The Carolina Advantage
Built on Strong Foundations, Focused on the Future
Agenda
Networking & Registration
Building on Momentum: Infrastructure, Investment & Long-Term Growth
The state's robust growth trajectory presents significant opportunities for communities across the region. This discussion will explore how continued investment in critical infrastructure and public services can support economic competitiveness, resilience, and long-term development.
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.
Networking Reception
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Shamba Sandy has responsibility for Higher Education, Healthcare, Housing & Community Lending, and Local Governments in the Southeast region.
Prior to joining Moody’s, Shamba was a Regional Sales Director at Wells Fargo Asset Management, where he advised corporations and government entities in the Southeast region on how to best invest excess cash on their Balance Sheets. Preceding, Shamba spent a decade as an Institutional Investment Grade Corporate Bond Salesman at Wells Fargo Securities, covering large Asset Managers, Hedge Funds and Insurance Companies. Shamba began his career at Wachovia Securities where he originated, securitized, serviced and traded Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities.
Shamba holds a BA in Political Science from Morehouse College and has passed Level 1 of the CFA curriculum.
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.
Marcus D. Jones is the city manager for the City of Charlotte, which operates under a council-manager form of government. The City Council sets policy objectives, and the city manager runs the day-to-day operations of the city, ensuring city operations and business are carried out and administered effectively and in alignment with City Council policy objectives. Jones maintains fiscal stewardship over the city’s $3.2 billion budget in addition to operations of the city’s 20 departments. These responsibilities include community safety, economic development, public transit (bus and light rail), as well as the Charlotte airport (CLT).
Jones is a respected leader in government affairs at the city, regional and national levels. He is immersed in the Charlotte community, fostering and developing relationships in the business, arts and culture, philanthropic and faith-based communities. He is an active board member with the Charlotte Center City Partners, Charlotte Sports Foundation, Charlotte Regional Business Alliance executive committee and Board of Trustees, a member of the City Manager Innovation Council (through Governing Magazine), the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, the UNC Charlotte Board of Visitors and the James Madison University Alumni Association Board of Directors (Presidential Appointee).
Jones’ energetic and collaborative approach to government and business has transformed organizations to become action-oriented, guided by the city vision and strategy. He challenges teams to innovate and develop partnerships internally and across the community, resulting in long-term, sustainable programs that support upward mobility, job growth and economic development; improved community safety; and stronger city and regional brands.
Jones has more than 27 years of public service experience at the city and state level. His prior experience includes serving as the city manager, assistant city manager and budget director for the City of Norfolk. He also served as the deputy chief administrative officer for Richmond, Virginia, and the deputy secretary of finance for two governors in the Commonwealth of Virginia. While serving with the state government, Jones gained a strong reputation for his ability to negotiate complex financial and legislative issues across party lines.
Jones earned his bachelor’s degree in public administration from James Madison University and a master’s in public administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Orlie Prince is an Executive Director for the Eastern Local Governments Ratings Team. She manages a team of analysts covering credits in Alabama, Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Orlie is a rating committee chairperson, she leads the Cyber Security Risk Task Force for the Public Finance Group, and serves as the lead on the State Aid Intercept Programs.
Prior to rejoining Moody’s, Orlie conducted extensive community service. During her initial tenure with Moody’s, Orlie was a Senior Vice President and Manager of the Southeast Regional Ratings Team. Orlie holds an MPA from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a BA in Political Science and Communications from SUNY Albany.
Dan Seymour is a Vice President for local government ratings and covers credits primarily in the Northeast region. He previously covered credits for US state ratings. He joined Moody’s in 2011 and has experience in a diverse portfolio of states, localities, utilities, transit systems, and special tax credits. Before joining Moody’s, he was a reporter from the Associated Press and the Bond Buyer Newspaper. Dan holds a BA from Rowan University and a Master’s degree from Baruch College. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst charterholder.
Lauren Von Bargen is a Vice President, Senior Analyst for the New York Local Governments Ratings Team and is the lead for credits primarily in Kentucky and North Carolina, as well as other states in the Eastern United States. Lauren has authored several articles on the stability of property tax revenues and water issues, along with other publications. She is a member of various taskforces, including those focused on cybersecurity, municipal utilities and contingent liabilities.
Prior to joining the New York Local Government Ratings Team, Lauren was a member of the Local Government Surveillance Team and the Municipal Supported Products Group. Lauren holds an MBA from New York University and a BS in Mathematics and Economics from the University of Delaware.
Julia Ponte is an AVP-Analyst in Moody’s Global Project & Infrastructure Finance Group, which covers a portfolio of over 2,000 issuers with approximately $3.5 trillion of debt. She covers a portfolio of initial and on-going rating comprised of transportation assets, including toll roads and airports, along with a variety of project finance structures and other P-3 projects.
Prior to joining Moody’s in New York in 2022, Julia spent 3 years as an associate analyst in Moody’s Latin America, based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, supporting a portfolio of infrastructure companies and projects, utilities and sub-sovereign ratings in Latin America.
Julia graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Universidade de Sao Paulo in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2019.
Orlie Prince is an Executive Director for the Eastern Local Governments Ratings Team. She manages a team of analysts covering credits in Alabama, Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Orlie is a rating committee chairperson, she leads the Cyber Security Risk Task Force for the Public Finance Group, and serves as the lead on the State Aid Intercept Programs.
Prior to rejoining Moody’s, Orlie conducted extensive community service. During her initial tenure with Moody’s, Orlie was a Senior Vice President and Manager of the Southeast Regional Ratings Team. Orlie holds an MPA from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a BA in Political Science and Communications from SUNY Albany.
Dan Seymour is a Vice President for local government ratings and covers credits primarily in the Northeast region. He previously covered credits for US state ratings. He joined Moody’s in 2011 and has experience in a diverse portfolio of states, localities, utilities, transit systems, and special tax credits. Before joining Moody’s, he was a reporter from the Associated Press and the Bond Buyer Newspaper. Dan holds a BA from Rowan University and a Master’s degree from Baruch College. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst charterholder.
Valentina Gomez is a Vice President/Senior Analyst for the New York Local Governments Ratings Team. She is the state lead for Florida and Virginia.
Prior to joining Moody’s, Valentina was a Senior Budget Analyst in New York City’s Office of Management & Budget and an Analyst at Morgan Stanley. Valentina holds an MPA from New York University and a BA in Economics from Tufts University.
Lauren Von Bargen is a Vice President, Senior Analyst for the New York Local Governments Ratings Team and is the lead for credits primarily in Kentucky and North Carolina, as well as other states in the Eastern United States. Lauren has authored several articles on the stability of property tax revenues and water issues, along with other publications. She is a member of various taskforces, including those focused on cybersecurity, municipal utilities and contingent liabilities.
Prior to joining the New York Local Government Ratings Team, Lauren was a member of the Local Government Surveillance Team and the Municipal Supported Products Group. Lauren holds an MBA from New York University and a BS in Mathematics and Economics from the University of Delaware.
Christopher Yared is an Analyst for the New York Local Governments Ratings Team covering credits primarily in New York and New England. Prior to joining the New York Local Governments Ratings Team, Chris worked for the Project and Infrastructure Finance Group where he covered a wide range of credits with a concentration in renewable energy projects.
Chris holds a Masters in Finance from Villanova University and a BS in Economics and a BA in Finance from the University of Kentucky.
Shamba Sandy has responsibility for Higher Education, Healthcare, Housing & Community Lending, and Local Governments in the Southeast region.
Prior to joining Moody’s, Shamba was a Regional Sales Director at Wells Fargo Asset Management, where he advised corporations and government entities in the Southeast region on how to best invest excess cash on their Balance Sheets. Preceding, Shamba spent a decade as an Institutional Investment Grade Corporate Bond Salesman at Wells Fargo Securities, covering large Asset Managers, Hedge Funds and Insurance Companies. Shamba began his career at Wachovia Securities where he originated, securitized, serviced and traded Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities.
Shamba holds a BA in Political Science from Morehouse College and has passed Level 1 of the CFA curriculum.