Laura Franke

Senior Consulting Manager

Laura Franke is a Senior Managing Consultant in PFM’s Los Angeles office. Prior to joining PFM, Ms. Franke founded an independent financial advisory firm that specialized in assisting public agencies and private sector clients with debt financing for energy and water efficiency projects. At PFM, she continues to focus on providing clients with services that include: evaluation of municipal debt bond types, incentives, and grants to achieve the most cost-effective debt issuance for environmental projects; development, funding and management of Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Programs; evaluation, structuring and funding of power purchase agreements and leases; and traditional municipal debt issuance for capital projects and cash flow financing. Prior to founding her financial advisory firm, Ms. Franke was an Investment Banker for over 20 years with expertise in the management of pooled debt issuance. As an investment banker at Piper Jaffray Companies and George K. Baum & Company, Ms. Franke worked with over 500 California clients and issued municipal debt exceeding $17 billion. As a member of the Program Management team to California School Boards Association (CSBA) for its annual Cash Reserve Program, Ms. Franke worked closely with school districts and Program colleagues to prepare, structure and simultaneously issue tax and revenue anticipation notes (TRANS) for over 400 participants with a par amount exceeding $1 billion (peak amount in 2001, annual amounts varied). In addition to this Program, Ms. Franke managed issuance of dozens of General Obligation Bonds, Certificates of Participation, and Refundings. Ms. Franke was born and raised in the Seattle, Washington area and is a graduate of Central Washington University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.