Build America Mutual's member issuers have elected municipal bond analyst Natalie Cohen to its board of directors. She succeeds Ed Rendell, the former governor of Pennsylvania, who has served on the board since the company’s launch in 2012 and will now join the municipal bond insurer's Strategic Advisory Committee.
Cohen is president and founder of National Municipal Research Inc., a consulting and research company focused on U.S. state and local government finance. She was most recently head of municipal research at Wells Fargo Securities, and previously worked at New York City OMB, a rating agency, the first monoline reinsurance company, and several primary bond insurers.
“Natalie Cohen brings a wealth of experience in municipal credit analysis and a deep understanding of the issues that matter for our stakeholders — municipal bond issuers and investors — as they work to finance essential public infrastructure and utilize BAM insurance to improve the efficiency and transparency of the municipal bond market,” said Seán W. McCarthy, chief executive officer of BAM. “Gov. Rendell is the nation’s leading advocate for infrastructure investment, bar none. We look forward to benefiting from his insights as a strategic advisor as BAM continues to grow.”
Cohen received a Lifetime Achievement award from Smith’s Research and Gradings and was named a Trailblazing Woman in Public Finance by The Bond Buyer. She has been a member of the Government Accounting Standards Advisory Council, a board member of the National Federation of Municipal Analysts, a member of the Government Finance Officers Association standing budget committee and is on the National League of Cities Public Sector Retirement Advisory Committee.
“I am looking forward to working with the BAM team as they build on their record of success in helping to expand and improve essential infrastructure in the U.S.,” Cohen said.
