General Session: Inside State Advocacy – The Mechanics of Your Association’s Indispensable Role
This panel explores how state associations operationalize advocacy as their core value proposition. Panelists highlight how they mobilize members, leverage legislative and regulatory committees, communicate timely policy updates, collaborate with the national MBA at the state level, and host events that directly advance industry advocacy priorities.
Speakers
Moderator
Alan Fowler, CMB, is the Director of Client Success for Garris Horn, LLP, a nationally renowned law firm for mortgage bankers, and is the Principal of Fowler Mo, founded in 2009 to offer NMLS education. Most of Fowler's 45 years have been as an executive of full-service, independent Mortgage Banks and Credit Unions. He is active with MBA and is the New Mexico State Ambassador. Fowler is a recipient of the E. Michael Rosser, CMB, Lifetime Achievement Award, is a Master Faculty Fellow for the School of Mortgage Banking and has served or is currently serving as Chair of the State and Local Committee, the CMB Society, the Credit Union Network, and the Loan Production Committee. He is also the Founder and President of The Forum, a Think Tank of national leaders in Real Estate Finance.
Speakers
Joseph Culver is the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the New York Mortgage Bankers Association, representing over 100 residential mortgage banking lenders and non-lender members throughout the state. He previously spent 40 years in senior management at several New York and New England regional banks, including the last 18 years with NBT Bank as Senior Vice President and Director of Home Lending Sales. Culver has been deeply involved in the New York Capital Region and is a long-time supporter of the arts community. He was a founding member and served on the Board of Directors of Albany’s Art on Lark, the NFL Alumni Upstate New York Chapter, and the Albany Chefs’ Food & Wine Festival. He was also a founding member and member of the Board of Directors of the New York Mortgage Bankers Association, assuming the role of Executive Director in January 2024.
Liz Facemire is the Associate Vice President of State Government Affairs at MBA and helps lead the association’s policy and advocacy engagement at the state and local levels, including serving as primary staff to the association’s State Legislative and Regulatory Committee. Prior to joining MBA in 2023, she spent her career in the industry in a variety of roles, including as a licensed mortgage loan originator and underwriter. In 2018, she served as a state policy lobbyist, mostly covering the Northwestern states. In 2021, she moved into a specialized role in mortgage policy, supporting MBA membership priorities and external advocacy efforts. Facemire has been a member of many of our state MBA counterparts and has assisted in driving MBA’s policy initiatives throughout her time in Government Affairs.
Bob Niemi, CMB, Director of Government Affairs for Weiner Brodsky Kider PC, brings a unique perspective from his experience and relationships to advise lenders on a wide array of regulatory and compliance matters. His commitment to the industry extends beyond his day-to-day responsibilities at WBK, serving on the American Association of Residential Mortgage Regulators Advisory Council, Vice Chair of the State Legislative Regulatory Committee, and serves as a Director for the Florida MBA. Niemi's contributions to the mortgage industry have been instrumental in shaping regulatory practices, including national efforts to reform state remote work legislation and was awarded the Outstanding State & Local Association Leadership Award by the MBA and the AARMR Distinguished Service Award in 2024.
Debbie Sousa has been Executive Director of the Massachusetts Mortgage Bankers Association since 2011. As Executive Director she oversees all activities of the MMBA including education, legislative, membership, and other activities of the MMBA. She also serves as Secretary to the MMB Foundation. Prior to joining the MMBA, she has held a variety of positions in the mortgage industry from processor to senior management working for a community bank, regional mortgage lender, national credit bureau and MI company.
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