Ibrahima Diop

Ibrahima Diop is a nationally recognized executive in public-sector finance, operations, and organizational transformation. Over more than two decades, he has led two major American school districts through historic financial recoveries, earning national awards, top bond ratings, clean audits, and long-term fiscal stability.

Diop began his career at Omaha Public Schools (OPS), where he automated Title I operations, implemented the newly enacted No Child Left Behind (NCLB) requirements, and designed early intervention systems that positioned OPS as the only district in the nation with no schools labeled “in need of improvement” in the first year of NCLB. Rising rapidly through the organization, he became Director of Finance, Accounting, Budget, Compensation & Benefits, delivering AAA bond ratings, clean audits, national awards, and preparing OPS early for major accounting reforms such as GASB 68. He represented OPS at national legislative and policy conferences in Washington, D.C., advocating for stronger federal support for public schools.

In 2015, he joined Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) at a moment of severe fiscal distress. Within two years, he led one of the most significant financial turnarounds in the district's history, preventing statutory operating debt, stabilizing finances, and building a high-performing, diverse financial leadership team. Under his direction, MPS transitioned from fully insured to self-insured, generating surpluses large enough to provide four premium holidays to employees. Diop created the district's first Risk Manager position, reducing claims by 75%, and improved bond ratings and fiscal outlooks from negative to stable to positive, saving taxpayers over $70 million through premium bond sales.

In 2022, he was named Council of Great City Schools Bill Wise CFO of the Year, the highest national honor for urban school district financial leadership. In 2021, Diop was selected by the U.S. Department of Education as one of the CFOs who authored the national CARES Act guidance used by every school district in the country.

Today, as Founder of SFM Consulting, he brings unmatched expertise in fiscal turnaround, capital markets, rating agency strategy, operational redesign, and executive leadership to school districts across the nation.