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M R EP O RT | 39 and if you don't see the path you want in front of you, then work to pave that path for yourself. That may mean taking calculated risks to help create that path, but with a vision in hand and a north star you can get there. EXCELLENCE IN LEADERSHIP Sandra Jarish President, Servicing, Planet Home Lending, LLC What others say about her: "Sandra Jarish, an ardent advo- cate of women in the mortgage industry for 30 years, is described by her colleagues as an incompa- rable leader and teammate. Jarish cultivates a collaborative work environment that encourages loyalty and commitment from her team. Currently, nearly 40% of servicing employees have been with Planet more than five years. The past year confirmed Jarish's excellence as a leader; she opened a servicing center in the Dallas Metroplex while tackling COVID- 19 response, including modifying workflows, implementing new technology, and shifting personnel to ensure employees were safe, losses were limited, and forbear- ance borrowers' needs were met." What does this nomination mean to you and what makes you a good pick for this cat- egory? Jarish: While I'm proud to receive this award, the credit really goes to my exceptional Planet servicing team. Together, we tack- led COVID-19-related issues like forbearance and getting employees what they needed to work from home safely. As a team, we opened our new Dallas servicing center, implemented an early buyout program for securitized mortgages, and put in place enhanced tech- nology to serve our private clients. They make me a better leader as we work together to make Planet's servicing second to none. Being nominated for an award in the Women in Housing's Excellence in Leadership category is not only an honor but allows me to set an example for other women in our business and provides a path forward to success and personal achievement. EXCELLENCE IN MENTORSHIP Ramie Word SVP Customer Care & Client Delivery, Mr. Cooper What are your proudest career achievements thus far? Word: This award is definitely up there at the top. I'm proud to have been recognized every year for the last seven years as a female leader within the industry. I'm also extremely proud of the career growth of those under me and around me over the last several years. I'm also a proud supporter and ambassador for our Cooper culture and D&I growth. Are there any women who have served as career men- tors for you, and what did you learn from them? Word: Courtney Ehinger (SVP, Performing Servicing, Mr. Cooper) is a big one. She's one of only two females I've worked for in the last 18 years. She's strong, confident, and knowledgeable about her processes. She isn't afraid to grab a seat at the table, even when the chairs may all be taken. What is the most critical piece of advice you would give to women beginning their career in this industry? Word: Be confident in who you are and what you bring to the table. Never say no to a new op- portunity. Don't limit yourselves because you feel like you have to choose between your work or family. You can do it all! DIVERSITY & INCLUSION CHAMPION Sophie Kim SVP, People & Culture, CIVIC Financial Services What are your proudest career achievements thus far? Kim: There are two major achievements. First is being able to build highly successful and valuable teams. Whether it was in Sales or in Human Resources, the teams I've had the privilege of leading have been extremely valued by the business. Being a Shared Service, HR can be seen as transactional and administrative only, but regardless of the compa- ny or team, over the last 20 years, the teams I built were viewed as an integral partner to the business. Second, because of spending over a decade in the learning and de- velopment side of HR, it would be changing the lives of many people I trained and mentored. Watching them start their careers and find success to build wealth to support their families and/or grow in to leadership positions; that's why I do this and I'm proud to have been a big part of their stories of success. Are there any women who have served as career men- tors for you, and what did you learn from them? Kim: There have been many women that have made a lasting impact on my career and definitely changed its trajectory. The most notable person would be Kristiina Hintgen. She was the head of Human Resources at loanDepot. com and loanPal (previously Paramount Equity Mortgage) during my tenures there. She would often remind me that everyone, no matter what level they're at in the organization, is simply trying to figure everything out in the best way possible and nobody has all the answers. I learned three major things from her. First, be brave to try. You must try big and often and embrace being wildly uncomfort- able. Second, celebrate your failures because they make you stronger and better. Last, if you always focus on the people, the business will always find success. I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for the many years of her mentoring, observing how she ran our depart- ment, how she carried herself when partnering with the business on strategy, and how she cared for our team and our staff. What is the most critical piece of advice you would give to women beginning their career in this industry? Kim: The most critical piece of advice would be to consistently look inward by having real and honest conversations with yourself. For all things big and small this has paid off in volumes for not only rapid, but also consistent suc- cess. Real estate and financial ser- vices move quickly and sometimes erratically, so it may be an easier path to blame the people or factors around you when things don't turn out well. Instead, taking the time to really ask yourself, "what could I have done differently" will pay off in volumes to increase your self-awareness for the next challenge, conversation, project, or initiative. There's a tremendous amount of confidence built over time when you own the loss and know that you are empowered to not allow it to happen again.