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40 | M R EP O RT Dana Dillard EVP for Corporate Social Responsibility, Mr. Cooper Dana Dillard joined Nationstar (the predecessor of Mr. Cooper) in 2013 and held various leadership roles during the years, most recently taking on the duties of EVP for Corporate Social Responsibility. In her work, Dillard is responsible for the company's industry and government relations, nonprofit engagement, community outreach, and its Office of Diversity & Inclusion. "It is an honor for me to be considered for the Laurie Maggiano Legacy Award because of my friendship with Laurie," Dillard said. "While we did not always agree on some topics, we both always wanted the best for the industry and for our customers. No one could wear that regulator hat like Laurie—where she would say what needed to be said, and then sit down and ask about your family." Dillard has more than 25 years' experience in the mortgage industry, with experience in multiple corporate capacities. Prior to joining the company, she was an SVP for Servicing at GMAC RESCAP. During that time, she was prominent in the HOPE NOW alliance and worked with hundreds of struggling families trying to save their homes. For that work, she received the Five Star Institute's Humanitarian of the Year award in 2009. Having survived the first housing crisis, Dillard is putting that experience to work with the recent pandemic-related housing issues and is a key player in industry discussions on the topic. On the diversity front, she built the company's program from scratch and has seen it grow to 17 employee resource groups with more than 3,500 active members. Eighty-seven percent of Mr. Cooper employees think it is a great place to work and that belonging component is a direct result of the hard work of the Cooper Resource Teams and D&I leaders. Laura C. LaRaia Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel, First Guaranty Mortgage Corp. Laura LaRaia has dedicated her career to the mortgage industry over the last 25-plus years and first joined First Guaranty Mortgage Corporation (FGMC) in 2018. Her career has left a legacy of pas- sion, expertise, and leadership based on empathy. During 2020, LaRaia has been a crucial leader in ensuring that FGMC could safely navigate the economic turmoil created by the COVID-19 pandemic. She took charge in examining how the components of the CARES Act would impact mortgage lending by investigating the legal impli- cations of the legislation and charting a course of risk guidance. With experience working both in lenders' legal departments and in a law firm, she has extensive legal, compliance, governance, and risk manage- ment knowledge. At FGMC, LaRaia is leading her teams in the roll-out of the revised Uniform Residential Loan Application and oversaw the completion of multiple early and successful audits for the company by embracing collaboration, in- novation, and a "can-do" attitude. "Many women in our industry provided a hand up to me and believed in me," LaRaia said. "In turn, I have provided opportunities to many wom- en and other individuals with whom I have worked who are coming up through the industry ranks to grow, succeed, and to help to provide the dream of homeownership throughout the country." LaRaia serves as a member of the MBA's Legal Issues and Regulatory Compliance Committee and the MBA's State and Legislative Regulations Committee. Additionally, LaRaia was featured re- cently in the DS5 interview series and is a speaker for the upcoming Five Star Virtual Conference. She graduated from the MBA's Future Leaders program in 2008. She has been a frequent speak- er at the MBA's annual Regulatory Compliance Conference and an advocate through the trade group's Mortgage Action Alliance. The THE LAURIE A. MAGGIANO LEGACY Award Named in honor of the late industry icon whose distinguished and accomplished career left an indelible impact on housing, this award recognizes those women who through their tireless efforts, collaboration, and ingenuity have powerfully influenced the industry and homeownership nationwide (minimum 20 years' industry experience). Finalists An MReport Issue Featuring Five Star Conference's Keystone Awards Finalists