Butler Snow attorney Charity Karanja was recently invited to join the Women in Public Finance’s Emerging Leaders Council. She joins a group of high-achieving professionals who have demonstrated exceptional talent and impact in their work within the public finance industry. Council members serve a two-year term and have the opportunity to learn from and connect with fellow leaders.
Founded in 1997, Women in Public Finance is a professional networking organization for women in the public finance industry. The goal of the organization is to advance women’s leadership opportunities by fostering relationships and providing education al activities and forums.
Charity is a member of Butler Snow’s Public Finance, Tax Incentives and Credit Markets Group and has the distinction of being one of six women in the nation named to the 2024 Class of the Caren S. Franzini Fellowship, a merit-based program by the Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA) Foundation, recognizing outstanding women in development finance for their leadership and dedication to the advancement of the industry. Charity has been recognized by The National Black Lawyers as one of its Top 40 Under 40 and featured in a Spotlight by the National Association of Bond Lawyers (NABL), highlighting her career and accomplishments in public finance. She is also an Honored Listee in the 2025 Marquis Who’s Who in America Registry, recognizing her achievements, contributions, and impact in her field.
Charity is a Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) through the Council for Development Finance Agencies, a certification awarded to the most qualified leaders within the development finance industry. In her practice, Charity has served in multiple roles on public, private, and public-private finance transactions, including economic development matters, and has represented both governmental and private organizations in a variety of financing structures, including new market tax credit (NMTC) transactions.
Charity earned her bachelor’s degree from Cornell University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law and is a member of various civic and legal organizations, including the National Association of Bond Lawyers (NABL), Women in Public Finance (WPF), and the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA). As part of her continued dedication to the industry, Charity has presented at various conferences and seminars on matters relating to public finance, and authored various articles, including a financing toolkit for medium-density housing developments titled: “Financing Tools and Incentives for Developers in Missing Middle Housing.”
