Texas Public Finance Briefing
From credit conditions to committee — credit, decoded
Agenda
Registration & networking lunch
Networking break
Inside the rating room: a rating committee illustration
A high-level simulation of a Moody’s Rating Committee — offering a behind the scenes look at how credit decisions are reviewed, challenged, and finalized, and the role the committee plays in ensuring analytical rigor, consistency, and independent judgment.
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Mike Garcia is responsible for business development with issuers and intermediaries across the Southwest Region. Prior to joining Moody’s, worked in Dallas as a public finance investment banker at Estrada Hinojosa & Company, Inc., and SAMCO Capital Markets. Mike also spent over two decades working at various levels within the U.S. federal government. Mike is a graduate of Sam Houston State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics.
Adebola (Bola) Kushimo is responsible for a team of analysts covering credits in Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
She is currently the Chair for the Southern Municipal Finance Society and remains a board member for the National Federation of Municipal Analysts (NFMA) where she leads membership outreach.
Prior to joining Moody’s, Bola worked for AmeriCredit Financial Services in Arlington TX.
Bola holds an MPA from the University of North Texas and an Honors BS in Psychology from University
of Texas, Arling
Adebola (Bola) Kushimo is responsible for a team of analysts covering credits in Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
She is currently the Chair for the Southern Municipal Finance Society and remains a board member for the National Federation of Municipal Analysts (NFMA) where she leads membership outreach.
Prior to joining Moody’s, Bola worked for AmeriCredit Financial Services in Arlington TX.
Bola holds an MPA from the University of North Texas and an Honors BS in Psychology from University
of Texas, Arling
Nick Samuels is a Senior Vice President for the States and High Profile Ratings Team covering credits for the state of Texas, New York City, and the District of Columbia.
Prior to joining Moody’s, Nick worked for the National Association of State Budget Officers analyzing state fiscal and expenditure trends. Nick holds a BA degree in government from Skidmore College and a Master’s in Public Administration from the George Washington University.
Grayson Nichols is a Vice President/Senior Analyst for the Dallas Local Governments Ratings Team covering credits primarily in Colorado and Texas. Grayson is also a member of Moody’s pension task force. Prior to joining Moody’s, Grayson was a commercial credit analyst in the banking industry. Grayson holds an MBA from Colorado State University and a BBA in Finance and Entrepreneurship from Baylor University.
Heather O’Malley (Guss) is a Vice President, Senior Analyst for credits primarily in Kansas and Texas and lead for the Texas K-12 sector.
Prior to joining Moody’s, Heather was an Analyst for Public Financial Management, Inc. in Atlanta. Heather holds an MBA from the University of Florida and a BS in Business Administration-Finance.
Ken Surgenor is the analytical lead for credits in Texas, Kansas and Colorado metropolitan districts. Ken has served as analytical lead in Missouri and New Mexico and has also covered charter school credits nationally.
Prior to joining Moody’s, Ken worked for the City of San Antonio in the Office of Management and Budget. Ken holds a Master of Public Service and Administration degree from the Bush School at Texas A&M University
Julie Meyer covers a diverse portfolio of infrastructure issuers in public power and transportation, including airports, toll roads, and seaports as well as project finance issuers.
Prior to joining Global Project and Infrastructure Finance, Julie worked on the Moody's Local Government team covering cities, counties, school districts, municipal utilities, and special districts. Julie has a BA in Political Science from Washington State University and an M PA from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin.
Eva Bogaty is a Managing Director in Moody’s Ratings Public Finance Group, co-managing local government ratings in the US, with a focus on the Midwest, Southwest, and West Local Government ratings teams out of our Chicago, Dallas, and San Francisco offices. While at Moody’s, Eva has also served as the team lead for the Not-for-profit Healthcare ratings team and the
Western States Local Governments ratings team, and as a lead analyst covering Higher Education and Healthcare ratings. She serves as a rating chair across the public finance group and has significant experience in academic medical centers, not-for-profits, K-12 school districts, charter schools, and public hospital districts.
Prior to joining Moody’s, Eva worked in economic development for New York State and in Russian women’s business development for a USAID-funded not-for-profit. Eva holds an MBA from New York University and an AB in Russian and East European Area Studies from Middlebury College.
Adebola (Bola) Kushimo is responsible for a team of analysts covering credits in Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
She is currently the Chair for the Southern Municipal Finance Society and remains a board member for the National Federation of Municipal Analysts (NFMA) where she leads membership outreach.
Prior to joining Moody’s, Bola worked for AmeriCredit Financial Services in Arlington TX.
Bola holds an MPA from the University of North Texas and an Honors BS in Psychology from University
of Texas, Arling
Nick Samuels is a Senior Vice President for the States and High Profile Ratings Team covering credits for the state of Texas, New York City, and the District of Columbia.
Prior to joining Moody’s, Nick worked for the National Association of State Budget Officers analyzing state fiscal and expenditure trends. Nick holds a BA degree in government from Skidmore College and a Master’s in Public Administration from the George Washington University.
Grayson Nichols is a Vice President/Senior Analyst for the Dallas Local Governments Ratings Team covering credits primarily in Colorado and Texas. Grayson is also a member of Moody’s pension task force. Prior to joining Moody’s, Grayson was a commercial credit analyst in the banking industry. Grayson holds an MBA from Colorado State University and a BBA in Finance and Entrepreneurship from Baylor University.
Heather O’Malley (Guss) is a Vice President, Senior Analyst for credits primarily in Kansas and Texas and lead for the Texas K-12 sector.
Prior to joining Moody’s, Heather was an Analyst for Public Financial Management, Inc. in Atlanta. Heather holds an MBA from the University of Florida and a BS in Business Administration-Finance.
Ken Surgenor is the analytical lead for credits in Texas, Kansas and Colorado metropolitan districts. Ken has served as analytical lead in Missouri and New Mexico and has also covered charter school credits nationally.
Prior to joining Moody’s, Ken worked for the City of San Antonio in the Office of Management and Budget. Ken holds a Master of Public Service and Administration degree from the Bush School at Texas A&M University
Julie Meyer covers a diverse portfolio of infrastructure issuers in public power and transportation, including airports, toll roads, and seaports as well as project finance issuers.
Prior to joining Global Project and Infrastructure Finance, Julie worked on the Moody's Local Government team covering cities, counties, school districts, municipal utilities, and special districts. Julie has a BA in Political Science from Washington State University and an M PA from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin.
Mike Garcia is responsible for business development with issuers and intermediaries across the Southwest Region. Prior to joining Moody’s, worked in Dallas as a public finance investment banker at Estrada Hinojosa & Company, Inc., and SAMCO Capital Markets. Mike also spent over two decades working at various levels within the U.S. federal government. Mike is a graduate of Sam Houston State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics.