Optimizing Commitment Planning: Enhancing Financial Viability and Strategic Alignment

MacKenzie Seeley is the interim budget director at Montana State University (MSU). With over a decade of experience as a senior analyst, she has developed a strong background in data analytics and the processes that influence MSU’s four campuses and three agencies. In her current role, Seeley provides critical financial insights to institutional decision-makers, helping to align the budget with strategic goals. She also plays a key role in projecting tuition discounting impacts on net tuition and has led a comprehensive overhaul of the existing administrative and facilities overhead models.

Lise Fitzpatrick is director of higher education services at Strata Decision Technology. Passionate about the impact of higher education on individuals and the economy, Fitzpatrick enjoys empowering colleges and universities to fuel their mission. Her goal is to support clients as they elevate their planning and analytic capabilities to acquire new insights and accelerate informed decision making. She partners with customers to address their toughest financial challenges by integrating and expanding traditional budget processes to include a strategic-to-tactical planning loop. Her experience beyond eight years in technology implementations, product development, and thought leadership includes a long career at Western Washington University serving in a variety of roles including mergers and acquisitions, tuition revenue planning, central budgeting, position control, information systems, operations, and program management. Fitzpatrick holds an MBA from Western Washington University, as well as a BS in finance from the University of Southern California.

Disha Venkatesan is an influential leader in the realm of higher education financial strategy and planning. With a notable tenure as vice president of the higher education practice at Kaufman Hall and over five years at Syntellis, she has excelled in driving revenue growth and optimizing resource allocation in higher ed. Her dedication to equipping universities for future challenges is reflected in her development and implementation of advanced budgeting and strategic planning tools, benefiting over 100 institutions. Venkatesan's rich educational background includes a master's of public policy from the University of Virginia, an MBA from the University of Connecticut School of Business, and executive education from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Her innovative problem-solving and leadership skills have markedly enhanced operational efficiency and financial outcomes across universities.