GENERAL SESSION: Hindsight, Insight, and Foresight: A Leadership Conversation
Leadership today requires more than just vision — it demands adaptability, emotional intelligence, and the courage to drive meaningful change. In this candid conversation, industry leaders unpack the values, strategies, and hard-earned lessons that have shaped their approach to leading through uncertainty, developing talent, and creating lasting impact. Leave the session with new approaches to navigate crises and cultural shifts, develop high-performing teams, and embrace transparency to boldly drive progress. Sponsored by Optimal Blue.
Speakers
Introductions
Sara Holtz is chief marketing officer (CMO) at Optimal Blue. Sara is responsible for the vision, strategy, planning, development, and execution of Optimal Blue’s comprehensive marketing and communications efforts. She has over 25 years of experience in marketing and communications, including almost 20 years spent in the mortgage and financial services industries. Sara’s previous positions have included vice president of demand marketing and communications for ICE Mortgage Technology, part of Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE), AVP of marketing for PremierOne Credit Union, and senior director of communications for Ellie Mae. A bridge between insight and impact, Sara drives alignment across teams to embrace purpose and vision, while focusing on objectives that push business forward. Sara has a bachelor’s degree in communications from St. Mary’s University and a master’s in creative writing from the University of North Texas.
Moderator
Laura Hopkins is Senior Vice President of Membership at the Mortgage Bankers Association in Washington, DC. The department develops, strengthens, and manages relationships with senior executives and their staff at the Association's member companies to maximize the value of their MBA membership and engagement. Toward this end, the department coordinates and facilitates the integration of member companies across the MBA by connecting them to MBA resources that support their individual needs. The MBA membership department is dedicated to managing, enhancing, and strengthening MBA member engagement within MBA and our industry.
Speakers
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 responsible for making credit decisions for M&T RCC multifamily and healthcare transactions underwritten in the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (Agency) and Federal Housing Administration (FHA) platforms as well as managing the company’s operations and its Asset Management Group and Transformation team. Prior to that, Chandler served 13 years as the M&T RCC Chief FHA Underwriter, was a senior Fannie Mae DUS Underwriter, and previously spent several years managing the closing and delivery for FHA and Ginnie Mae transactions. Chandler has also served as a relationship manager in the company’s commercial real estate division, focusing on construction and permanent portfolio lending. Active in various committees and groups related to the mortgage banking industry, Chandler 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 was appointed to MBA’s Audit Committee in 2021. 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 organization for women in real estate finance.
Ms. Fregosi joined Lennar Mortgage a division of Lennar Corporation (NYSE:LEN and LEN.B) in March 2023 as Executive Vice President. In this role she is responsible for all the mortgage operations, including processing, underwriting and closing. During her tenure, she established an AI function at Lennar Mortgage. In addition, she directs the capital markets and finance functions as well as the credit and marketing teams. Ms. Fregosi previously served as Chief Investment Officer of Home Point Capital Inc. (NASDAQ: HMPT), a residential mortgage originator and servicer, where she was responsible for the company’s balance sheet, servicing asset, correspondent division and investments. Ms. Fregosi was a founding member of Home Point Capital and served as its Chief Financial Officer from 2018 to 2020 where she steered the company through the pandemic, a public debt offering, and an IPO. Currently, Ms. Fregosi serves on the Board of Directors of Interlink Electronics (NASDAQ:LINK) a force sensor technology company. Ms. Fregosi holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Rochester’s Simon School and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from SUNY Buffalo State
Taylor Potter is the COO of Ardley Technologies, a high-growth fintech company transforming mortgage tech during one of the industry's most challenging decades. As the company's second hire, she architected Ardley from the ground up, driving double-digit annual growth in revenue, customers, and platform performance. With a background in strategic consulting, entrepreneurial development, and operational leadership, Taylor's impact extends far beyond fintech. She's transformed award-winning institutions, pioneered cross-border initiatives, and scaled The Pioneer Woman Mercantile into a nationally recognized retail brand. Her work has secured her recognition as a 2025 HousingWire Finance Leader and one of Progress in Lending's Most Powerful Women in FinTech. Taylor holds an MPA and dual B.A.s from the University of Oklahoma, where she graduated summa cum laude.
Neena Vlamis is a pioneering leader in the mortgage industry and a passionate advocate for women in business. At just 27, she founded A and N Mortgage Services Inc., building it into a 100% women-owned powerhouse that has closed over $5 billion in loan volume. Neena’s journey is defined by resilience, she successfully navigated the subprime lending era and continues to lead her company through changing market cycles, earning an A+ Better Business Bureau rating from day one. As a 2025 Five Star Mortgage Professional and a fifteen-year consecutive award winner, Neena’s commitment to excellence is widely recognized. Her feature in Fortune Legends further highlights her impact and influence in the industry coming out in January of 2026. Licensed in nearly half the United States, Neena’s company reflects her vision for growth, integrity, and love. Neena is dedicated to empowering women at every stage of their careers. She believes in lifting others as she climbs, building a culture where diverse voices are heard and valued. Her leadership style is collaborative and transparent, focused on mentoring her team and creating opportunities for women to thrive in finance and in life. Neena’s story is of power, perseverance, strategic thinking, and community. She encourages women to embrace their ambitions, support one another, and redefine what’s possible in business. Her legacy is not just in the numbers, but in the lives she’s inspired and the doors she’s opened for future generations of female leaders.
WYSIWYG Callout
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