Infralogic US P3 Forum 2023
Getting creative: how P3s can be part of the solution to deliver America’s essential infrastructure
Conrad New York Downtown, 102 North End Avenue, New York, NY 10282
Getting creative: how P3s can be part of the solution to deliver America’s essential infrastructure
Confirmed Speakers Include:
Sponsors
Allen & Overy
https://www.allenovery.com/en-gb/globalAllen & Overy is a global law firm that helps the world’s leading businesses to grow, innovate and thrive. For almost a century, we have built a reputation for our commitment to thinking ahead and bringing original solutions to our clients’ most complex legal and commercial challenges.
We are one of a few top-tier international law firms with dedicated private credit capability across all the major US, European and Asia-Pacific markets. We are unmatched in being able to offer our clients expert support on all stages of the lending lifecycle and across the full spectrum of private credit products – including both middle-market and large-cap senior secured financings, revenue and pre-profit deals, first loss / second loss and other super senior structures, second lien / mezzanine, holdco financings, hybrid equity solutions, NAV and other fund financings, real estate, asset finance, special situations, distressed and quasi-distressed matters.
Our clients include performing and distressed credit funds, sovereign wealth funds, bank-affiliated direct lending teams, and a wide range of other alternative capital providers.
We have a strong track record in both the middle-market and large-cap spaces. The strength of our local practices gives us a comprehensive view of the activity and latest deal terms in the markets in which we operate, as well as the challenges our clients may encounter, that few firms can match. In addition, our private credit practice benefits from being able to call on the expertise of product and sector specialists from across our network, including our market-leading syndicated leveraged finance / high yield and restructuring practices and our private equity, fund formation, real estate, infrastructure, regulatory, healthcare and tech sector teams.
Assured Guaranty
https://assuredguaranty.com/Assured Guaranty, the leading provider of U.S. municipal bond insurance and financial guarantees for essential-purpose infrastructure financings, has helped municipalities and public-private partnerships reduce the cost of financing essential public infrastructure for more than three decades, while assuring timely payment of principal and interest to investors in the bonds it guarantees. Assured Guaranty bond insurance can make P3 financings more cost-efficient because it offers investors strengthened security and the potential for greater market liquidity. Investors prize not only the unconditional and irrevocable promise of payment but also Assured Guaranty’s credit selection, underwriting, negotiated terms and surveillance.
Active in the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and other developed countries, Assured Guaranty’s project finance experience spans many infrastructure sectors. Among these are roads and highways; rail transportation; electric, water and other utilities; solar energy; public and private schools and colleges; affordable housing; public buildings; prisons; seaports; airports; and stadiums.
For additional information, visit https://assuredguaranty.com/
Cahill
https://www.cahill.com/With a history of legal innovation dating back to the firm’s founding in 1919, Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP has built a national reputation for capital markets prowess and high-stakes litigation excellence. Cahill’s Project Finance, Energy & Infrastructure practice focuses on project development and financings and mergers and acquisition transactions in connection with conventional energy, renewable energy and infrastructure projects in the Americas for project sponsors, developers, banks, institutional lenders, direct lenders and alternative debt providers. In addition, our team focuses on U.S. public-private partnerships for energy, telecommunication, transportation and social infrastructure projects. Our practice leverages off our leading Banking & Finance and Capital Markets practices where we have long been recognized as the leading law firm in leveraged finance and non-investment grade debt securities. The firm is based in New York with additional offices in London and Washington, D.C.
Fitch Ratings
https://www.fitchratings.com/Fitch Ratings is a leading provider of credit ratings, commentary, and research. Dedicated to providing value beyond the rating through independent and prospective credit opinions, Fitch Ratings offers global perspectives shaped by strong local market experience and credit market expertise.
Fitch Group is a global leader in financial information services with operations in more than 30 countries. Fitch Group is comprised of: Fitch Ratings, Fitch Solutions, Fitch Learning and Sustainable Fitch. With dual headquarters in London and New York, Fitch Group is owned by Hearst.
For additional information, please visit fitchratings.com.
John Laing
http://www.laing.comJohn Laing is an international originator, active investor, and manager of infrastructure projects. John Laing has invested in more than 150 projects, including delivering major transportation, social and environmental infrastructure projects procured under public-private-partnership (P3) programs across a range of international markets including North America, the UK, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America.
Some of our notable North American P3 projects include Denver Eagle (Colorado), I-77 HOT Lanes (North Carolina), Transform 66 (Virginia), I-75 (Michigan), MBTA Automated Fare Collection (Massachusetts), I-4 Ultimate (Florida) and Hurontario LRT (Ontario).
Mazars
https://www.mazars.com/Mazars is a global tax and accounting advisory firm with 30,000 professionals, in 300+ offices, and a presence in 90+ countries. The firm works with clients in a variety of industries ranging from Fashion, Manufacturing and Distribution, Healthcare, Telecommunications, Food and Beverage, and Energy and Infrastructure.
The Energy, Infrastructure & Environment practice at Mazars works with a wide range of clients including project developers, sponsors, financiers and lenders, funds, government agencies, utilities and advisors. We have deep sector expertise across all asset classes, including renewables: battery storage, hydrogen, solar, wind, hydro, and infrastructure: telecoms, social and higher ed, airports, transportation, mining, loil and gas, and more. Our comprehensive service suite includes: Financial Modeling, Model Audit (#1 Model Auditor Globally), Public & Private Training Courses, Tax & Accounting Advisory, Valuations, Transaction Support & Due Diligence, as well as Sustainability & ESG consulting.
Moody’s Investors Service (MIS)
https://www.moodys.com/Moody’s Investors Service (MIS) is a leading global provider of credit ratings, research, and risk analysis. A rating from Moody’s enables issuers to create timely, go-to-market debt strategies with the ability to capture wider investor focus and provides investors with a comprehensive view of global debt markets through our credit ratings and research. Moody’s trusted insights can help decision-makers navigate the safest path through turmoil and market volatility.
Winston & Strawn
https://www.winston.com/en/Winston & Strawn LLP is well regarded for its deep and broad experience working on infrastructure transactions, including several award-winning deals and projects. Our practitioners have led on many of the sector’s most complex projects, within aggressive time frames, while employing inventive solutions to help manage risk. Our clients—which include project developers and sponsors, lenders and investors, project owners and operators, governments and their agencies, and other project counterparties—consistently rely on our practitioners’ innovative thinking and deep understanding of the market standards and commercial factors that impact all aspects of infrastructure projects.
Program Partner
Supporting Partner
Young Professionals in Infrastructure
http://www.ypinfrastructure.comYoung Professionals in Infrastructure, LLC was started in 2016 by its 6 founding members, Ashurst LLP, CIBC, Ernst & Young, John Laing, InstarAGF and Meridiam.
The mission of Young Professionals in Infrastructure (YPI) is to facilitate meaningful relationships among professionals in the infrastructure sector in order to increase knowledge transfer and best practices within the industry and encourage continued growth of alternative procurement models for the development of critical infrastructure projects in the United States.
Networking, mentoring and career development, knowledge sharing across disciplines, and advocacy of public-private partnership financing and other methods of efficient procurement of infrastructure projects, will be among the ways in which the organization will accomplish its mission.
YPI will seek to cultivate a network of current and future leaders in infrastructure development across the US with a focus on bringing together young professionals between the public and private sectors. YPI plans to hold at least two events annually, along with other more frequent, but more casual events for its members each year. These events will help facilitate opportunities for members to build collaborative and lasting relationships and to promote knowledge sharing across disciplines and organizations.
In addition to strengthening its own members through career development opportunities, YPI believes it is necessary to cultivate the future of the P3 industry by encouraging and educating the best and brightest undergraduate and graduate students interested in the infrastructure and P3 industries. By providing mentoring and career assistance to the next generation of young infrastructure professionals, YPI will help to ensure that such future professionals are better placed to drive value for the industry and our membership at an earlier stage in their careers.
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Jillian is a Partner in our Projects, Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure (PENRI) group and head of the U.S. China Group in the New York office. Jillian has significant experience representing investors, sponsors, developers and lenders on the acquisition, financing and development of major projects around the world in a wide range of sectors, including all aspects of energy transition (including carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), hydrogen, EV and renewables), transportation (including airports, rail, ports and roads), power generation and distribution and water. She also has extensive experience advising on the structuring, formation, marketing and financing of private investment funds in the infrastructure, energy, real estate and mining sectors, including representing lenders and funds on subscription line, NAV and hybrid financings for funds. Chambers USA 2023 has ranked Jillian at Band 4 in the PPP market.
As head of the U.S. China Group, Jillian has particular experience advising Chinese clients on their projects in the Americas, and advising US clients on transactions related to China, in close coordination with Allen & Overy’s China offices.
Jillian attended both Harvard College and Harvard Law School, graduating with honors of summa cum laude and magna cum laude. Jillian is fluent in Mandarin.
Scott Avedisian became Chief Executive Officer of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority in June 2018 after serving as Mayor of the City of Warwick for 18 years and also serving four years as Chairman of RIPTA’s Board of Directors. His tenure in Warwick was highlighted with projects that showed his commitment to good government and public service – a commitment that continues with his work at the helm of RIPTA.
As RIPTA’s CEO, Scott Avedisian is passionate about the importance of public transportation to our state, our businesses, our environment and our citizens. He is committed to RIPTA’s passengers and to exploring new initiatives and service options for transit. He is leading the Authority’s green energy efforts, including its pilot program with zero-emission electric buses and the installation of solar panels on newer buses to improve battery life and battery performance.
Amanda leads development and operations in Virginia for end-to-end customer operations―including network enhancements, road operations, maintenance and dynamic pricing―across the Express Lanes.
Amanda has over two decades of experience in both public and private sectors leading, developing, and managing complex transportation and infrastructure projects working directly for the owner agency and as owner’s representative. Proven leader in strategic development, negotiation, commercial/financial close and delivery of Public Private Partnerships (P3) within transportation. Amanda has expertise in policy, planning, design, permitting, implementation, construction and operations of major multimodal surface transportation initiatives.
Amanda is a graduate of George Mason University and currently a EMBA Candidate, Class of 2023, at the Darden School of Business, University of Virginia.
David Blaisdell is Senior Development Director at Bechtel Enterprises responsible for leading development of BEn’s transportation initiatives. In this role, he leads and manages partnering, bidding, development, investment, financing, and asset management of BEn’s transportation developments globally. These opportunities are a mix of public-private partnerships (P3s) and development projects. David has experience on a number of transportation developments and financings with a particular focus on passenger rail and airports and the next generation of infrastructure emerging in the transportation sector.
David is a graduate of Middlebury College and holds an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Profile to follow shortly.
Roger Boothe leads all operations in the U.S. for Altus Group’s Cost and Project Management Practice, offering a full range of technical, financial and project management advisory services to public and private sector owners, design/builders and financiers. He brings expertise in the full mega projects delivery lifecycle, from financial analysis (CAPEX/OPEX, VFM, BCA, etc.) and crafting the business deal, through design and construction to Operations and Maintenance.
As the Director of North America Business Development, Ricardo Bosch leads Cintra’s business development and bid development efforts in United States, Canada and Mexico. He has over 20 years of global experience and expertise in developing, structuring and financing PPP projects.
Prior to his current position, he served as Cintra’s Global Head of Project Finance, being responsible for leading the structuring and negotiation of financing for infrastructure projects in North America, Europe and LATAM markets.
Among other deals, Ricardo has led the execution and financing of the $2.7 billion LBJ Express and the $2.1 billion North Tarrant Express Managed Lanes in Texas or the $3.5 billion I-66 Express Lanes in North Virginia.
Ricardo holds a master’s degree in Finance and Management from the University of Exeter in UK. He also has a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the Universidad de Chile.
Joshua Broder serves as CEO of Tilson, a national leader in telecom consulting, design, and build services, which under his leadership, has grown from less than 10 employees to over 800, earning a top spot on the Inc. 5000 list for the past twelve years. He is also the founder of Tilson Infrastructure, which develops, owns, and leases back 5G infrastructure including poles, towers, and fiber to carriers nationwide. Josh cut his teeth in leadership as an Army Signal Officer on missions in Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia, where he was awarded the Bronze Star for service in Afghanistan designing, building, and operating the communications network for US forces. Josh holds a bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College and is a graduate of AT&T’s Operation Hand Salute at JFK University with a certificate in entrepreneurial studies. Josh is on the boards of Versant Power, an investor-owned T&D electric utility, VETRO FiberMap, a fiber network mapping software tool, Kleinschmidt Associates, a multi-national engineering firm, The Jackson Laboratory, a global biotech firm, Skowhegan Savings Bank, and INCOMPAS, the competitive carrier association.
Natriece Bryant is the Public Private Partnership (P3) Director for the Department of Personnel and Administration. She oversees the development, construction, planning, design, and expansion for State P3 projects that accommodate some of Colorado’s foundational needs. The project(s) scope includes increased affordable housing, broadband expansion, behavioral health capacity, and child care services. The project work is specific to the utilization of the State’s unutilized and underutilized properties to develop, build, finance, operate, and maintain quality-cost effective public projects that provide economic and social value for Colorado.
She has served as the Deputy Chief Customer Officer for the Governor’s Office of Information Technology where she managed planning, and integration of technology strategies for the State of Colorado.
She has served as the Deputy Executive Director for the Colorado Department of Local Affairs where she oversaw budget, finance, communications, accounting, procurement, executive communications, public relations and outreach for the department. She was also in charge of operationalizing disaster recovery, housing, local government, board of assessment and appeals and property taxation for the State.
She also served as the States’s designee appointed by former Governor Hickenlooper as the Census 2020 Complete Count Committee Chair for the State of Colorado.
She has also worked for the State of Colorado focusing on major governmental policy issues such as financial literacy, marijuana business licensing, and driver’s vehicle license access for undocumented immigrants. Prior to joining State government, she worked at the Denver City Attorney’s Office.
Natriece holds a BA in Communications; Master of Arts in Sociology and a Master’s in Criminal Justice (MCJ) from the University of Colorado – Denver; and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Regis University.
Julie Burger is a Managing Director at Wells Fargo Corporate & Investment Banking, where she serves as Co-Head of Public Finance. Within this role, she is responsible for leading the origination arm of the Municipal Products Group, with a particular focus on transportation, P3 and infrastructure clients. She is a 16 year veteran of the municipal industry, having begun her career at Bank of America in 2007.
Within her current role, Ms. Burger helps oversee the firm’s national P3 practice, where she has led a wide range of P3 financings across multiple products and sectors. During her career, she has helped lead the execution of over $6.0 billion of P3/project financings, including: $1.76 billion for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Major Bridges Project, $160 million for the District of Columbia DC Smart Street Lighting project, $125.0 million for the Gilcrease Expressway Project, $309.1 million for the Miami-Dade County Courthouse P3 Project, $610.3 million for the I-75 Improvement Project in Michigan, $273.9 million for the Port Newark Container Terminal, $2.4 billion for the LaGuardia Airport Central Terminal Building Redevelopment, and $721.4 million for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Rapid Bridge Replacement Project.
Ms. Burger graduated summa cum laude from New York University’s Stern School of Business.
Duane Callender manages the Credit Programs Office within the Build America Bureau which houses the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) credit program and the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) credit program. Callender directs a staff responsible for all aspects of underwriting, portfolio monitoring and risk management. Callender oversees a portfolio that encompasses over USD 28bn in Federal credit assistance to intermodal, highway, transit and rail projects totaling more than USD 92bn of infrastructure investment in the U.S. Prior to his current position he held positions in DOT’s Office of Budget and Programs; where he was responsible for oversight of the Maritime Administration budget; in DOT’s Inspector General’s Office and the Budget Office of the District of Columbia’s Metropolitan Police Department.
Emeka Chinwuba is a project finance partner at Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP and his practice focuses on project development and financing transactions, particularly for renewable energy and infrastructure projects in the Americas. His practice also includes US public private partnerships for transportation and social infrastructure projects, as well as general bank finance transactions, including acquisition financings, investment grade financings and asset-based lending transactions.
Emeka previously worked in the United Arab Emirates advising on the development and financing of renewable energy projects (including offshore wind) in the MENA region and in Europe.
Emeka has also served as a volunteer prosecution attorney at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda located in Arusha, Tanzania, in connection with the trials of genocidaires involved in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
Jensen Clarke is a senior member of the Fengate Infrastructure investment team and is responsible for P3 partnering and project development across Canada and the US. As the firm’s business development and teaming lead, Jensen is focused on a strategic roster of high-profile P3 pursuits across North America. His most recent resume includes the LAX Consolidated Rent-a-Car Facility, Macdonald Block Reconstruction project, Prince George’s County Public Schools project, and Gander and Grand Falls-Windsor Long-Term Care Homes project.
Prior to joining Fengate in 2013, Jensen was a senior member of the transaction finance group at Infrastructure Ontario, a Crown agency with a mandate to build and modernize vital public infrastructure and maximize the value of government-owned buildings and land.
Jensen holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University.
Eimear Connery Heads up Aviation Technical Advisory Services at Infrata. She is a Chartered Civil Engineer with over 18 years' of experience in the industry. She joined Infrata in 2016, from Aecom whom she was with for over 11 years through their legacy companies URS and Scott Wilson, bringing with her, her broad range of airport project experience and skills including master planning, feasibility assessments, due diligence studies, design and monitoring of major airport developments worldwide including on the design of the New Istanbul Airport. Since joining Infrata she has been involved in over 50 transaction projects across all infrastructure classes with her main focus in recent years being airports and the aviation industry. Her remit is a global one from small regional airports to major international transport hubs. Eimear leads Infrata’s services for both the US$9.5 billion, New Terminal One Project at JFK and the US$1.25 billion expansion project at Jorge Chávez International Airport, Lima both of which closed in 2022.
Kristy advises financial institutions and developers on project finance transactions in the renewable and clean energy, infrastructure, water, and transportation & transit sectors. Having advised on some of the largest and most complex project financings globally, her expertise includes analyzing financial, market, and credit risks, structuring and negotiating financial terms, and conducting due diligence on all aspects of a project. She has extensive experience with public-private partnerships, portfolio financings, expansion financings, complex multi-source financings, loan guarantees, and alternative project delivery methods. Her clients include lenders, export credit agencies, federal credit programs, commercial financial institutions, sponsors, borrowers, public and private enterprises, and institutional investors. Ms. David received a Master of Arts in International Affairs with specializations in International Finance and International Energy Policy from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). She received her Bachelor of Arts in Economics from New York University, where she graduated summa cum laude.
Shylene De Jesus currently serves as Deputy Director of the Puerto Rico Public Private Partnerships Authority (P3A), the agency in charge of promoting collaboration between the public and private sectors with the goal of promoting sustainable economic impact, improve public services, and establishing Puerto Rico as a global competitor in infrastructure development.
Prior to joining the P3A in 2021, Ms. De Jesus worked as a litigation attorney in complex commercial litigation, specializing in secured transactions, debt restructuring, creditors rights, and intellectual property. Ms. De Jesus was a partner at Adsuar, Muniz Goyco Seda & Perez-Ochoa, P.S.C. from 2012 to 2021. She also worked at O’Neill & Borges, LLC from 2003 to 2011, where she became partner in 2007. Ms. De Jesus career began in 2001, when she served as clerk for Hon. Baltasar Corrada del Rio, former judge at the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico.
Ms. De Jesus graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law in 2001.
Beth is currently serving her third term representing the 22nd Legislative District in Washington State and her first term as Chair of the House Environment & Energy Committee. She has worked at Climate Solutions for 16 years, a Northwest-based clean energy nonprofit. In addition, she served as the first Executive Director of Washington Conservation Voters and worked for Pro-Choice Washington, Audubon Washington, and Seattle Public Utilities. Currently, she manages a consulting business focused on climate, housing, and local projects. In the community her volunteer work includes serving as the President of the Board of Directors for Quixote Community (a regional housing organization), and on the board of South Sound YMCA and PARC (Parks, Arts, Recreation and Culture) Foundation. She has a degree from Indiana University in Political Science and Telecommunications. She lives in Olympia with her husband, Dr. Eddy Cates and loves being in the wilderness especially with her boys now 19 and 24.
Eivind N. Dueland is an accomplished infrastructure investment professional with over 15 years of experience in infrastructure investment and project development in North American and Europe from P3 transactions totaling more than $18 billion. As Senior Vice President of Development at Amber Infrastructure he focuses on accelerating Amber’s interests in public infrastructure projects, and leads all aspects of development and execution of Amber’s P3 and public infrastructure investments in the U.S.
Before joining Amber, Eivind’s firm, Endeavor Infrastructure, LLC, advised companies and investors in the infrastructure and P3 markets in North America. Previously Mr. Dueland also held leading roles with Skanska, where he led P3 transactions as developer and equity investor in the U.S. and Europe – including the successful close of the Ultimate I-4 Project in Florida and the Rv.3 Project in Norway. While at Skanska Eivind also oversaw the structuring of all insurance programs on Skanska’s P3 pursuits in North America, including the USD 4 billion “LaGuardia Central Terminal Building” in New York.
Eivind holds a Master of Science degree in Project Management and Construction Engineering from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and is currently based in Washington DC.
Brian Dugan serves as a Managing Director for Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate. Edgemoor is a leader in the development of public-private partnerships (P3s), with more than $4.5 billion of P3s delivered or under construction nationally. As part of Edgemoor’s leadership team, Brian helps shape the firm’s business strategy, structure, budget and staffing. Additionally, he is responsible for identifying opportunities, forming partnerships, sourcing debt and equity, negotiating contractual arrangements, and overseeing projects. Brian currently serves as CEO of Edgemoor-Star America Judicial Partners, which delivered and now operates and maintains the Howard County Circuit Courthouse in Maryland. Prior to joining Edgemoor in 2013, Brian was with Poseidon and helped develop the $1 billion Carlsbad Seawater Desalination P3 in San Diego County. Brian holds an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management and a BS from the University of Virginia McIntire School of Commerce.
Mr. Ebie is the CEO and founder of the Phoenix Infrastructure Group, an infrastructure investor based in Washington, DC. He has over fifteen years in infrastructure, municipal finance, and public-private partnerships investment banking and advisory experience. Phoenix, founded in 2015, is one of the few minority-owned infrastructure investor/developers in the United States, and is an investor in the Washington, DC Smart Streetlights System, Charlotte Gateway Train Station, among other regional-defining infrastructure projects.
Prior to founding Phoenix, Mr. Ebie has served as an investment banker and financial advisor on both innovative public-private partnerships (P3s) for transportation, energy social and infrastructure projects across the United States, in projects totaling over $8 billion. Mr. Ebie has also advised commercial, federal, state, and local agencies on developing programs designed towards the analysis and procurement of P3s.
Mr. Ebie holds an undergraduate degree from Duke University, an MBA from the University of Chicago, and an JD from Tulane Law School.
Edward is Managing Director for National Bank Financial and Co-Head of US Investment Banking Power, Utilities & Infrastructure. Edward has more than 25 years of infrastructure investment banking and advisory experience in sectors that include water, wastewater, transportation, power/energy, and social infrastructure. Edward’s water-related experience includes: the concession/divestiture of Lower Colorado River Authority’s water assets; Carlsbad Desalination; Rialto Water/Wastewater P3; Enertech Rialto Biosolids Project; San Juan Capistrano Desalination Project; and New Haven WPCA restructuring. Edward held similar leadership positions at Deloitte, BMO Capital Markets, Lehman Brothers, and Barclays. Prior to investment banking, Edward worked for a multi-national consulting firm specializing in large water, wastewater and other environmental-related projects.
Edward has degrees from The Cooper Union (BE), Manhattan College (ME), NYU’s Stern School of Business (MBA). Edward is a CFA charter holder and a licensed professional engineer.
Dr. Morteza Farajian has served as a senior executive leading the Build America Bureau at USDOT (the Bureau) since April 2019. He is responsible for credit programs and loan guarantees (approximately $100 billion in lending capacity and $25 billion in existing portfolio) that support development of large-scale and multimodal transportation infrastructure. The Bureau also promotes innovative project financing solutions and helps state and local governments develop and finance Public-Private Partnership (P3) transactions for transportation facilities.
Prior to this position, Dr. Farajian was serving as acting Deputy Secretary of Transportation and Director of Public-Private Partnerships (P3) Office in Virginia. Over a period of 7 years, he led procurement, financing and contract negotiation of multiple multi-modal transportation projects totaling $10 billion in value. Under his leadership, the P3 program in Virginia was reformed to promote competition, engage stakeholders and increases accountability. He established the first strategic program to manage a portfolio of P3 contracts post-procurement totaling $14 billion in project value.
Dr. Farajian is also an entrepreneur who has co-founded a crowd-financing platform that provides local and small investors the opportunity to invest in infrastructure projects as equity or subordinate debt. He has proven experience in successfully leading multi-disciplinary teams and diverse expertise in P3 transaction structuring and negotiation, organizational transformation, business development, public policy, stakeholder management and project planning/finance.
Dr. Farajian has received his Ph.D. and M.Sc. degrees in Project Management from University of Maryland. He also has a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering. He currently serves as a board member on ARTBA’s P3 Division and TRB’s Revenue and Finance committee.
Adam is the CEO of the SH130 Concession Company, a toll-road P3 between Austin and San Antonio, Texas, where he oversees the Company’s operations and business development pursuits. He was previously the Company’s CFO and still retains direct oversight of the financial reporting, financing and valuation functions.
Adam has 20 years’ experience and has held leadership roles in some of the largest and most innovative P3 transactions in the world. Adam has worked on executed toll road development and M&A transactions totaling more than US$10 billion and successfully closed more than US$5 billion in infrastructure financing, the majority of which involved creative and complex structures utilizing a variety of US infrastructure funding programs such as TIFIA and Private Activity Bonds.
Before joining SH 130, Adam was a Managing Director with KPMG‘s infrastructure advisory practice based in Washington DC, where he advised public sector clients on their key infrastructure priorities, with an emphasis on surface transportation, street lighting and broadband. Prior to KPMG, Adam held executive roles at Transurban, including Vice President of North American Development and CFO, North America. In addition to leading the development and finance functions, Adam’s responsibilities included a number of Board and Committee positions overseeing the company’s multi-billion dollar express lanes network.
Adam is a registered chartered accountant and holds Commerce and Information Systems degrees from the University of Melbourne.
John Hibbard is the Operations Division Director for Georgia DOT. His responsibilities include the oversight and direction of several Georgia DOT Offices. He’s championed the development of the Department’s statewide communications plan, being implemented at this time. John’s 37-year career includes engagements with several engineering consultancies as well as the public sector.
Jorianne Jernberg is the director of the WIFIA Management Division. In this capacity, she is spearheading the implementation of a Federal infrastructure bank at EPA – overseeing the origination, underwriting, negotiation, and monitoring of water, wastewater, and stormwater projects around the country. Prior to joining EPA, Jorianne served as the head of risk management and financial operations at the TIFIA program within the Department of Transportation where she was responsible for a team conducting a wide range of financial, programmatic, and credit functions.
Bio to follow shortly.
Jeffrey Lack is a Senior Director in Fitch Ratings’ Global Infrastructure and Project Finance Group (GIG) and the group’s analytical lead for North American Public Private Partnership (P3) transactions. He is also the group’s analytical lead for the Austin, TX office and the sector lead for North American airport ratings within GIG covering international gateways, hubs, and regional airports. Jeff has responsibilities for credits spanning airports, availability payments, toll roads, and sports sectors, including P3 transactions. He was named one of The Bond Buyer’s Class of 2020 municipal finance Rising Stars.
Since joining Fitch Ratings in 2011, Jeff has analyzed numerous billion dollar public and private P3s and rated municipal credits such as Atlanta International Airport, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority, San Francisco International Airport, the Grand Parkway in Texas, and the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority. Some examples of his public P3 work include rating both Purple Line light rail project financings in Maryland, the Moynihan Station Redevelopment in New York City, and he was the lead analyst for the single agency rating on the LAX Automated People Mover transaction in Los Angeles.
Prior to joining Fitch, Jeff was a Vice President with Alix Partners in its Financial Advisory Services group. Responsibilities included providing litigation consulting and valuation services with a concentration in financial and intellectual property matters. Jeff would complete detailed economic damages analyses in complex commercial disputes and author the correlated expert reports.
Jeff received his BSBA in both Finance and International Business from Washington University in St. Louis, graduating magna cum laude. Jeff grew up playing ice hockey on the East Coast, having the opportunity to compete on the 1980 ‘miracle on ice’ rink in Lake Placid, NY and remains an avid NY Rangers fan. He became a coronavirus groom during the pandemic and is a new dad to his first baby girl.
Profile to follow shortly.
Gail is a Principal Advisor in Strategic Advisory Services for HDR. She joined the company in the Phoenix office just over three years ago after a long career in public service in Arizona.
Gail has globally recognized public and private expertise in innovative delivery methods, and in developing a variety of program and project approaches. She spent 13 years with the Arizona Department of Transportation, serving simultaneously as the first Director of P3 Initiatives and the first Director of International Affairs, where she worked on public-private initiatives that included highways, rest areas, a new office building and a new port of entry on the US-Mexico border.
Since joining HDR, Gail has used her ability to undertake new initiatives and her understanding of alternative delivery and policy to work on a variety of programs. She is currently serving as the Deputy Program Manager for ADOT’s P3 Program Advisory Services contract, which includes advising the agency on its Electric Vehicle Charging rollout. She is also the Project Manager for the Arizona-Sonora Border Infrastructure Master Plan. She is actively working on the EV deployment programs for several other states, including Florida and North Carolina.
Marshall Macomber is AIAI’s Senior Policy Advisor and President of ThinkP3, where he brings his deep knowledge of Federal policy, the legislative process and political communications to help grow the P3 marketplace. Prior to ThinkP3, Macomber served in government for over twelve years in Washington, DC, working in the U.S. House of Representatives as a top aide to a senior Member of Congress. Macomber started ThinkP3 after seeing the potential for Public-Private Partnerships to help provide government services in tight fiscal environments.
In government, Macomber was Chief of Staff to Congressman Mike Rogers of Alabama. He oversaw all legislative and communications strategy for Rogers, a senior Member of Congress serving on the Agriculture, Armed Services and Homeland Security committees. Rogers was also the founder and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Public-Private Partnerships, or P3 Caucus. Macomber was also a Rail Policy Advisor on the Homeland Security Committee under Chairman Peter King (NY). Before being appointed Chief of Staff, Macomber served as Rogers’ Press Secretary. Outside of government, Macomber has been active in political campaigns, helping raise money and providing strategic advice for Congressional candidates. Prior to his career in government, Macomber worked for C-SPAN Television in community relations, marketing and media.
Sean is a Partner at Arthur D. Little based in Boston, and is responsible for ADL’s business development initiatives in the USA, steering top-tier telecom, broadband, and cable companies to stronger market positions and game-changing advances in their offerings and go-to-market approaches. Sean has extensive expertise in investment due diligence and M&A across both buy- and sell-side transactions.
Sean has 25+ years of expertise in consulting and operating roles. At ADL, he has been pivotal in driving ADL’s growth and re-emergence as one of the premier management consulting firms in the USA. Since re-entering the market in 2017, ADL now counts 5 of the top 10 USA telecom operators as clients. Sean also leads the firm’s recruiting efforts and has had an instrumental role in building the ADL USA team and company culture.
Prior to joining ADL, Sean was a VP at Cartesian, where he led the North American Strategy and Management Consulting businesses. Previously, he held several executive positions in Europe, serving as Président-Directeur Général of Le Numéro France (118218) and COO of 118118//Media in the UK.
Sean remains active in ice hockey as a sled/paralympic, collegiate, high-school, and youth on-ice official.
Sean earned his BA in Classics and Business Economics from Brown University and his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
John is a Vice President - Senior Credit Officer in Moody’s Global Project and Infrastructure Finance Team covering a diverse portfolio of project financings, publicprivate partnerships (PPPs), and municipal infrastructure issuers in the transportation, energy and social infrastructure sectors. John chairs Moody’s Global PPP Task Force and is the sector lead for US toll roads, PPPs and generic project financings. John authors research across multiple sectors and annually leads several new rating assignments for new PPPs and project financings in the US and Canada. John was selected as one of the Bond Buyer’s 2017 Rising Stars. Before joining the Infrastructure and Project Finance Team in 2010, John spent two and a half years as a lead analyst for local governments and enterprises in the Eastern Regional Local Government Ratings Team where he was the lead for municipal issuers in Pennsylvania and New York while also covering New Jersey, Virginia, and Florida. Prior to joining Moody’s, John worked as a risk management analyst, a property and casualty insurance account manager, and a health care claims auditor. John is a founding member and was the first co-chair of Moody’s NY Multicultural Employee Resource Group and is a founding steering committee member of Moody’s NY LGBTA Employee Resource Group. John earned his BA degree in Health Care Economics and Policy from Stanford University and his MPA in Health Care Public Finance from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.
Mark Melson is a Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of Tikehau Star Infra Partners, LLC. Since joining Star America in 2012, Mr. Melson has led the efforts to achieve successful closings on the Purple Line project, the Michigan Freeway Lighting project, the three University of Texas student housing projects, the Cathcart rail investment and others. Mr. Melson also served as the executive in charge for Star America’s investment in our two investments alongside Greystar in student housing projects in Eugene and Seattle. He is or was (prior to sale) an active member on the board of managers/directors of the Concessionaires for the Purple Line, Freeway Lighting, Howard County Circuit Courthouse and Cathcart Rail investments and plays a key role in project structuring, legal diligence, risk management, contract administration, and client relations across the portfolios.
Profile to follow shortly.
Mansi Patel is a Managing Director at MetLife Investments Management in the MetLife Private Capital group. She is the Head of the U.S. Infrastructure and Project Finance debt, responsible for transaction sourcing, origination, underwriting and portfolio management across core infrastructure sectors.
Prior to joining MetLife Investment Management in 2006, Ms. Patel held roles at PricewaterhouseCoopers in their advisory and consulting tax divisions. She holds a B.S. degree in Statistics and a B.S. degree in Finance from Rutgers College and a M.B.A. in Finance from Silberman College of Business at Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Anthony is the Senior Managing Director for John Laing’s Americas business based in the United States. Building upon John Laing’s successful long-term involvement in the PPP and Energy markets, Anthony has responsibility for all activities across the Americas region.
Anthony has over 20 years’ experience across multiple Infrastructure markets including the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific. Anthony joined John Laing in 2005 and during this time has also worked in London, Singapore and Sydney. Anthony successfully led John Laing’s entry into the Australian market prior to relocating to the United States in 2014.
Anthony leads a large team of infrastructure specialists based throughout the United States, Canada and Colombia focused upon securing and delivering major Transportation, Social, Digital and Energy transition projects.
Anthony is on the board of The Association for the Improvement of American Infrastructure.
John is the Head of Infrastructure & Energy Capital for the Americas.
John has 23 years of experience in the finance and infrastructure sectors both as a civil engineer and in infrastructure finance.
While at Macquarie, John has led a wide variety of development projects in the transportation, rail, airport, road, social infrastructure and energy sectors. John has also provided advice on infrastructure projects, corporate and project financings, mergers & acquisitions and arranging debt and equity for a variety of transactions for industrial companies, financial sponsors and Governments.
Previously, John worked for a number of years as a civil engineer in Australia on infrastructure projects, before completing his Doctorate at Oxford University in civil engineering, and subsequently his Master ofApplied Finance.
Lorne Potash is a Managing Director at Assured Guaranty based in New York where he isresponsibleforitsProjectFinance/InfrastructurebusinessacrosstheAmericas. Withwiderangingexperience, his transactions involve transportation, social infrastructure and energy projects acrossthe U.S. and Latin America.
Lorne joined Assured Guaranty in 2006 as part of the Structured Finance group where he workedon whole-business securitizations and esoteric asset-backed transactions before working on theacquisition of FSA and transitioning into project finance in 2009. Prior to joining AssuredGuaranty he was with Ambac (New York) and involved with the lease financings of aircraft,rolling stock and electric utilities, Andersen Corporate Finance (New York) where he was involvedwith the financings of energy turbines and Arthur Andersen in Toronto, Curaçao and New Yorkin various capacities.
Lorne has been involved in the financial markets for over 30 years. He holds a Bachelor’s Degreein Honors Business Administration from the Ivey Business School at the University of WesternOntario in London, Ontario, Canada. Lorne is a CFA charter holder, Certified Public Accountantand member of the New York Society of Security Analysts and Municipal Analysts Group of NewYork.
Amit Rikhy is Co-founder and CEO of CAG Holdings, Carlyle’s dedicated investment and development platform for airport infrastructure. CAG is built to develop and invest in airport infrastructure at the intersection of decarbonization, energy transition and digitization, in conjunction with delivering positive community and customer outcomes.
Amit has 25+ years of airport development, investment and management experience and has led over 50 airport projects globally. Under Amit’s leadership, CAG led the sourcing, structuring, development and financing of the landmark $9.5 billion New Terminal One at JFK — the largest, privately financed aviation infrastructure project ever undertaken in the United States, which will deliver a world-class (Skytrax 5-star) experience for NTO’s airline partners, passengers, retail & catering partners and visitors. At the core of this world-class experience, will be a terminal that is powered by the largest rooftop solar array in United States, complemented with a next-generation sustainable and resilient microgrid and a fully digitized passenger journey from curb to the airfield. Throughout his career, Amit has worked closely with management teams to drive business performance and transformation and has served on multiple airport boards, where he has provided guidance on development, regulatory, financing and business performance objectives.
Amit has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University. He resides in Washington DC and serves on the Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School Real Estate/Infrastructure Advisory Board.
Jorge’s global airport management and public-private partnership (P3) development and investment career spans over 15 years, including leading the $150 million New Haven Airport P3 and co-originating the $9.5 billion JFK Terminal One P3.
He is currently a proud Board Member (Advisor) of ACI’s Latin American and Caribbean region, a member of the President’s Advisory Board for NY’s Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, member of A.A.A.E.’s National Leadership Committee, volunteer for the Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC), and Board Trustee of the University of Washington’s Friends of the Educational Opportunity Program.
He holds an International Airport Professional accreditation from Airports Council International (ACI) and ICAO’s airport management program (AMPAP), and two bachelor’s degrees in economics and business from the University of Washington in Seattle and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.
David Roy is the Chief Financial Officer for the North Carolina Turnpike Authority (NCTA), which is responsible for the development, financing and management of toll roads across the state of North Carolina. NCTA owns approximately $3 billion in facilities that are either open and operating or under construction, with an additional $6 billion in various stages of development. Since joining the Authority in 2013, Mr. Roy has been responsible for overseeing all finance, budget, debt and cash management, treasury, audit and financial risk management functions of the Authority. Prior to joining NCTA, Mr. Roy spent seven years in investment banking, serving in various fixed income and valuation risk capacities. Mr. Roy is a native of Raleigh, North Carolina and received his undergraduate degree in Business Administration, with a second major in Economics, from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He later received his master's degree in business administration from the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business.
Profile to follow shortly.
Kamil joined Tikehau Star Infra Partners, LLC (“Star”) in 2012 and is involved in investments in the transportation, telecommunication, environmental and social infrastructure sectors. Kamil focuses on sourcing, structuring and monitoring portfolio investments. Amongst other, Kamil was involved in Star’s investments in the Purple Line, Michigan Freeway Lighting, University of Texas at Dallas or Cathcart Rail and serves on the board of directors of several portfolio companies.
With previous experience working on the finance team for a leading global concessionaire and contractor, Kamil brings strong U.S. and international project finance credentials and a multi-disciplinary engineering background to Star.
Kamil holds a master’s degree in Civil Engineering and a master’s degree in Project and Structured Finance from Ecole des Ponts Paris Tech and a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the Czech Technical University.
Suhrita is the Founder and Principal of Infrastructure Advisors, a platform devoted to development, planning, and financing of infrastructure including the unique multidisciplinary needs of P3s. She advises national and international leadership in public private partnerships in roles as varied as financial advisor, strategic advisor, and technical advisor. Suhrita is an advocate for entrepreneurism, innovation and diversity in infrastructure.
Profile to follow shortly.
Profile to follow shortly.
Jodia Vanel currently serves as a Federal Program Officer representing the great state of New York. In her current role she leads the Internet for All initiative focused on Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) along with Digital (DE) in the state of New York under the Department of Commerce and National Telecommunications and Information Administration and Biden Administration. Jodia works with New York’s State Broadband Office, community stakeholders, industry services providers along with others to ensure that affordable and accessible broadband services are achieved for all.
Jodia previously worked as a Client Executive at Microsoft focused on state and local government where she helped agencies across New York digitally transform and modernize. Prior to this, Jodia served as founder of a certified minority, women owned business enterprise (“MWBE”) focused on strategic consulting, stakeholder management and project management. Moreover, Jodia has 15 years of corporate insurance and risk management experience in both domestic and international business. She has worked with many brands and industries in almost every market and time zone across the world. Jodia brings a wealth of knowledge from the private sector, stakeholder management, government and her experiences in living and working in cities like Boston, New York, London, and Sydney.
Jodia is a proud “yardie” from Jamaica, raised in Boston and has been living in New York for about 20 years. She is an active member of her community and throughout New York. Jodia is a champion of diversity, inclusion and equity for all, a small business advocate, tech, and STEAM inclusive society and an avid MWBE supporter. Additionally, Jodia serves as a Queens County Committee Member, Queens Tech Council Member, Boys and Girls Club of Metro Queens Board Member, Museum Hue Board Member and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated Member.
Jodia is a 2004 graduate of Regis College and a 2003 intern of the United Kingdom Parliament, under Member of Parliament (Scotland) and part of the Tony Blair Administration.
Pablo Villanueva is the current Manager of the US Operations at Atlas Arteria, leading M&A activities, improving the operational performance and capital structure in P3 projects in North America. Pablo has extensive experience in project finance, having worked on several major complex P3 projects across North & South America, Europe, and Australia from their origination to their operational phase. Prior to joining Atlas Arteria in 2022, Pablo worked at Cintra, where he led the screening and execution of bidding, M&A transactions, capital structure optimization, including issuing bonds, and financial model preparation for Managed Lanes projects. Pablo holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and Law from Universidad Pontificia de Comillas (ICADE) in Spain.
Profile to follow shortly.
Jamie Wilhelm oversees ACC’s public-private partnership division and is responsible for all on-campus business development efforts, including our American Campus Equity (ACE) program. Under Jamie's leadership, his team has developed and/or completed more than 75 on-campus transactions totaling approximately 65,000 beds and approximately $6.1 billion in total project cost. These transactions have been completed as third-party, tax-exempt bond finance projects, conventional leasehold mortgages, university general obligation bonds and direct investments under the ACE program.
Prior to joining ACC, Jamie specialized in higher education and related non-profit finance. During an investment banking career that spanned nearly two decades, he participated in the origination of more than $2 billion of debt and derivative transactions for more than 80 higher education institutions and non-profits. He also served as the investment banker for more than $350 million of ACC projects. Jamie joined ACC from RBC’s public finance department where he served as the managing director of the higher education sector. Prior to RBC, he was a managing director with Banc One Capital Markets (currently JPMorgan Capital Markets) and held positions at McDonald & Company Securities (currently KeyBanc Capital Markets) and The Ohio Company (currently Fifth Third Markets). Jamie is a graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
Profile to follow shortly
Jonathan is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners (SIP). Over two decades Jonathan has led three private equity platforms and personally led investments of over $3B with a focus on the application of technology to real assets.
Previously, Jonathan was Head of Investments for Alphabet’s urban innovation platform. In this role, Jonathan managed dedicated investment funds related to technology venture capital, real estate, and infrastructure.
He previously founded Nereus in 2009, a private equity fund that invests in alternative energy infrastructure in Asia. Prior to Nereus, Jonathan worked at the D. E. Shaw group where he built the private equity team across venture capital, growth equity, and structured finance. Jonathan started his career by founding startups in natural language processing and computational biochemistry.
Jonathan graduated from Yale with degrees in Philosophy and Computer Science. Jonathan is based in SIP’s Brooklyn office and lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Jim is a Principal at Rebel, where he focuses on advising federal, state, and local government and private sector entities on the funding, financing, procurement and operation of infrastructure assets. His experience includes Public-Private Partnerships (P3), project financings, municipal financings, project prioritization, benefit-cost analysis, and long-term funding analysis, particularly in the transportation, energy, and social infrastructure (government facilities) sectors. He has over 30 years of experience in US municipal finance, project finance, and management consulting as a financial advisor, investment banker, derivatives marketer, and management consultant. Recently, Jim has worked on transactions and projects for the Miami-Dade Beach Corridor, the University of Houston at Sugar Land, Howard County, MD, and the Clackamas County Courthouse P3, which won the 2022 IJ Global Social Infrastructure P3 Deal of the Year.