Although a primarily male-dominated business and a proverbial old boy’s club, so many inspiring women exist in the mortgage industry in positions of power and influence. Their journeys to the top, however, were not without obstacles. It'd be easier to give up when they were told they couldn’t do it and that their focus as a female should’ve been elsewhere. Many of these women have dealt with naysayers – men and women who explicitly discouraged them from pursuing their career goals. Others were met with gatekeepers, who would bar them from entering their inner circles because they didn’t fit in. And, of course, life comes with its own set of obstacles that can complicate careers, such as divorce, child care, and peer expectations. But the 2023 Mortgage Stars persisted and persevered.
I ended that day inspired, motivated by the strong women I was in the presence of, and hopeful that women’s impact on the industry would continue to grow.
- Meghan Hogan, American Business Media Design Manager
Cerita Battles
Head of Community & Affordable Lending, Chase
Mortgage professional and pastor, Battles kept us intrigued as she passionately spoke about her 30 years in the mortgage industry and what she referred to as leading with “courageous inspiration.” After 3 decades of increasing and advancing homeownership for minorities and the low-to-moderate income, Battles never stopped achieving and consistently pushes herself to grow and thrive. She also spoke of the importance of sponsorship and having someone within your industry that can not only mentor you, but significantly impact your trajectory. Battles also remarked that the only way to go to a meeting was with an opinion, to never sit quietly and always have your voice heard no matter if in agreement, disagreement, or otherwise.
Megan Bennett
VP of Partnerships, Insellerate
Bennett shared her story of being a young mother going through business school where she had little to no support. She was told she couldn’t do it all, but now at 33 she was accepting the Mortgage Star award with her son in the audience. She accepted her award quoting Winston Churchill, “And then when I think about something to give to you guys as far as the state of the industry that we're in right now, I think about the quote from Winston Churchill, which is, when going through hell, just keep going.”
Nelda Cales
EVP, Regional Manager, Atlantic Bay Mortgage Company
Cales talked about her unique name and her desire to blend in when she was younger, “I wanted to be an Amy or a Kim or a Jennifer,” she said. Her name drew her attention even though she felt like most young women do and wanted to fit in and remain almost invisible. Cales grew up in a trailer park, worked three jobs, and put herself through college.
