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TH E M R EP O RT | 21 KEYSTONE AWARD RECIPIENTS THE COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AWARD RECIPIENT Yvette Gilmore VP, Single-Family Servicer Relationship and Performance Management, Freddie Mac Yvette Gilmore told MReport she finds it inspiring to be part of a "vibrant housing finance community," and that being recognized for a Keystone is the "icing on the cake." "For 25 years, I have been a longtime champion for building strong communities and working together, and I hope to be an advocate for such positive change for many years to come," Gilmore said. "This honor reminds me—and I hope all of us—to keep using our voices to lift our community and lead in ways that will impact not only this generation but also the ones coming up behind us." Gilmore added that she enjoys working to provide mentorship, development, and networking opportunities for women leaders. "It's difficult to ascend to any leadership position in a company without a strong mentor, someone who can understand you and how you can make your biggest impact," Gilmore said. "Then you need a coach to help build you up and a sponsor who will see you through to advancement." While noting that she has had many amazing female mentors, Gilmore said, "In the corporate ladder I was climbing, my mentors had to be men because men were the ones there when I was coming up the ranks. I learned from their experience and then tailored it to my style. I took their 'inside baseball' feedback and integrated that back into my authentic self." Gilmore said she is glad that landscape has changed—and for the better—and that there are now more women in leadership positions that ever before. Gilmore said she hopes to remain an advocate for Freddie Mac servicers as well as for women at all stages of their careers. "I want to keep inspiring the women and men who work with me to embrace diversity and reach new heights of success. I want to encourage them to continue innovating, since we know that we must do that to thrive in this ever- evolving industry," she said. THE DIVERSITY & INCLUSION AWARD RECIPIENT Ingrid Jaschok SVP, Servicing Operational Support, Mr. Cooper Ingrid Jaschok said that being nominated for a Keystone Award "humbled me," and that being the recipient of the award was a "very special moment," as it came with acknowledg- ment for the LGBTQ community within the mortgage industry and served as proof that hard work matters. "Notwithstanding the push for equality, the most important lesson that I've learned is that it's ok to be different," she said. "Together we have an opportunity to cultivate change by embracing our differences, and leveraging our authentic selves to make an organization more successful. Being inclusive of people from different backgrounds ensures our ideas and innovations are varied, and that is a proven method for success." Jaschok said that one of her biggest mentors is her aunt, Dr. Maria Jaschok, Director of the International Gender Studies Centre at the University of Oxford, who always dared her to be her authentic self. "I have most admired how she finds something that interests her, and can then unplug from the rest of the world to dedicate 100% of herself in that moment," Jaschok said. "Whenever I'm faced with a new challenge, I try to follow her example and fully commit myself to the task at hand." Jaschok said she would like to develop and implement new technologies for process improvements, and that she believed the need exists for transformative change when it comes to technology for financial institutions. Additionally, she said she would someday like to teach business administration at a local college and use her real-life experience to mentor students. THE LAURIE A. MAGGIANO LEGACY AWARD RECIPIENT Caroline Reaves CEO, Mortgage Contracting Services Caroline Reaves told MReport that being the second recipient of the Laurie A. Maggiano Legacy Award was "hum- bling," as Maggiano was a "good friend and mentor." When reflecting on the award, Reaves told MReport that she has had some great mentors over the course of her career—both men and women—who have helped shape her into the leader that she is today. "I've learned that we truly are all different. We can't place all women in the same box any more than we could place all humans in the same box," she said. "With that in mind, I strive to mentor and lead people along the path that works best for them as well as the business. I am thankful that I had mentors who encouraged me to be true to myself versus trying to fit into the industry's expectations for a female leader." Among her mentors is Jennifer Steans, the CEO of CEP, who is the only female chairperson of a board that she ever worked with. "She is a great example of the type of leader I aspire to be. From day one, she was supportive of me, both personally and professionally," Reaves said. Reaves said she hopes she never stops learning, as no matter how many years of experience she will acquire, she knows that "I will always be dependent on the people around me." "While I'm excited about what the new generation of employees is bringing to our business, I also recognize that there's a growing age gap between me and this new group just entering the workforce," she said. "It can be a challenge to stay connected and to ensure that the business really understands what is important to them." Additionally, Reaves said she is fortunate to work with an executive team that teaches her something new every day. "I hope I'm always able to surround myself with bright, hard-working, positive leaders who aren't afraid to tell me the things I need to hear," Reaves said. Caroline Reaves