Lisa Marie is a qualified financial expert with significant governance and regulatory compliance experience. She is the board president for the San Diego City Employment Retirement System (SDCERS) serving on the audit and investment committees, a board of director for the California Fixed Income Trust (CalFIT) serving as Treasurer and Secretary and a board member of the Wakeland Housing Corporation LLC., serving on the Finance Committee. While serving as the Board President of SDCERS, Harris oversaw and guided the board through the transformation of a closed pension plan to a restructured open plan to comply with State law requiring several years of negotiation with the pension plan sponsor, employee unions and the pension plan.
Lisa Marie is serving as the Chief Financial Officer for the San Diego County Water Authority in San Diego California. Under her leadership, Lisa Marie directs a team of over 30 finance professionals providing operational leadership and strategic financial expertise that has been regionally recognized by the San Diego Business Journal as CFO of the year for exceptional operational oversight of the multi-billion utility and for the execution of financial strategies involving a complex Private-Public P3 refinancing of the San Diego Desalination Plant, largest in the Western Hemisphere as well as a unique financing restructuring resulting in protecting the financial position of the water utility during the financial crisis caused by COVID-19. In addition, the National Bond Buyer and Women in Public Finance awarded Harris as a Trailblazer in Public Finance for outstanding contributions to the industry and as a top-ranked Chief Financial Officer. In addition, Harris was recognized by the Secretary of State for the State of California, for her outstanding contributions to public finance and her leadership at the San Diego County Water Authority.
Lisa Marie has also served on numerous boards for California and national nonprofit organizations. Lisa Marie is a past board member for San Diego County Pension System (SDCERA), and currently serves on the Investment Committee for the San Diego Girl Scouts. Recently honored as a finalist for the San Diego Girl Scouts Cool Women for her leadership in the region. Lisa Marie is a past national board member for Governmental Finance Officers Association (GFOA), Women in Public Finance and founder of the San Diego Chapter of Women in Public Finance serving on the executive and finance committees.
Chris Wimsatt joined the Port of Seattle as Chief Financial Officer in October of 2025. In this role, he is responsible for shaping the financial strategy for the Port’s business lines, including Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and the Seattle Seaport. Chris oversees all Finance, Budget and Debt Management functions in addition to Financial Reporting, Treasury and Risk Management. Chris and his team manage a $1.2 billion budget, $4 billion debt portfolio, $2.5 billion investment portfolio, and a $5 billion Capital Improvement Plan.
Chris has spent his career in Public Finance and Transportation, having previously served as Assistant Director of Airports for the Sacramento County Airport System. He also previously held roles as the deputy director and chief financial officer at the Sacramento County Airport System, and as the division manager and chief financial officer for the Department of Aviation in the City of Dayton, Ohio.
Chris holds a B.S. in Political Science from Ohio University and an MBA from Western Governors University. He was recognized as a 2023 Bond Buyer Rising Star as well as 2024 Airport Finance Professional of the Year by Airports Council International-North America.
Steven J. Lux was appointed by the Board of Commissioners on June 6, 2024, as Treasurer of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. The Treasurer is responsible for maintaining the District’s cash and investments portfolio, maintaining a proper level of liquidity while maximizing investment returns. The Treasurer is also responsible for debt management which consists of issuing bonds, timely payment of principal and interest payments and ensuring the District has capacity to issue bonds under its Debt Service Extension Base as well as maintain relations with rating agencies and investors. The Treasurer also manages the assets of the District’s Retiree Healthcare Trust.
Steve brings 40 years of accounting and finance expertise, having started his career at Touche Ross, which later merged with Deloitte. In 1996, he joined the City of Chicago, his former client, as Deputy Comptroller, advancing to Managing Deputy Comptroller and then City Comptroller before serving as a Director at Baker Tilly for two years.
In 2013, Steve then returned to government as the Chief Financial Officer of the Chicago Park District. During his eleven-year career at the Park District, he supervised various departments including Budget and Management, Comptroller’s Office, Finance, Performance Management, Procurement, Revenue and Treasury. He transitioned the Park District’s health care to a self-insured model implemented cost-saving measures and reduced utility costs by hedging energy prices during the pandemic.
Steve graduated from the University of Illinois in Champaign with a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Accountancy.
Young Lee, global head of Orrick’s Infrastructure practice, advises on market-leading infrastructure and energy projects involving complex project structuring and innovative delivery models, including public-private partnerships (P3), design-build, progressive design-build, energy-as-a-service (EaaS) structures and long-term concessions. She represents sponsors, lenders and investors across the full project lifecycle, including development, construction, financing, operations, acquisitions and divestitures of infrastructure and energy assets. Her experience spans resilient energy infrastructure, distributed energy and EaaS platforms, and many of the largest U.S. P3 transactions to reach financial close in recent years. Young is highly recognized in the market, with top-tier accolades that include Band 1 rankings from Chambers USA and Chambers Global in P3 & Infrastructure and recognition as a Leading Lawyer by Legal 500 for Project Finance & Infrastructure. Young also serves as Lead Director of Orrick’s Board.
Beth joined Oppenheimer in 2024 as Head of Public Finance. With over 30 years of industry expertise, she has completed $40 billion in transactions throughout her career. Ms. Coolidge most recently led UBS’s Midwest Public Finance unit for over six years.
She has served as lead banker on numerous hallmark financings including: the Chicago Housing Authority’s Capital Program Revenue Bonds, backed solely by the federal grants that the Authority received from HUD, which won the inaugural Deal of the Year award by The Bond Buyer in 2002, The Indianapolis Local Public Improvement Bond Bank’s Community Justice Center financing which won Midwest Deal of the Year in 2019; and, most recently, Ms. Coolidge was awarded the 2023 Bond Buyer Deal of the Year Award for her work on the City of Chicago’s Sales Tax Securitization transaction, inclusive of the City’s inaugural social bond issuance that achieved the highest pricing differential on an ESG financing to date.
In 2017, Beth was recognized as a Trailblazing Women in Public Finance by The Bond Buyer and continues to pave the way for women of our industry.
Ms. Coolidge is a lifelong resident of the City of Chicago and serves on numerous charitable boards in Chicago. She has served on the board of the Chicago Summer Business Institute since its inception and has served as Co-Chair for over 10 years. Ms. Coolidge also serves on the board of The Civic Federation of Chicago where she sits on the Executive Committee. She serves on the Board of Regents of St. Ignatius College Prep, and the boards of Catholic Charities, The Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago and the board of Maryville Academy. Ms. Coolidge is also a member of The Economic Club of Chicago where she serves on the membership committee. In October 2018, Ms. Coolidge was appointed to the board of the Chicago Infrastructure Trust by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago City Council. For the past 10 years, she has served as an instructor for the Municipal Bond Club of Chicago Bond School.
Ms. Coolidge received her B.A. in English from the University of Illinois‐Urbana on a General Assembly Scholarship. Ms. Coolidge holds FINRA Series 7, 24, 52, 53, 63, 65, and 79 licenses.
Nicole Riggs is a Senior Vice President and Relationship Manager in U.S. Bank’s Government and Higher Education Division covering government and university clients and prospects in New York and Massachusetts. With nearly 20 years of public finance experience in both government and banking roles, Nicole is adept at identifying financial solutions offered by the bank, with expertise in funded and off-balance sheet lending. Nicole joined U.S. Bank in December 2022, upon the completion of its acquisition of MUFG Union Bank’s public finance business. Prior to joining MUFG Union Bank in 2014, Nicole spent 7 years with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. As the Manager of Aviation Capital Financial Services, she oversaw the financial aspects of the Aviation Department’s multi-billion-dollar capital plan and Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) program. Nicole also managed the annual strategic business planning process, analyzed and consolidated unit and facility operating budgets, and supported procurement and Board approval processes. Nicole is a regular speaker at municipal industry and educational conferences, and a member of the Municipal Analysts Group of New York and the Northeast Women in Public Finance. Nicole earned Master’s Degrees in Public Affairs and Urban and Regional Planning from the School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, and a B.A. in Communications, with minors in Political Science and Spanish, from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). She holds Series 52, 63, and 79 securities licenses and resides with her family in New York City.
Matthew Neuringer is a partner in Orrick’s nationally recognized Energy & Infrastructure practice. He advises public and private sector clients on the development, financing and delivery of large-scale infrastructure projects across the United States, with a focus on innovative procurement models, including public-private partnerships (P3), design-build, progressive design-build and long-term concession agreements. Matthew is recognized by Chambers USA, Chambers Global and Legal 500 for his work in P3s and infrastructure. He has extensive experience structuring Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) transactions, availability payment models, and tax-exempt and taxable municipal bond financings. His practice spans transportation, energy, digital and social infrastructure, including student, workforce and affordable housing, as well as microgrids, renewable energy, distributed generation and campus energy systems that support sustainability and community development.
Scott Monroe is a San Francisco-based Senior Director in Fitch Ratings’ U.S. Public Finance Group. He serves as Sector Head for the Municipal Infrastructure Team, which covers airports, seaports, and toll roads. Scott joined Fitch in 2007, previously headed Corporate’s Infrastructure Team, and was an analyst on Fitch’s tax-supported, and water/sewer teams.
Scott earned a BS in business administration from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley and is a CFA Charterholder. In addition, he is a member of the California Society of Municipal Analysts and the National Federation of Municipal Analysts. Scott was named as a Rising Star by the Bond Buyer in 2018 and a Municipal All-Star by Smith’s in 2023.