Mortgage Women Leadership Council Breaks 500-Member Benchmark

Just one year after its creation, the Mortgage Women Leadership Council (MWLC) broke the 500-member mark, easily making it the largest independent organization for women in the mortgage industry.

“We’re thrilled at this result, and even more so because new members are still coming in strong with every bit of outreach we do,” said Melissa Pianin, the council’s executive director. Pianin, who previously served as the executive director of the National Association of Professional Mortgage Women (NAPMW), said the MWLC’s focus on helping women in all strata of the industry is a key to its growth success.

The council was formed in 2024 when executives at Mortgage Women Magazine saw a need to give the publication’s readership base a better networking, idea-sharing, and continuing education experience. 

“We thought that creating a real space for women’s unique experiences and challenges would be invaluable,” said Kelly Hendricks, senior vice president at Delmar Mortgage and Managing Editor of Mortgage Women Magazine. “We doubled down on providing interactive webinars on a wide range of topics, converting the magazine into a benefit of membership in the council, and creating in-person training and educational opportunities.”

The response, both Hendricks and Pianin said, has been “explosive.”

“There are a few other groups out there trying to be a gathering place for women in mortgage to share their experiences,” said Hendricks, a past president of NAPMW. “But I think the key to the Council’s success is its execution. Our staff is diligent and committed to great execution of ideas — and to persistent marketing. Others have good ideas, but I don’t think they execute on them as well as the Council does.”

Pianin agreed. “We run regular webinars featuring women with great ideas, so we can serve the whole country easily. But we’ve also made sure we host regular newsletters to keep communication flowing, and of course our magazine brings in voices and thoughtful insights from women across the spectrum.”

Both also credit the Council’s willingness to host several in person events in various geographies. In 2025, the Council hosted the New England Women In Banking & Mortgage conference at Mohegan Sun casino in Connecticut, attended live by more than 150 women. 

On May 7, the Council is hosting its Mortgage Star West conference for women at the Irvine Hilton in California. On July 9, it will host its long-standing Mortgage Star National event at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans, Louisiana. 

More information about the Council can be found at https://www.mwlcouncil.com.