Freda Johnson Award Winners

The award recognizes a woman serving or who has served in a position for a public or non-profit issuer who exemplifies the qualities that Freda brought to our industry as a trailblazer, leader, innovator, and mentor. Learn more about Freda Johnson.

2024 Recipients

14th Annual Freda Johnson Awards

We are thrilled to announce that the 2024 recipients of the Freda Johnson Awards for Trailblazing Women in Public Finance are Stephanie Wiggins, CEO of LACMTA (Public Sector) and Vivian Altman, Head of Public Finance at Janney Montgomery Scott (Private Sector). Each of these women are highly respected professionals in public finance, and epitomize the best in our industry.

All of these recipients will be  recognized at The Bond Buyer Deal of the Year Awards Gala on December 3, 2024.

In addition to the Freda Johnson Award recipients, the following women were selected as Trailblazers:

PRIVATE SECTOR
Freda Johnson Award: Vivian Altman, Head of Public Finance, Janney Montgomery Scott

Trailblazers:
Lourdes Abadin, Senior Managing Director, Estrada Hinojosa & Company, Inc.
Arlene Bohner, Head of Public Finance, Fitch Ratings
Camille M. Evans, Founder and Attorney, Endow Law, P.A.
Kristin Stephens, Managing Director and Head of the Northeast Region, Public Finance, Oppenheimer & Co., Inc.
Monika Suarez, Head of Public Finance, Western Alliance Bank
Grace Yuen, Head of the West Region, Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC

PUBLIC SECTOR
Freda Johnson Award: Stephanie Wiggins, CEO, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA)

Trailblazers:
Ronda Chu, Managing Director, Finance, San Francisco International Authority
Kim Edwards, Public Finance Manager, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Pamela M. Frederick, CFO,Battery Park City Authority
Alex Levin, Capital Formation and Investor Relations, Brightline Trains
Viola (Vi) Miller, CFO, Utah Transit Authority
Cathy Williams, CFO, Illinois Tollway

2023 Recipients

13th Annual Freda Johnson Awards

We are thrilled to announce that the 2023 recipients of the Freda Johnson Awards for Trailblazing Women in Public Finance are Megan Kilgore, City Auditor, City of Columbus OH (Public Sector) and Virginia Wong, Partner and Practice Group Leader, Nixon Peabody LLP (Private Sector). Each of these women are highly respected professionals in public finance, and epitomize the best in our industry.

All of these recipients were recognized at The Bond Buyer Deal of the Year Awards Gala on December 5, 2023.

In addition to the Freda Johnson Award recipients, the following women were selected as Trailblazers:

PRIVATE SECTOR
Freda Johnson Award: Virginia Wong, Partner and Practice Group Leader, Nixon Peabody LLP

Trailblazers:
Cabray Haines, Executive Director, Morgan Stanley
Allegra Ivey, Managing Director, BofA Securities, Inc.
Rachel Perlman, Director, Municipal Institutional Sales, Stifel Nicolaus & Co.
Eden Perry, Managing Director, Head of Public Finance, The Americas, S&P Global Ratings
Bethany Pugh, Managing Director, PFM
Carol Thompson, Partner, Chapman and Cutler, LLP

PUBLIC SECTOR
Freda Johnson Award: Megan Kilgore, City Auditor, City of Columbus OH

Trailblazers:
Antoinette Chandler, Chief Financial Officer, Port of Portland
Maureen Coleman, President-CEO, NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation
Nicole Conley, Managing Director Siebert Williams Shank & Co., LLC
Cynthia Evangelisti, Treasurer, Chicago Park District
Leslie Norwood, Managing Director & Associate General Counsel, Municipal Securities, SIFMA
Jennifer Wright, Project Finance, Texas Department of Transportation

2022 Recipients

12th Annual Freda Johnson Awards

We are thrilled to announce that the 2022 recipients of the Freda Johnson Awards for Trailblazing Women in Public Finance are Debbie Goldberg, Treasurer, Commonwealth of Massachusetts (Public Sector) and Emilie Ninan, Partner and Co-Chair of Finance Department, Member of Expanded Board, Ballard Spahr LLP (Private Sector). Each of these women are highly respected professionals in public finance, and epitomize the best in our industry.

All of these recipients will be recognized at The Bond Buyer Deal of the Year Awards Gala on December 6, 2022.

In addition to the Freda Johnson Award recipients, the following women were selected as Trailblazers:

PRIVATE SECTOR
Freda Johnson Award: Emilie Ninan, Partner and Co-Chair of Finance Department, Member of Expanded Board, Ballard Spahr LLP

Trailblazers:
JoAnne Carter - Managing Director, PFM
Neene Jenkins - Executive Director, Head of Municipal Research, JP Morgan Asset Management
Leigh Nader - Managing Director, Healthcare and Higher Education, Assured Guaranty
Keisha Palmer - Partner, Robinson+Cole
Mary Grace Pattison - Managing Director, PNC Capital Markets LLC
Anne Ross - Principal Consultant, Muni Credit & Compliance Advisors, LLC

PUBLIC SECTOR
Freda Johnson Award: Debbie Goldberg, Treasurer, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Trailblazers:
Jennie Huang Bennet - CFO, City of Chicago
Sarah Brown - Debt Manager, City of St. Paul, MN
Veronica Carillo - Finance Administrator, San Antonio, TX
Barbara Goodson - Deputy Commissioner of Administration, State of Louisiana
Melissa Pangburn - Deputy Director of Debt Management, NYS Division of Budget
Tatiana Starostina - Chief Financial Officer, Los Angeles World Airport

2021 Recipients

11th Annual Freda Johnson Awards

We are thrilled to announce that the 2021 recipients of the Freda Johnson Awards for Trailblazing Women in Public Finance are Arlesa Wood, Director of Bond Administration, Miami-Dade County Finance Department (Public Sector) and Robin Prunty, Managing Director Head of Analytics and Research of S&P Global Ratings (Private Sector). Each of these women are highly respected professionals in public finance, and epitomize the best in our industry.

The awards were presented on December 16 at The Bond Buyer Deal of the Year Gala.

In addition to the Freda Johnson Award recipients, the following women were selected as Trailblazers:

PRIVATE SECTOR
Freda Johnson Award: Robin Prunty, Managing Director Head of Analytics and Research of S&P Global Ratings

Trailblazers:
Lisa Cole, Principal, PGIM Fixed Income
Jennifer Fredericks, Director of Business Development - Public Finance, Ice Miller
Meredith Hathorn, Managing Partner, Foley & Judell, LLP
Holly Horn, Chief Surveillance Officer, Assured Guaranty
Sewon Kim, Managing Director and Head of Transportation Group, Siebert Brandford Shank Co., LLC
Sarah Snyder, Managing Director, Ramirez & Co., Inc.

PUBLIC SECTOR
Freda Johnson Award: Arlesa Wood, Director of Bond Administration, Miami-Dade County Finance Department

Trailblazers:
Marla Bleavins, Deputy Executive Director, Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer, Port of Los Angeles
Bettina Bronisz, Principal Debt Management Specialist, Office of the State Treasurer, State of Connecticut
Diane Chime, Chief of Capital Markets, OBM Debt Management, State of Ohio
Katherine Kardell, Senior Debt Administrator, Office of Budget & Finance, Hennepin County, MN
Jacqueline Knights, Director of Debt Management, Oregon State Treasury
Elizabeth Reich, CFO, City of Dallas

2020 Recipients

10th Annual Freda Johnson Awards

We are pleased to announce that the 2020 Freda Johnson Awards for Trailblazing Women in Public Finance were presented to Suzanne Mayes of Cozen O’Conner and California Treasurer Fiona Ma at The Bond Buyer  Annual Deal of the Year Awards, held virtually on December 16, 2020.

In addition, the following Trailblazers were honored:

PUBLIC SECTOR
Freda Johnson Award: California Treasurer Fiona Ma

Trailblazers:

Marge Basrai, chief financial officer of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority
Sheila Robinson, chief financial officer at NYS Homes and Community Renewal
Denise Olson, chief financial officer of the City of Phoenix
Marjorie Henning, deputy comptroller for public finance for New York City
Carmen Pigler, associate treasurer of debt and grants Washington, D.C.
Rachael Eubanks, treasurer of the state of Michigan 

PRIVATE SECTOR
Freda Johnson Award: Suzanne Mayes of Cozen O’Conner

Trailblazers:

Emilie Ninan, partner and co-chair of the Finance Department at Ballard Spahr
Grace Chionuma, executive director at Morgan Stanley
Juliet Stiehl, managing vice president and head of public finance, East Region, Build America Mutual
Laura Porter, Global Group Head for Public Finance & Infrastructure, Fitch Ratings
Beth Wolchock, managing director at Oppenheimer
Seema Mohanty, managing director at Mohanty Gargiulo

2019 Recipients

We are pleased to announce that the 2019 Freda Johnson Awards for Trailblazing Women in Public Finance will be presented to Ritta McLaughlin,  Public Finance Professional, and Courtney Shea, Managing Partner at Columbia Capital Management at The Bond Buyer's 18th Annual Deal of the Year Awards on December 4, 2019. In addition, the following Trailblazers will be honored:

PUBLIC SECTOR
Freda Johnson Award: Ritta McLaughlin, Public Finance Professional

Trailblazers:

Emily Brock, Federal Liaison Center, GFOA, Director 
Rochelle "Chellie" Cameron, Philadelphia International and Northeast Philadelphia Airports, CEO
Olga Chernat, NYC Municipal Water Finance Authority, Executive Director
Kelly Flannery, City of Charlotte, CFO
Fiona Ma, State of California, Treasurer
Piper Montemoyer, State of Texas Comptroller, Public Finance Manager, Treasury Operations     

PRIVATE SECTOR
Freda Johnson Award: Courtney Shea, Managing Partner, Columbia Capital Management

Trailblazers:

Renee Boicourt, Lamont Financial Services, Managing Director
Paula Dagan, Wells Fargo, Managing Director, Head of Northeast Region
Michela Daliana, Hawkins Delafield & Wood, Partner
Diana Hamilton, Sycamore Advisors, President
Natasha Holliday, RBC Capital Markets, Managing Director
Sheila Papelbon, BNY Mellon, Head of Business Development for Public Not-for-Profit, Director      

2018 Recipients

We are pleased to announce that the 2018 Freda Johnson Awards for Trailblazing Women in Public Finance were presented to Katano Kasaine, Director of Finance for the City of Oakland, Calif., and Noreen White, co-founder of Acacia Financial Group, at The Bond Buyer's 17th Annual Deal of the Year Awards on December 6, 2018. In addition, the following Trailblazers were honored:

PUBLIC SECTOR
Freda Johnson Award: Katano Kasaine, Director of Finance for the City of Oakland, Calif.

Trailblazers:
Massachusetts State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg
Kathleen Sharman, CFO of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority
Sarah Riordan, executive director & general counsel for the Indianapolis Local Public Improvement Bond Bank
Megan Kilgore, city auditor of Columbus, Ohio
Lisa Marie Harris, director of finance/treasurer at the San Diego County Water Authority.

PRIVATE SECTOR
Freda Johnson Award: Noreen White, co-founder of Acacia Financial Group

Trailblazers:
Alison Radecki, partner in Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP’s public finance department
Angelia Schmidt, managing director and head of municipal underwriting at UBS Financial Services
Linda Schakel, partner at Ballard Spahr
Sharon Brown, partner at Barclay Damon
Sandy MacLennan, partner at Squire Patton Boggs
Natalie Cohen, president of National Municipal Research and former head of municipal research at Wells Fargo Securities.

2017 Recipients

We are pleased to announce the following two winners of the annual Freda Johnson Awards as well as these 12 Trailblazing Women in Public Finance. These awards were presented at The Bond Buyer's 16th Annual Deal of the Year Awards gala on December 6, 2017. Download the The 7th Annual Trailblazing Women in Public Finance Supplement.

PUBLIC SECTOR
Freda Johnson Award: Carole Brown, CFO, City of Chicago

Public Trailblazers: 
Teveia Barnes, Executive Director, California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank
Monica Galuski, Director of Bond Finance, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs
Darlene Green, Comptroller, City of St. Louis
Rasheia Johnson, Treasurer, City of Philadelphia
Elizabeth McCarthy, Chief Financial Officer, The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Madhavi Rajev, Controller, City of Atlanta


PRIVATE SECTOR
Freda Johnson Award: Julie Morrone, Principal, Rosemawr Capital

Private Trailblazers: 
Elizabeth Coolidge, Managing Director, UBS
Karen Daly, Senior Managing Director, Kroll Bond Ratings
Linda D'Onofrio, Shareholder. Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Suzanne Finnegan, Chief Credit Officer, Build America Mutual
Elizabeth Hanify, VP & Manager of Municipal Finance, Fidelity Capital Markets
Susan Kendall, Director, Hilltop Securities

2016 Recipients

We are pleased to announce the following two winners of the annual Freda Johnson Awards as well as these 9 Trailblazing Women in Public Finance. These awards were presented at The Bond Buyer's 15th Annual Deal of the Year Awards gala on December 1, 2016.

PUBLIC SECTOR
Freda Johnson Award: Marian Zucker, President of the Office of Finance & Development, New York State Homes and Community Renewal

Public Trailblazers:
Susan Perez, Executive Director for the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust and Assistant Treasurer for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Debt Management Department
Susan Muranishi, Chief Administrative Officer/County Administrator for Alameda County, California
Laura Lockwood-McCall, Director of Debt Management, Oregon State Treasury
Portia Lee, Managing Director of Public Finance and Portfolio Monitoring at the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York

PRIVATE SECTOR
Freda Johnson Award: Suzanne Shank, founder and DEO of Siebert Cisneros Shank & Co.

Private Trailblazers:
Jessalyn Moro, Managing Director, Head of U.S. Public Finance, Fitch Ratings
Adela Cepeda, Managing Director, The PFM Group
Nancy Feldman, Managing Director, Head of Transportation and Credit Strategies Teams, Wells Fargo
Lynette Kelly, Executive Director, Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board
Barbara Flickinger, Managing Director and Chief Credit Officer, National Public Finance Guarantee

2015 Recipients

We are pleased to announce the following two winners of the annual Freda Johnson Awards as well as these 9 Trailblazing Women in Public Finance. These awards were presented at The Bond Buyer's 14th Annual Deal of the Year Awards gala on December 3, 2015.

PUBLIC SECTOR

Freda Johnson Award: Carol Kostik, Deputy Comptroller City of New York for Public Finance

Trailblazers:

Natalie R. Brill, Chief of Debt Management, City of Los Angeles
Manju Ganeriwala, Treasurer, Commonwealth of Virginia
Bea Reyna-Hickey, CFO Regional Transportation Authority (Illinois)
Stephanie M. Scola, Director of Bond Finance, State of Delaware
Jeannette Weldon, Executive Director of CHEFA

PRIVATE SECTOR

Freda Johnson Award Winner: Meghan Burke, Head of Public Finance, Mintz Levin

Trailblazers:

Mary Francoeur, Managing Director, Assured Guaranty
Eileen B. Heitzler, Partner, Orrick
Robin Prunty, Managing Director, Standard & Poor's
Sonia Toledo, Managing Director, Wells Fargo
Suzanne Shank, CEO Siebert Brandford Shank

2014 Recipients

At The Bond Buyers Deal of the Year Awards held on December 4, 2014, The Bond Buyers and Northeast Women in Public Finance presented the fourth annual Freda Johnson Award to Lois Scott, Chief Financial Officer of the City of Chicago, and Kym Arnone, managing director at Barclay's. In addition, the following 8 women were honored as Trailblazing Women in Public Finance: Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Julia Cooper, Katherine Craven, Alicia Glen, Susan Dushock, Diana Hoadley, Leah Sandbank, and Lisel Wells.

Download the 4th Annual Trailblazing Women in Public Finance Supplement.

2013 Recipients

Kimberly Lyons, Nancy Winkler, Freda Johnson, Vivian Altman 

At The Bond Buyers Deal of the Year Awards in December 2013, The Bond Buyers and Northeast Women in Public Finance presented the third annual Freda Johnson Award to Nancy Winkler, Treasurer of the City of Philadelphia and Muriel Siebert (posthumous). In addition, the following 8 women were honored as Trailblazing Women in Public Finance: Claire Cohen, Roberta Edge, JoAnne Kennedy, Joanne Mahoney, Stephanie Miner, Sarah Sanders, Beth Smayda, and Kendra York.

2012 Recipients

  
Kimberly Lyons, Gina Raimondo, Freda Johnson, Vivian Altman

Robin Weissman, Freda Johnson, Ann Flynn, Gina Raimondo, Frances Walton, Gail Sussman

At The Bond Buyers Deal of the Year Awards in December 2012, The Bond Buyers and Northeast Women in Public Finance presented the second annual Freda Johnson Award to Gina Raimondo, Rhode Island General Treasurer. In addition, the following women were honored as Trailblazing Women in Public Finance: Ann Flynn, Carla Sledge, Gail Sussman, Frances Walton, and Robin Weissman.

2011 Recipents

Denise Nappier receives the first annual Freda Johnson Award in 2011.

At The Bond Buyer's Deal of the Year Awards in December 2011, The Bond Buyer and Northeast Women in Public Finance presented the first annual Freda Johnson Award to The Honorable Denise Nappier, State of Connecticut. In addition, the following women were honored as Trailblazing Women in Public Finance: Vivian Altman, Marcy Edwards, Caren Franzini, Doreen Frasca, Carol Kostik, Hon. Beth Pearce, Lois Scott, Betsy Taylor and Nancy Winkler.

2011: NEWPF Founding Board Member Freda Johnson Honored by The Bond Buyer

Freda Johnson, President of Government Finance Associates, Inc., was honored by the Bond Buyer and NEWPF at the Bond Buyer New York/Tristate Public Finance Conference: "New Leadership. New Policies. Enduring Challenges." at a reception held at the Downtown Marriott in New York on April 13, 2011. Ms. Johnson and her husband Chester Johnson were honored for over 40 years of Public Finance Service, their individual accomplishments, and what they have done together over combined 86 years in Public Finance.

Ms. Johnson began her career in public finance at The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation (D&B) and its subsidiary, Moody's Investors Service (Moody's). From 1979 through 1990, Freda was Executive Vice President and the head of the Public Finance Division of Moody's Investors Service. She also attended the Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration Advanced Management Program, a semester-long program for senior executives. At the time of her departure from Moody's, the Public Finance Division, which she had renamed, had some 35,000 outstanding municipal bond ratings and a staff of 230, of whom some 70% were professionals and administered its sizable budget. During her tenure as head of the Division, she was chair of the Public Finance Division's Rating Committee and a member of the D&B Senior Management Group (the Group), which was comprised of the senior managers from each of the Corporation's subsidiaries and, for many years, was the youngest member and the only woman member of the Group. After leaving Moody's in 1990, she joined Government Finance Associates, Inc and was later named President, a position she retains today. GFA is an independent public finance advisory firm specializing in consulting in the debt and financial management and strategic planning areas for large and complex state and local governments. In her capacity as President, Ms. Johnson has been actively involved with all of the firm's clients.

In addition to being a founding Board Member of NEWPF, and spearheading its Mentoring Program, she is currently on the National Board of Directors of The Transition Network, a not-for-profit organization which works to promote women over 50 years old, and serves as its Treasurer. Ms. Johnson has been involved in the creation of a system of public finance in the Republic of Russia. She has been an Adjunct Professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Business. She is a past member of the MSRB's Committee on Disclosure, and a past member of NASACT's National Advisory Board on State and Local Government Secondary Market Disclosure as well as the Corporate Advisory Board of Queens College. She was a member of the Anthony Commisssion on Public Finance,, together with Bill Clinton, which sought to expand the use of tax-exempt municipal bonds, and she is a past President and past member of the Board of Governors the The Municipal Forum of New York.