Makiko was an associate with KNN Public Finance from 2003-2006 and after earning her master’s degree in New York, she returned to the firm in 2009. She provides various analytic and quantitative support for the firm’s schools group.

Makiko has assisted K-12 school districts in the issuance of more than $500 million in tax-exempt municipal bonds and notes. She also has experience in:

• Structuring debt amortization schedules for municipal bonds

• Analyzing issuer financial statements for disclosure documentation and rating agency review

• Monitoring bond refunding opportunities to achieve savings for taxpayers or the issuer.

Makiko earned her master’s degree in public administration, with a specialization in finance, from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. During graduate school, she interned at Ambac Financial Group, Inc., where she completed credit analyses for municipal issuers and monitored refundings. Makiko worked at Merrill Lynch in their public finance group after graduate school before returning to KNN. Makiko has passed all three levels of the Chartered Financial Analyst Program and may be eligible for the CFA charter upon completion of the required work experience. Finally, she earned her dual bachelor’s degrees in economics and legal studies from the University of California, Berkeley.

Makiko is happy to be back to California, where she was born and raised, and is excited about the opportunity to provide hands-on assistance to the school districts in her own backyard and throughout the State. Fluent in Japanese, Makiko participates in a masters swimming program in her spare time.