Freda Johnson Award Winners
2025 Recipients
15th Annual Freda Johnson Awards
Jeanette W. Weldon, executive director of the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority, and Elaine Brennan, president and executive director of the public finance department at Roosevelt & Cross, were selected by NEWPF as winners of the 2025 Freda Johnson Awards. They will be honored at The Bond Buyer's 24th Annual Deal of the Year Awards on Dec. 2. The award pays tribute to Freda Johnson, a founding member of NEWPF and a longtime leader of its mentoring program. In addition, the Trailblazer Awards recognize trailblazing women in public finance who have contributed distinguished and innovative service and mentored the next generation.
Public Sector
Freda Johnson Award: Jeanette W. Weldon, Executive Director, Connecticut Health and Education Facilities Authority (CHEFA)
Trailblazers:
This year's public-sector trailblazers are:
Lisa Eisenberg, Senior Director of Debt Management, State of Ohio
Laura Farmer, Chief Financial Officer, Virginia Department of Transportation
Meghan Gutekunst, Associate Vice President, University of California Office of the President
Jill Jaworski, Chief Financial Officer, City of Chicago
Sherien N. Khella, Treasurer, The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Sanna Wong-Chen, Associate Director, City of New York - Office of Management and Budget
Private Sector
Freda Johnson Award: Elaine Brennan, President and Executive Director of the Public Finance Department at Roosevelt & Cross
Trailblazers:
The private-sector trailblazers are:
Julie Burger, Managing Director and Co-Head of Public Finance, Wells Fargo
Pepe Finn, Chair and CEO, Stern Brothers & Co
Kelly Hutchinson, Partner, Government and Public Finance, Katten
Cathy Krawitz, Head of Municipal Credit, Northwestern Mutual
Linda Vanderperre, Managing Director, Kroll Bond Rating Agency
Nora Wittstruck, Chief Analytical Officer, Governments, S&P Global Ratings
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 Commission 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.
