TheMReport — News and strategies for the evolving mortgage marketplace.
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52 | TH E M R EP O RT Leading Ladies Mary Lee Sharp CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCE OFFICER, SVP, NATIONAL MI As a 2012 start-up, National MI needed someone to spearhead hiring for the now- profitable and well-recognized company, and that person was Mary Lee Sharp in the role of Chief Human Resource Officer and SVP. Sharp embodies the company's mission to help more Americans achieve their dream of homeownership. "House Proud," an initiative set forth by Sharp, encourages employees to take photos of homes in their area to decorate their offices in order to remind them of the varied and unique homes that make up the housing market in the U.S. and the people who live in them. Sharp's peers describe her as inspirational, thoughtful, experienced, and innovative. With Sharp at the helm of HR, National MI has grown its workforce substantially, with nearly 60 percent of the 299 employees being female. Kira Vanderwert VP OF CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT, WALTER INVESTMENT CORP. Kira Vanderwert, VP of Corporate Development, Walter Investment Management Corp., is a talented and strong leader with deep mortgage expertise. Her passion about the industry continues to have an impact on those around it by executing important transactions and forming relationships and connections across the space. As overseer of strategic transactions for Walter, Vanderwert has led transactions both as buyer and seller and most recently closed a complicated divestiture of one of Walter's subsidiaries. Her expertise ranges from originations to servicing in both the forward and reverse mortgages, as well as insurance, mortgage services, and technology. Vanderwert is passionate about helping other women excel in their careers. Outside of looking for ways to empower her female colleagues, she mentors recent female college grads from the Economics department at her alma mater, Macalester College. Michelle Watts DIRECTOR OF TRAINING AND DOCUMENTATION, MORTGAGE CADENCE, AN ACCENTURE COMPANY According to her peers, Michelle Watts, Director of Training and Documentation at Mortgage Cadence, an Accenture Company, pos- sesses the rare combination of leadership, transparency, and approachability that is hard to find in today's corporate world. She not only moves her team members and our company forward, but she also pushes the boundaries of the housing industry overall. Her warm personality, cross-functional leadership, and unparalleled work ethic regularly impact her team members and the company, but her effort doesn't stop there. Watts consistently challenges herself and those around her to be better and is a dynamic leader, knowing how to refine processes and utilize team talents to reap increased customer satisfac- tion and efficiency. Every task, no matter how big or small, is tackled with a positive attitude and determination to succeed. Watts is always willing to lend a helping hand, and is always the first person to offer congratula- tions on a job well done. Kelli Yarbrough VP OF CORPORATE SALES, ROUNDPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING CORPORATION Not many people are blessed with their dream job—much less creating it. Kelli Yarbrough, VP of Corporate Sales at Roundpoint Mortgage Servicing Corporation, built her team from scratch, creating more than 100 roles, while designing and implementing the policies, procedures, systems, and training programs necessary to establish the new department. She assembled a team that shared her passion for helping people achieve their homeownership dreams. With the industry becoming more diverse, Yarbrough believes recognitions for women are increasingly necessary. While women are climbing more ladders, they are still making this climb at a slower pace than men. That's why she thinks that pointing out the success of women may help inspire others to reach for their goals and achieve their dreams. Yarbrough never stops learning — she returned to school after a 25-year absence to work on a post- bachelor certificate in Women Gender Studies and a master's degree in liberal studies. She has now applied for a doctoral program in Community College Education. Every task, no matter how big or small, is tackled with a positive attitude and determination to succeed. Michelle Watts is always willing to lend a helping hand, and is always the first person to offer congratulations on a job well done.