Black History Month - 2023
"WCW" - Women Celebrating Women
Northeast Women in Public Finance would like to highlight and acknowledge accomplished Black Women all over our industry who continuously crush goals and glass ceilings. This is our small way to celebrate the contributions of some of the extraordinary Black Women who everyone should know.
For Black History Month we will be highlighting two women per week.
WEEK ONE
THEHBIA HIWOT
About me:
 I currently serve as the Senior Vice President of Finance and Development where I oversee a multidisciplinary team that implements the multifamily new construction and preservation programs that are funded through the Governor’s Housing Plan. My portfolio also includes the design and environmental, and debt issuance, which issues over $1B in tax exempt bonds every year to support the agency’s development efforts through the NYS Housing Finance Agency and low interest mortgage loans through the State of New York Mortgage Agency.
My interest in affordable housing was sparked during my time at New Haven Saving Bank Community Development Corporation. I eventually received a Master of Urban Planning at NYU and started my career as a Planner in the Brooklyn office at the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
On being a Black woman in this industry:
When I started out as a planner, I worked in communities of color and in communities in which I used to live. It took a while to adapt, but I learned that my perspective was often different, but just as important or impactful as anyone else. I also feel a responsibility to mentor others. There are so many people in this industry that have supported me over the last two decades, and I take every opportunity to talk to anyone who needs some advice, particularly people of color. I try to remember that networking wasn’t easy for me, so I make the effort to reach out and support others.
Fun fact:
I was born and raised in Brooklyn and wouldn’t trade that experience for the world. When I was 10 years old, I taught myself to play the piano and, in another life, I think I would be an artsy and creative person.
Favorite advice:
My father told me to know my history so no one can tell me who I am.
A colleague once told me that when I get frustrated in my career in government, to remember that things changes very quickly and to be ready.
Both have proven true.
KIMBERLY LYONS
About me:
 I currently serve as a Vice President-Product Manager where I assist in leading the strategy, development, enhancement, and delivery of Moody's Investors Service (MIS) Ratings & Assessments Delivery product suite. My path to product has been unique and not necessarily linear. My background is primarily in Public Finance, and I started my career as a Surveillance Associate at Financial Guaranty Insurance Company (FGIC) before joining the States Ratings Team as an Associate Analyst with Moody’s.
I spent the bulk of my career growing and learning at Moody’s. After a brief stint running the Municipal Credit Risk Team at Dexia Credit Local, my journey brought me full circle back to Moody’s, where I rejoined as a Vice President-Senior Analyst in the Local Government Ratings Team. A desire to push myself – to keep learning, evolving, and growing along with support from vital career champions and trusted guidance and mentorship helped me pivot into Product Management. I am grateful to my Moody’s for providing me with this opportunity to stretch my skillset while still working analyst adjacent (once an analyst always an analyst).
On being a Black woman in this industry:
When I started my career there were very few senior women who looked like me in public finance. While public finance is one of the few sectors within capital markets with a sizable number of senior women, it was (and still is) rare to see a senior Black woman, so I have made it a point to lift as I climb and mentor younger colleagues. There aren’t a lot of us and it's hard being the “only” on a team. It’s important to me that Black women feel seen, heard, and empowered. It’s also important to note that I have benefited from several (non-Black) female mentors who saw me as my whole self and knew how important it was for me to realize my full potential. I’m grateful to those women because they introduced me to leaders like Ritta McLaughlin and Suzanne Shank - women I saw my full self in.
I pride myself on being approachable and want my legacy to be one of not only tirelessly promoting the advancement of all women in this industry but also being a great representative for those who look like me.
Fun fact:
I was raised jointly in the Bronx, NY and Savannah, GA. Depending on the day I can be coolest NYC girl or the sweetest southern peach!
Favorite advice:
What for you is for you. No one can stop your destiny or block your blessings!
EMILY WADHWANI
About me:
 This June I will have been an analyst at Fitch Ratings for 14 years, the longest time I've spent anywhere so far. It's been amazing, challenging, rewarding, and I feel very lucky to work with the people I do.
My journey to Fitch was a non-traditional one. I started my career in healthcare leadership, working at various health systems and hospitals, and a short stint in consulting. But having a practical understanding of how organizations function (well or otherwise) provided a solid foundation for learning credit (much to my surprise!) helped immensely by the culture of learning and development at Fitch over the years.
On being a Black woman in this industry:
It means everything, and I yearn for a future where it means nothing. Representation matters, and I feel very lucky to have seen, worked with, and learned from so many smart women in my career. The most gratifying moments are when I feel like I'm positioned well to give back, and to lift up others along the way. There's no work more important, in my opinion, than to bring along the future of this industry with us as we go.
Fun fact:
I am adopted! I get to say my parents truly chose me, which is special. And growing up in an interracial family was quite the experience; I can say though, that the best times greatly outweighed the challenging ones.
Favorite advice:
Treat yourself how you'd treat your best friend. We are often our harshest critic; be sure to be as kind to yourself as you are to your loved ones.
SANJA NOBLE
About me:
 Currently, I am the Director of Treasury Operations at Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), the nation’s second largest public transportation system. I have been in the financial industry for over three decades. Prior to joining CTA, I managed the capital debt portfolios for Chicago Public Schools and Cook County of Illinois. I also managed bond compliance for The University of Chicago. I earned my MBA in Finance and a Master’s in Project Management from Keller Graduate School of Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I am also a former member of the Women in Public Finance – Chicago Chapter.
On being a Black woman in this industry:
As a Black woman in the industry, I am truly blessed to be here during these unique times. The road hasn’t been easy, but it has taught me the true meaning of perseverance, strength, and courage. I show up as my authentic self each day to celebrate my Black Excellence.
Fun fact:
Fun fact about myself is that I love games. I have hosted various games nights for my family and friends throughout the years and everyone comes for the creative games that are on deck. Or do they just come for the great prizes?
Favorite advice:
The best piece of advice I can give someone is to Never Lose Your Voice. Make sure that your voice is heard so that you can make the organization better for the next woman who enters the room. As a Black woman, we are often told to act a particular way in order to get into “the room." I just don’t want us to forget about helping others get there as well.
PAMELA M. FREDERICK
About me:
 I currently serve as the CFO of Battery Park City Authority, a multi-billion dollar commercial and residential real estate leasing State of NY Authority, where I manage all financial operations including its investment portfolio municipal bonds and interest rate derivatives; my role includes managing the Board of Director Audit Committee and Investment Committee. With over 30 years of financial industry experience, I have held a range of investment and commercial banking roles, executing award winning and precedent setting capital markets and project finance transactions, most recently at Citigroup.
My expertise includes fixed income derivatives, mergers and acquisitions, commercial lending and global infrastructure project finance. I hold an MBA and BA from the University of Michigan, attended Hautes Etudes Commerciales in France and previously held Series 7 and 63 licenses. I reside in the Town of Greenwich, Connecticut.
On being a Black woman in this industry:
It is important to have the representation of an African-American female in the organization executive leadership and to be a role model for employees and a beacon for all municipal market participants.
Fun fact:
I was previously elected to the town council (RTM) for the Town of Greenwich, CT and currently serves as a Trustee for the Greenwich Retirement Board and as a Governor of the Municipal Forum of New York Board. I also love golf, tennis and downhill skiing and am a certified scuba diver.
Favorite advice:
Self-determination is the most important attribute to ensure you establish and achieve your goals while remaining authentic; one should never allow others to define who you are or what your future holds.
VANESSA YOUNGS
About me:
 This month I started a new role as VP-DE&I at Moody’s, after spending nearly 15 years in public finance. I started my career as a budget analyst with the NYC Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget in the Miscellaneous Revenue Department which is responsible for the city’s non-tax revenue. I loved the diversity of city agencies in my portfolio including the Taxi and Limousine Commission, Department of Buildings, Corrections, and the City Clerks. I went to high school and college in Pennsylvania so working with a diverse group of NYC agencies was a great way for me to reorient myself to the city.
After seeing a post on Twitter, I applied and soon moved to DC as a White House intern with the National Economic Council where I focused on how the Obama fiscal policies affected the Black community. When I returned to NY, I joined Moody’s as a rating analyst covering local governments in the mid-Atlantic region, including Pennsylvania schools. I later managed junior analysts on that team before pivoting to a Strategic Planning role in the Office of the President of our ratings organization, Moody’s Investors Service. In that role I worked closely with senior leadership team on the formulation and execution of our strategic priorities across business lines and geographies.
I’m very excited for my new role with the Moody’s People Team focusing on our strategy to recruit, retain, and advance diverse talent. I realize looking back at my career I have always been focused on creating diverse and inclusive spaces, and look forward to that being the purpose of my “day job”.
Fun fact:
I’m a lifetime member Girl Scout.
Favorite advice:
“Always leave a room better than you found it.” I learned it as a scout and knowing that we won’t be anywhere forever (jobs, teams, homes, etc.), it’s my reminder to make the experience better for the next person that comes along.
DR. TINA WILSON
About me:
 I am the Deputy Chief Financial Officer for the City of Atlanta, where I am responsible for the Office of Revenue, Enterprise Risk Management, and Budget and Fiscal Policy.
I have worked in progressive roles within finance and accounting for more than 25 years. My experience includes strategic financial and business planning, budgeting, forecasting and productivity modeling, information systems, audit, internal control, and financial analysis and management reporting within both the public and private sectors.
Before joining the City of Atlanta, I spent more than 12 years at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, working to develop and implement the capital financing plans and funding strategies for the Hartsfield-Jackson Development Program ($15B), and ATLNext ($12B), their two major capital improvement programs.
I am a Certified Public Accountant in the State of Georgia, and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Georgia Society of Certified Public Accountants. I received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from Mercer University, a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Georgia State University, and a Doctor of Business Administration from Georgia State University.
On being a Black woman in this industry:
It means I have the opportunity to help motivate, encourage, and promote other black women!
Fun Fact:
I am an introverted leader.
Favorite advice:
Building, cultivating and developing relationships is one of the most important parts of leadership. Simply telling people what to do, most of the time gets you unsatisfied workers. Listen more than you talk, explain why if needed, and trust people to do their jobs with a level of autonomy. When doing so, you often get people that are motivated and enthused to follow you.
EMMANUELLE LAWRENCE
About me:
 Currently, I hold the position of a Director on the U.S. Public Finance Team at Fitch Ratings. Prior to joining Fitch, I spent a number of years as a member of the U.S. Public Finance Team at S&P Global. I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English from the University of Texas at Arlington and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of North Texas. In addition to my role as a municipal credit analyst, I have had the opportunity to serve on various boards/committees geared towards public finance professionals and women in the financial services industry.
I have co-chaired the New Member Advancement Team for the National Federation of Municipal Analysts (NFMA), served on the NFMA 2022 Conference Planning Committee and held positions on the Southern Municipal Finance Society board (a constituent society of the NFMA). For the past two years, I have served as the principal relationship manager for Fitch Group’s global sponsorship of 100 Women In Finance. I am very mission-/impact-driven, so operating within professional spaces that allow me to contribute in a meaningful way is important. As a public finance professional, I recognize that I have a role in the larger financial ecosystem, which impacts the day-to-day lives of people and communities -- and, I think that’s pretty awesome.
On being a Black woman in this industry:
‘Representation Matters’ and ‘Diversity of Thought’ are top-of-mind when I think about ‘Being A Black Woman In The Industry’. The ability to be seen and heard in any sphere matters. Having the opportunity to see and/or connect with someone who looks like you and is operating with excellence in your industry is powerful and inspiriting. Every person is shaped by their experiences, so essentially any person – regardless of their background, identity or appearance -- brings value to a discussion. I believe that the very unique experiences of Black women (even within our community) oftentimes adds an additional layer of robustness to any conversation – including key discussions within the public finance industry. Though Black women may be few in number within the public finance industry, we are impactful. I am grateful to be a part of this powerful group of women. And, I am fortunate to help pave the way for the many more of us who will continue to enter into and excel within the financial services industry.
Favorite advice:
- “Life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it”. (Chuck Swindoll)
- Attitude determines altitude.
- Being yourself is your greatest superpower.
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