KATHLEEN RISLEY
Bloomington,IL
Summary
Hardworking and focused Underwriting professional offering excellent communication, planning and prioritization skills demonstrated through 20+ years of performance. Skilled at underwriting to guidelines, drafting monthly underwriting reports and correspondence to internal and external customers and updating tracking spreadsheets. Exceptional leadership skills with expertise in streamlining workflow to optimize personnel strengths.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Administrative Specialist III
Illinois Wesleyan University
09.2022 - Current
- Monthly and annual balancing of budget for five separate departments
- Event planning, fund raising, communications, schedule management and more for the Director of The Petrick Idea Center
- Event planning and working with student tutors in The Writing Center
- Communications, event planning, financial management for Center for Engaged Learning
- Assisted both Associate Provosts with faculty travel expenses and plans, grant and foundation management and more.
- Managed schedules, appointments, and travel arrangements for executives, ensuring seamless coordination of events.
- Conducted research to assist with routine tasks and special projects.
- Reduced expenses by negotiating favorable contracts with vendors and service providers.
- Monitored and managed expenses with allotted budgets and reviewed and approved expense reports.
- Facilitated timely delivery of special projects to meet organizational and departmental objectives.
Mortgage Underwriter
Guild Mortgage formerly RMS Mortgage
01.2019 - 01.2022
- Underwriting of FHA, conventional, USDA, state bond and new construction loans
- Closed an average of 60 loans per month, handling a pipeline of over 100 loans including new construction, bond loans, government loans and more.
- Approved or denied loans based on established criteria and underwriting guidelines.
- Identified possible fraud risks through meticulous evaluation of application materials, protecting both lenders and homebuyers from potential losses.
- Worked with processing team members to communicate errors and obtain missing information for current applications.
- Supported the loan origination team by providing expert knowledge and guidance on complex underwriting scenarios, enabling well-informed decisions in challenging cases.
- Negotiated and communicated with loan officers, processors and loan applicants to reach satisfactory loan terms.
- Developed and maintained relationships with investors to drive compliance with guidelines.
- Monitored pipelines to track and log status of loans.
Mortgage Underwriter
Equity Resources
01.2017 - 01.2019
- Underwriting FHA and conventional loans
- Approved or denied loans based on established criteria and underwriting guidelines.
- Analyzed and verified applicant income, assets and credit history to support compliance with underwriting guidelines.
- Increased customer satisfaction by providing timely feedback on application status and addressing potential issues promptly.
- Negotiated and communicated with loan officers, processors and loan applicants to reach satisfactory loan terms.
- Collaborated with loan officers and processors to obtain additional information and resolve discrepancies.
- Reviewed appraisals and title documents to verify accuracy and completeness.
- Maintained orderly records of all completed mortgage transactions, facilitating easy retrieval for future reference or audits.
Mortgage Underwriter
Advantage Lending formerly Cavalier Mortgage
01.2010 - 01.2016
- Sole underwriter for company
- Assisted with converting office to paperless system, finding investors, training new processors and more
- Approved or denied loans based on established criteria and underwriting guidelines.
- Identified possible fraud risks through meticulous evaluation of application materials, protecting both lenders and homebuyers from potential losses.
- Worked with processing team members to communicate errors and obtain missing information for current applications.
- Maintained open lines of communication with internal stakeholders such as processors, closers, and sales representatives to ensure a seamless mortgage underwriting process.
- Reviewed appraisals and title documents to verify accuracy and completeness.
- Demonstrated sound decision-making skills when assessing borrower eligibility based on financial stability, creditworthiness, and collateral value.
- Assisted in training new team members, fostering a collaborative work environment that supported professional growth.
- Maintained mortgage program compliance with federal agencies such as VA, HUD, and FNMA.
Education
No Degree - Finance
Illinois State University
Normal, IL01.2026
No Degree - Government Underwriting
FHA University
Online University12.2010
Skills
- MICROSOFT OFFICE
- GOOGLE OFFICE
- ENCOMPASS
- DE 2010
- Customer Relations
- Report Preparation
- Presentation Development
- Document Management
- Calendar Management
- Business Correspondence
- Microsoft Office
- Office Administration
Timeline
Administrative Specialist III
Illinois Wesleyan University
09.2022 - Current
Mortgage Underwriter
Guild Mortgage formerly RMS Mortgage
01.2019 - 01.2022
Mortgage Underwriter
Equity Resources
01.2017 - 01.2019
Mortgage Underwriter
Advantage Lending formerly Cavalier Mortgage
01.2010 - 01.2016
No Degree - Finance
Illinois State University
No Degree - Government Underwriting
FHA University
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