OPENING GENERAL SESSION: Download From DC: Polling vs. Policy
Housing and affordability are dominating headlines, from the heights of Davos to the halls of DC and during the runup to the midterm elections. MBA’s President and CEO Bob Broeksmit recaps the DC state of play and, joined by panelists, offers a roadmap to what’s ahead for real estate finance. The session opens with remarks from MBA's 2026 Chair Christine Chandler.
Speakers
Welcome
Robert (Bob) Broeksmit is President and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). Bob is a senior finance executive and corporate officer with a 35-year career in the mortgage sector. He has directed all aspects of lending activities, including marketing, sales, operations, secondary marketing, loan servicing, and default management. He has also served as a mortgage underwriting expert testifying on many large, high-profile cases. Prior to joining MBA in 2018, Bob served as President and Chief Operating Officer with Treliant, heading the firm’s mortgage litigation support practice and serving diverse financial services clientele including large banks, independent mortgage lenders, community banks, credit unions, and service providers to the mortgage industry. As a Washington-based financial services consultancy, Treliant’s mortgage practice included strategic advisory for executive management and corporate boards; litigation defense, including file reviews, litigation strategy, expert reports, and expert testimony; CFPB examination preparation and implementation of mortgage regulations promulgated by the CFPB and other regulators; and operational aspects of mortgage banking, ranging from origination to servicing and loss mitigation. Before Treliant, Bob held senior leadership positions in the mortgage business, including fourteen years with Chevy Chase Bank (including after its purchase by Capital One), where he was Executive Vice President and President of its B.F. Saul Mortgage Company subsidiary. Bob also was a Vice President at Prudential Home Mortgage for seven years. He has overseen annual originations of $9 billion, a balance sheet of $10 billion in residential mortgages, and a servicing portfolio of $20 billion. He also held positions at Great Western Mortgage, Krupp Residential Mortgage, and The Money Store. Bob has served as the Chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Residential Board of Governors and as a member of its Board of Directors. Firms under his leadership have garnered multiple awards for servicing operations excellence, including Freddie Mac’s Tier One and Hall of Fame designations. He is a Certified Mortgage Banker (CMB) and a graduate of Yale University.
Christine Chandler has been with M&T since 1991 and has more than 30 years of experience in commercial real estate finance. Since 2018, she has been Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer and has overseen credit, asset management, compliance, technology and transformation. Active in various committees and groups related to the mortgage banking industry, Chandler serves as 2026 MBA Chairman and is a voting member of MBA’s Board of Directors, served as the 2023 Chair of MBA’s Commercial Real Estate/Multifamily Finance Board of Governors (COMBOG), and served on MBA’s Finance and Audit Committee. She is a sought-after speaker at industry conferences and is a passionate advocate for mPower, MBA Promoting Opportunities for Women to Extend their Reach, the largest networking organiz
Speakers
Maren Kasper joined Bayview in November 2019 and is CEO of Lakeview Loan Servicing. She became CEO in June 2025 after leading Bayview’s emerging businesses and strategic initiatives. Previously, Maren served as Acting President, EVP, and COO of the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), following her work as Senior White House Advisor at HUD during the presidential transition. She also held leadership roles at Roofstock, a real estate technology company, as well as B2R Finance, a Blackstone-owned company, and Wells Fargo Securities Equity Research. Maren earned a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University and an MBA from New York University.
With more than 40 years of experience, Gene Lugat is a respected leader and advocate in the mortgage industry. As Executive Vice President of Government Relations at PrimeLending, he drives the company’s national advocacy efforts and represents the industry’s interests at the highest levels. Gene’s influence extends across the industry. He currently serves as a member of Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) 2026 Board of Directors, having previously held positions as Chairman of the MBA Residential Board of Governors, an MBA Executive Board Member, Chair of the MBA’s Mortgage Action Alliance Committee, and President of the Maryland Mortgage Bankers Association. Since joining PrimeLending in 2009, he has held multiple executive roles, including EVP of the Eastern Division, overseeing production across 28 states. Recognized as a HousingWire Vanguard in 2022 and “Maryland Mortgage Banker of the Year” in 2006, Gene is also a graduate of Shepherd University and a member of its Athletic Hall of Fame.
