Female Leaders in Mortgage | Elite Women 2023

 

 

Elite Women creating change 

MPA asked all nominees if there was a lack of female leaders in the mortgage industry. The results are displayed below. 

However, 2023’s Elite Women are changing this dynamic with their outstanding abilities, which have earned them recognition among their peers. 

“There is no job that is beneath me,” says Erica LaCentra, chief marketing officer of RCN Capital. “I find that as people get into positions of management or upward levels like the C-suite, there are a lot of folks that take the mentality that ‘this is beneath me’ and ‘other people can do this work.’ 

“I also have a willingness to be vocal as far as advocating for other women in my space and really calling attention to the disparity between how women are treated versus men in the space.” 

LaCentra has distinguished herself by winning the following: 

• 2017 AAPL Member of the Year 

• 2017 NMP Magazine Most Influential Mortgage Professionals Under 40

• 2018 MPA’s Hot 100 and MPA’s Elite Women 

• 2019 NMP Magazine Mortgage Banking’s Most Powerful Women 

• 2020 MPA’s Mortgage Global 100 

• 2022 Women of NACLB 

Industry expert Kathleen McSharry, senior director of tri-state debt and equity finance at Avison Young, puts forward her rationale for shaping the mortgage sector. 

“A woman of influence puts the clients’ needs first, works diligently, pays attention to detail and shows a willingness or ability to think creatively,” she says. 

Melissa Cohn, regional vice president and mortgage banker at William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance, describes how she is driving change and offering a role model for other women to follow. 

She says, “I think I work harder than anyone else. I don’t have a 9-to-5 mentality. The first thing I do when I wake up is check my emails and the bond market, and I work as long as it takes every day to get the job done. I’m not afraid of challenges. I don’t just take the easy loans.” 

After graduating from Smith College in 1982, Cohn got into the mortgage business, launching The Manhattan Mortgage Company in 1985. Since then, she has: 

• grown her business into the no. 1 residential mortgage broker on the east coast with over $5 billion in yearly volume

• been nominated as a leading LO by Mortgage Women Magazine in 2023

• been nominated as a top LO in the Scotsman Guide in 2023  

• attained the top-producing LO for William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance 

To make the most of her talents, Elite Woman Stacy Caprioli is guided by her team, even though she is chief appraiser at Nationwide Appraisal Network and has 17 years of industry experience. 

“I believe that my ability to lead with a strong focus on not only where we are but also where we are headed is a trait that has set me aside from peers. I am also always available to assist in any of the roles I lead,” says Caprioli. “There isn’t a day that I do not pivot to assist one of my team members and often start my day with, ‘Where do you need me the most?’” 

Underscoring her ability to add value across a range of operations, Caprioli is:

• a certified residential appraiser in the states of WI and VA 

• a real estate sales agent in the state of WI 

• a candidate for accreditation with the Appraisal Institute  

 

 

Words of wisdom from 2023’s Elite Women

Illustrating the breadth of talent and skills in the industry, MPA asked the nominees, “What do you see as your biggest strength?” 

Feedback ranged from perseverance to loyalty to honesty: 

• “hard work, knowledge, patience and diligence” 

• “grit and integrity” 

• “having a huge book of business and placing myself in the purchase account” 

• “a great communicator with my clients” 

The Elite Women 2023 are not only leading by example but are also keen to share their advice with younger females following in their wake. 

“Find a mentor and allow them to guide you as you continue to grow professionally,” says expert McSharry. “Form alliances with people you admire and never pass up a chance to learn. Take credit for what you accomplish and don’t apologize for doing so.” 

This theme resonates with Cristy Ward, Mortgage Connect’s executive vice president and chief strategy officer and president and founder of the non-profit organization Women Empowering Women. She admits to a lack of belief in the early stages of her career. 

“My advice would be to stop second-guessing yourself. I see so many women at the highest ranks still second-guessing themselves,” she says. 

Ward’s driven attitude has enabled her to achieve success, and she illustrates that mindset. 

“Be certain of your talents and what you can bring to an organization. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you deserve; if you don’t get it, you have your answer. Make whatever move you need to so that you are valued for what you bring. Be fearless and, most of all, be kind to everyone along the way,” she says. 

To foster more female leaders in the mortgage sector and create mentors, LaCentra also feels it’s important to raise awareness about the achievements of others. 

“Women naturally downplay their achievements because that’s often what we’re told to do,” she says. “We’re not bragging or appearing too headstrong. That mentality needs to go out the window. And I think the more we highlight that, the more women will see that and want to come into this space.” 

Going a step further is Cohn, who agrees that being proactive is the best path to recognition and bringing about meaningful change. 

She says, “Men do not like to be challenged by successful, smart and aggressive women in business. My greatest struggles have been when I have come up against men that are challenged by me and want to hold me back, so they don’t have to showcase their shortcomings.” 

Cohn also shared solutions that would change the face of the sector and create more female leaders. 

“There are really two things that can be done: one is to promote more women, and the other is to work harder to recruit more women into the industry,” she says. 

 

Obstacles conquered by 2023’s Elite Women

in their mortgage careers 

MPA asked all nominees, “What’s the most difficult thing about being a woman in the mortgage industry?” 

 A selection of the responses was: 

• “Women like to cut other women down, thinking this helps them succeed.”

• “Managing work-family balance.” 

• “The Boys’ Club.” 

 

 

 

The Elite Women of 2023 have endured their own challenging situations where their gender has unfairly worked against them. 

Caprioli openly reveals her own struggles. 

She says, “As a woman, I have faced hurdles with unequal pay, scheduling demands and inadequate communication.” 

Caprioli recounts her strategies for overcoming these issues: 

• open, honest and direct communication 

• being logical and factual 

• increasing knowledge

“The key to growth is expanding your knowledge base and having a supported basis for advancement,” says Caprioli, who actively participates in her firm’s mentorship program. 

LaCentra recounts facing discrimination, harassment and being discounted. 

She says, “There are going to be those people, typically men, who think women don’t know as well as they do, and one of the things that has allowed me to overcome it is just proving these people wrong and working hard. 

“Sometimes that means working twice, three times or five times as hard as one of my male counterparts to get to where I need to be.” 

 

• Abby Polin
  
  Senior Vice President of Residential Lending
  
  Draper and Kramer Mortgage
• Alicia Brisbane
  
  National Business Development Director
  
  Stronghill Capital
• Allycyn Bennett
  
  Loan Manager
  
  Sandstone Financial
• Anne Nauts
  
  Managing Partner and Senior Loan Officer
  
  Arbor One Mortgage Group
• Annmarie Edwards
  
  Founder and Chief Executive Officer
  
  AVE Mortgage
• Ashley Wood
  
  Vice President, Mortgage Verification Services
  
  Equifax
• Candice McNaught
  
  Senior Vice President of National Sales
  
  Supreme Lending
• Coco Ke
  
  Treasurer
  
  Toorak Capital Partners
• Corrina Carter
  
  Owner and Chief Executive Officer
  
  CMS Mortgage Solutions
• Dawn Van Nieuwenhuyzen
  
  Senior Mortgage Banker
  
  Plains Commerce Bank
• Deborah Robertson
  
  Director of Sales
  
  PowerHouse Solutions
• Denise Panza
  
  Senior Mortgage Banker
  
  Total Mortgage
• Heather Devoto
  
  Vice President and Branch Manager
  
  First Home Mortgage
• Helda Saad
  
  Assistant Vice President, Executive Project Manager, and Director of Mortgage Lending Operations
  
  First Independence Bank
• Jackie Studdert
  
  Chief Operating Officer
  
  Polly
• Jamie Veight
  
  Senior Vice President, Operations
  
  Xactus
• Jane Mason
  
  Founder and Chief Executive Officer
  
  Clarifire
• Jane Floyd
  
  Loan Originator and SE Regional Manager
  
  NFM Lending
• Jennifer Vallinayagam
  
  Chief Operating Officer
  
  Sun West Mortgage
• Katie Sweeney
  
  Chief Executive Officer
  
  AIME
• Kim Krick
  
  Vice President, Eastern Region Wholesale Division
  
  Freedom Mortgage
• Laird Nossuli
  
  Chief Executive Officer
  
  iEmergent
• Lana Izgarsheva
  
  Chief Operating Officer
  
  A&D Mortgage
• Laura Brandao
  
  Chief Growth Officer and Partner
  
  EPM
• Leah Goldmintz
  
  Senior Vice President, Capital Markets
  
  CoreVest Finance
• Leah Sommerville
  
  Senior Account Executive
  
  DocMagic
• Lesley Alli
  
  Chief Investor and Industry Relations Officer
  
  Homepoint
• Linda Davidson
  
  Branch Manager and Senior Loan Officer
  
  Fairway Independent Mortgage
• Lori Lewis
  
  Branch Manager
  
  CrossCountry Mortgage
• Luisa Bedoya
  
  Vice President and Senior Mortgage Planner
  
  MSA Mortgage
• Maria Moskver
  
  Chief Executive Officer
  
  Cloudvirga
• Martha-Rosalind Stainton
  
  Co-Founder and Partner
  
  Potomac Point Group
• Megan Marsh
  
  Co-Founder and Loan Originator
  
  Co/LAB Lending
• Melinda Wilner
  
  Chief Operating Officer
  
  United Wholesale Mortgage
• Melissa Wright
  
  Chief Sales Marketing Officer
  
  American Pacific Mortgage
• Melissa Cohn
  
  Regional Vice President and Vice President, Mortgage Banker
  
  William Raveis Real Estate, Mortgage & Insurance
• Natasha Robinson
  
  Vice President of Renovation Lending
  
  Guaranteed Rate Affinity
• Patty Arvielo
  
  Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
  
  New American Funding
• Serene Vernon
  
  President and Shareholder
  
  LoanStream Mortgage
• Shana Jones
  
  Vice President
  
  The Federal Savings Bank
• Shannon Johnson
  
  Program Manager/Business Architect
  
  Tavant
• Stacey Maisano
  
  Director of Business Development
  
  Polunsky Beitel Green
• Stacy Caprioli
  
  Chief Appraiser
  
  Nationwide Appraisal Network
• Tawn Kelley
  
  President
  
  Taylor Morrison
• Tiffany Searcy Wright
  
  Vice President/Mortgage Banker
  
  Regions Bank
• Valerie Saunders
  
  President-Elect
  
  National Association of Mortgage Brokers