CSMFO Student Spotlight: Taylor Samuelson

Taylor Samuelson, City of Lake Forest and Student Engagement Committee Member & Amber Johnson, Director of Administrative Services, City of Belvedere and Chair of the Student Engagement Committee

The CSMFO Student Engagement Committee is growing and excited to introduce a career in municipal finance to a new generation! We are excited to spotlight a current student, working professional, and member of the Student Engagement Committee, Taylor Samuelson from the City of Lake Forest. Read on for insights into Taylor’s experience as a CSMFO student. If you know of any students looking to get involved or have a local college or university in need of outreach, please feel free to reach out to the Student Engagement Committee!

1. How did you become aware of CSMFO, and specifically CSMFO student membership?

I became aware of CSMFO while conducting research in my work. I found the student membership option extremely attractive, especially given that I am working in municipal finance and going to school simultaneously.

2. There are many free benefits associated with CSMFO membership – have any of these proven valuable for you personally?

I find the free benefits of the CSMFO membership extremely useful for both networking and insight. I regularly utilize the Knowledge base and found the CSMFO annual conference extremely insightful and an amazing learning opportunity. At the conference, hearing the practical sessions and meeting others in municipal finance helped me gain meaningful information and learn a ton.

3. How can CSMFO leaders help enhance the student experience of being a member?

CSMFO can enhance the student experience probably by finding new avenues such as hosting meet and greets for students through different platforms like Clubhouse as well as maximizing its presence on LinkedIn.

4. As a recent grad school graduate, do you have any advice for students going back to school this fall?

My advice for working students is that the best learning is by practice. While academic programs are useful, CSMFO offers the best practical applied learning environment one could ask for.

5. Which CSMFO committee is your favorite, and why is it Student Engagement?

My favorite committee is obviously the Student Engagement Committee, primarily because connecting the future of government finance to industry practitioners is so important. It’s very fulfilling to support where I can.

6. Anything else you’d like to share with the CSMFO community?

CSMFO is one of the best resources for those wanting to learn and advance their career in municipal finance. The networking benefits of just getting involved are limitless, and students with or without specific backgrounds can get right in the thick of it and learn quickly.

I highly recommend CSMFO to any student, and believe the management is interested in reaching students across a wide range of disciplines and focus areas. CSMFO is more than just an association, it is the best way to meet and learn from finance professionals in the state of California.

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Taylor Samuelson joined CSMFO in 2019 and is an active member of the Student Engagement Committee. Taylor received his BA in Public Administration from CSU Fullerton and is currently pursuing an MPA – Law and Public Policy degree at Liberty University while working full-time as a Finance Analyst at the City of Lake Forest.

Amber Johnson is the Chair of the Student Engagement Committee and serves as the Director of Administrative Services for the City of Belvedere, California. She has a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management and holds the Certified Public Finance Officer designation with GFOA. Amber has over 20 years of experience in accounting and finance, with 10 years of progressive local government experience. In her free time, she can be found having wonderful adventures near and far with her family – her husband Daryl, and two young kids – Zach (8) and Gabi (6).