A new forum aims to bring state and local issuers together to share ideas, discuss emerging challenges, and strengthen Oklahoma’s public finance community.
On April 22, public finance professionals from across Oklahoma will gather for the inaugural Oklahoma Public Finance Alliance Spring Forum, a new event designed to create space for issuers to connect, share insights, and discuss the challenges in municipal finance.
Hosted with the support of the Oklahoma State Treasurer’s Office, the forum brings together state and local finance professionals, from large state issuers managing billion-dollar bond offerings to school district finance directors handling smaller annual issuances. While their responsibilities may differ in scale, they share many of the same challenges.
“We’re calling this the Oklahoma Public Finance Alliance because it really stemmed from the idea that issuers want a space to talk about what they’re working on, what’s new for them, and what challenges they’re facing,” said Alexandra Edwards, Deputy Treasurer for Debt Management. “We wanted to provide a place for those conversations to happen, alongside some additional training and insight.”
While conferences and industry events exist at the national level, organizers say Oklahoma has not historically had a dedicated gathering that brings together the full spectrum of public finance professionals across the state.
The Spring Forum aims to change that.
The event is designed for a wide range of participants, including:
For some attendees, such as school district CFOs who may issue bonds only occasionally, the opportunity to hear from peers and industry experts can be particularly valuable.
“A finance director at a school district might be involved in just one bond issue a year,” Edwards said. “This forum gives them a chance to hear about best practices, emerging issues, and things they may want to consider the next time they go to market.”
The agenda for the forum reflects the pressures public finance professionals face today. Sessions will explore legislative developments, cybersecurity risks, emerging best practices, and the role technology plays in modern treasury operations.
Market volatility and geopolitical developments continue to influence the timing and pricing of bond offerings, making it critical for issuers to stay informed and adaptable.
“There are market-driven dynamics that everyone faces,” Edwards explained. “As you move toward pricing, geopolitical events and market shifts can change the environment quickly. Understanding those dynamics and learning how to respond to them is important for issuers at every level.”
Cybersecurity is another growing concern. As financial transactions and sensitive data become increasingly digital, protecting systems and processes has become a necessary part of modern public finance operations.
The forum’s sessions aim to give practitioners practical insight into these risks while encouraging discussion about how organizations can strengthen their internal processes.
Another key topic at the forum is how technology is helping finance teams take a more proactive approach to managing debt and treasury operations.
Edwards noted that the concept of “active treasury management” is gaining traction as organizations look for ways to improve visibility and decision-making.
“Introducing people to ways they can be proactive in their space, whether that’s debt management, investment management, or other treasury responsibilities, is incredibly valuable,” she said.
The event will include a demonstration by DebtBook of treasury management technology alongside a panel discussion featuring public finance professionals sharing their real-world experience using modern tools.
Fittingly, the inaugural forum will take place at the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City, a venue that itself reflects the impact of municipal finance.
Much of the museum’s construction was funded through municipal bond financing, an example of how public finance enables transformative projects within communities.
“To have the inaugural event in a venue that was built with bonds brings everything full circle,” Edwards said. “It’s a reminder of the impact this work has across the state.”
Ultimately, the organizers hope the forum strengthens collaboration among Oklahoma’s public finance professionals and sparks conversations that continue long after the event ends.
“A lot of entities are doing things really well,” said Jamie Manoles, Director of the Oklahoma Capitol Improvement Authority (OCIA). “If someone walks away from this with one idea that helps them make their issuances more secure, or helps them create a better system of information in their organization, then that’s a success.”
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