winner. With over 20 years of experience in higher education for both public and private universities, Cook still says the best part of the job is the interaction with students and their families.

Bryan Dickson is the director of student financial services and educational programs for NACUBO. As part of NACUBO’s leadership development team, he is responsible for supporting the advancement of an array of member programs and services, including educational programming for new chief business officers.

In addition, he is a staff liaison to NACUBO’s Student Financial Services Council, working on behalf of the NACUBO membership to assist bursars and student accounts staff on a national level through advocacy with federal agencies and members of Congress. Prior to joining NACUBO in 2007, Dickson was a member of the legal and compliance practice at CEB, Inc., a best practice insight and technology company in Washington, DC. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.