Jodi Dobson is the firm's public sector technical leader and a principal on the energy and utilities team. An experienced professional who specializes in serving the needs of municipal utility clients, Jodi also serves as the firm’s assurance quality leader. Her experience includes performing financial audits, single audits, agreed-upon procedure reviews and fraud investigations as well as preparing rate studies, cost of service studies, rate designs and financial forecasts. Jodi joined Baker Tilly in 1998 and is active in national and state industry associations.
- Oversees audits for municipal electric, water, wastewater, stormwater and transit utilities and joint action agencies
- Leads agreed-upon procedure reviews related to contract compliance for utilities, joint action agencies and regulatory bodies
- Facilitates utility rate studies, including cost of service studies and rate design options
- Assists governmental units with interpretation and implementation of Governmental Accounting Standards
- Analyzes the financial impact of construction projects on utility customer rates, borrowing needs and operational results
- Directs the preparation of annual operating budgets and long-range financial forecasts for electric, water and wastewater utilities
- Provides support to municipal utilities with complex retail and wholesale rate issues
- Compiles annual reports to regulatory agencies
- Performs compliance audits of federal and state funded programs under OMB Uniform Guidance
- Conducts fraud investigations for municipalities and counties
- American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- American Public Power Association (APPA) – utility education courses instructor
- Government Finance Officers Association Comprehensive Annual Financial Report reviewer
- Illinois Government Finance Officers Association
- Illinois Municipal Utilities Association
- Municipal Electric Utilities of Wisconsin
- Michigan Municipal Electric Association
- Wisconsin Section of American Water Works Association, Board of Trustees, 2019 Chair and 2020 Past Chair
- Wisconsin Government Finance Officers Association
- Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants
- Wisconsin Public Transportation Association
- Wisconsin Rural Water Association
- Chair – Baker Tilly Utility University annual conference
- Contributing author – APPA – “Advanced public utility accounting guidebook” (2019)
- Contributing author – APPA – “Advanced utility accounting manual” (2012)
- “GASB 103 financial reporting improvements” AICPA Government and NFP Conference, 2024
- “SAS 143 and 145 in a governmental environment” AICPA Government and NFP Conference, 2024
- “GASB Update” Municipal Electric Utilities of Wisconsin, 2024 and WIAWWA Annual Conference, 2024
- “Identifying compliance requirements and preparing for a single audit” Water Finance Conference, 2024
- “A successful water rate application” WIAWWA Annual Conference, 2023
- “Are you ready for GASB 96 SIBTA accounting and reporting” WIAWWA Annual Conference, 2023
- “Work order and asset management systems” Municipal Electric Utilities of Wisconsin 2022
- “Lease accounting and beyond – GASB Update” WIAWWA Annual Conference, 2022
- “Do you really know who’s in your reporting entity?” AICPA Government and NFP Conference, 2021
- “Is GASB 87 jamming the copier lease? & other lease implementation questions” AICPA Government and NFP Conference, 2021
- “Value of water,” WIAWWA Annual Conference, 2021
- “Why spreadsheets may not be enough”, EZLease GASB 87 Summit, 2021
- Baker Tilly, Essentials of utility financial management
- Baker Tilly, Governmental auditing update
- Baker Tilly, Performing single audits under the Uniform Guidance for federal awards
- Baker Tilly, Utility rate studies
- Fraud examination for managers and auditors
- Internal control and fraud detection
- Internal controls for small entities
- The strength behind boards of directors: accountability and oversight
- Wisconsin Government Finance Officers Association accounting seminars
- Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Accounting, Auditing and Financial Management Conference
