BREAKOUT SESSION: Peer Discussion (MBA Member IMBs Only)

IMB Network Co-Chair; Chief Growth Officer/Partner, EPM

Laura Brandao is a mortgage industry leader who has dedicated her career to educating, supporting, and lifting others to their highest potential. She is currently the Chief Growth Officer and a partner at EPM responsible for overseeing operations, business development, and the build-out of multiple verticals. Laura also serves as the CEO of Lighthouse Lending Capital, a new division of EPM specializing in unique loan programs and private lending. Laura is also dedicated to serving the mortgage community through being the Chair of NAMMBA’s Visionary program, the Chair of the MBANJ Women’s committee and an MBANJ board member as well as the Chair of Women with Vision. Her recent honors include 2023 Most influential businesswoman to Watch, 2022 Enterprising Woman of the Year, MPA 2022 Elite Women, 2022 Mortgage Banker’s Legends in Lending, 2022 Leaders in Finance Award, Global Women in Leadership Award winner, AIME Sparking Change Award, 2022 NJBIZ leaders in finance, 2022 Legends in Lending, 2021 MPA housing Industry Icon, a 4-time winner of Most Powerful Women in Mortgage, a 5-time Woman of Influence and a three-time “Women with Vision. Laura is a coveted speaker, and well-regarded champion for the industry as well as a 3 -time best-selling author. Her passion for helping families is the spark that ignited Laura’s early success. Today, Laura is a beacon of inspiration for mortgage professionals. She is a champion of women in the mortgage industry who are in all phases of their careers. Her high-octane energy comes through in each of her interactions, be it one on one, virtual platform, or in a large conference setting. Regardless of the state of the market, Laura’s message is consistent, “focus on the positive, and with a can-do attitude, one can manifest a positive outcome”.

Senior Vice President, Servicing Risk and Compliance, CMG Financial

Melissa Koupal serves as the Senior Vice President of Servicing Risk and Compliance at CMG Financial, a comprehensive lender based in San Ramon, California, specializing in retail, correspondent, wholesale, and servicing. In her current role, she is responsible for overseeing all aspects of risk and compliance related to servicing operations. As a seasoned professional in the mortgage industry, Melissa was a founding member of loanDepot in 2009, where she played a pivotal role in shaping the overall direction and strategy for Mortgage Operations Risk. Her responsibilities included managing the compliance management system, overseeing origination and servicing mortgage compliance programs, managing licensing, compliance quality control, and handling agency and regulatory examinations, audits, and enforcement matters across all channels of loanDepot. Since 2008, Melissa has been the owner and leader of the Reglist, a community of over 1,900 mortgage compliance professionals specializing in compliance and legal issues within the residential mortgage field. Her expertise and insights have made her a sought-after speaker at industry conferences, including the Mortgage Bankers Association and NMLS. Melissa's commitment to the industry is further demonstrated through her leadership roles, currently servicing as Chair of the California MBA Mortgage Quality and Compliance Committee and having served as the Chair for the MBA State Legislative and Regulatory Committee and the Chair of the MBA Regulatory Compliance Committee. Additionally, she actively participates in the Industry Working Group for the NMLS, showcasing her dedication to advancing regulatory practices and standards in the mortgage sector.

COO, Movement Mortgage, LLC

With more than 20 years in the mortgage industry, Jason Stenger is not just the Chief Operations Officer at Movement Mortgage; he's a powerhouse of relentless energy and unparalleled customer commitment. Jason serves his teammates with passion and a profound dedication to elevating operational excellence. Jason’s early career was spent across progressive roles in mortgage operations at Cendant, Countrywide, and Bank of America. He joined Movement in 2012 as a Senior Operations Manager. Jason was later promoted to SVP, National Director of Operations before being named Chief Operations Officer in 2022. He has led nationwide operations teams of all sizes in both retail and distributed retail for the majority of his career. Jason considers himself "a salesperson in an operational role," uniquely positioning him as the industry's most customer-centric leader. He leads by example, driven by urgency, sincerity, and dedication to his team. Originally from New Jersey with a BS in Accounting from Furman University.