Katie Simpson

• Responsible for the reviewing and administering guideline exception requests (averaging 15 completed requests per day), managing communication between sales, underwriting, secondary, and the exception desk, assisting with product development initiatives, and supporting the exception desk
• Responsible for the retail exception requests, TPO division exception requests and responsible for all post-close exception dispositions
• Ensure all guideline exception disposition terms (pricing hits, min rates, pricing caps, underwriting conditions) are accurately communicated and tracked within Encompass
• Track and ensure consistency in exception disposition for a loan’s entire lifecycle, from scenario evaluation to file submission to underwriting
• Monitor communications between sales, underwriting, secondary, and the exception desk to ensure adherence to SLAs; this includes daily/weekly reviews, reminders, and working with the team to prioritize requests
• Develop and maintain a set of frequently asked questions and responses, which can be used to identify potential guideline clarifications and/or enhancements, and opportunities to better train sales and/or underwriting
• Identify noteworthy guideline exceptions and collaborate with the marketing department and sales leadership to highlight these loans to the sales force
• Perform guideline gap analysis against competitor product offerings and identify areas of potential improvement.

Laid off due to market conditions

• Served as a member of an elite high functioning team of pre-qualified credit risk analysts, writing and granting exceptions for Non-Qualified Mortgage (Non-QM) product lines with the number one ranked Non-QM investor in the United States
• Exceptional knowledge of Non-QM products and Commercial product lines
• Evaluated loan submissions to determine credit worthiness and risk profile of an individual and/or business through analyzation of detailed and complex financial data
• Worked on both correspondent and wholesale channels for a multitude of business associates
• Delivered outstanding customer service while educating business partners with respect to Non-QM guidelines/requirements
• Expertly reviewed underwriting information in files to determine the degree of risk involved with loan submissions to include credit file information, DTI, LTV/CLTV, PITIA, property type and other investor defined criteria
• Monitored a daily workflow to ensure designated turn times on all loan submissions met organizational standards
• Worked with various software applications and research tools to collect all necessary information on complex loan files and parties associated with transactions
• Presented final determinations of loan statuses to senior executive management members.

• Establish solid foundation for success by developing and leading the Non-QM Department for this client-focused lending company
• Demonstrate strong leadership and foresight by managing department operations; skilled in supervising and leading of a team of up to 20 professionals and all manual underwriting activities
• Maximize productivity and provide vital structure through oversight of direct strategic planning, policy and procedure development, regulatory compliance, forecasting, budgeting, and customer service
• Shape a vibrant, productive environment by hiring, onboarding, training, mentoring, and managing a dynamic team of manual underwriters and sales associates.
• Established a high-performance culture within the team by setting clear expectations and providing regular feedback on individual performance contributions.
• Collaborated closely with executive leadership to align department goals with overall company objectives, resulting in stronger organizational cohesion.
• Managed a diverse portfolio of projects, ensuring that each project met established quality standards and delivered expected results on time and within budget.
• Enhanced collaboration between team members by implementing innovative communication tools and fostering an open dialogue culture.
• Implemented data-driven decision-making processes, leading to more informed strategic choices and improved overall performance metrics.
• Led cross-functional teams to deliver successful projects on time and within budget, enhancing company reputation in the industry.
• Increased efficiency by streamlining processes and implementing new software tools for the team.
• Contributed to budget planning, and initiatives for communications, planning and coordination of facility management and space allocations.
• Attracted and retained new members through organizational rebranding and targeting marketing campaigns to specific audiences.
• Enhanced communication between departments by developing effective reporting structures and information-sharing platforms.
• Attended weekly meetings and special sessions of Leadership and Executive Leadership Teams and contributed to major administrative initiatives, policies and decisions.
• Fostered strong relationships with key clients, leading to repeat business and a significant increase in customer satisfaction ratings.
• Improved employee retention rates through the development of comprehensive training programs and mentorship initiatives.
• Managed risk effectively by implementing robust compliance procedures and conducting regular audits of internal controls.
• Evaluated project applications and verified with outline specifications to approve, reject and recommend adjustments.
• Participated in organization re-branding and targeting of new markets and programs to attract and retain members.
• Communicated with leadership teams to assist with administrative initiatives and decisions and attended weekly meetings to support policy changes.
• Reviewed incoming correspondence and drafted appropriate responses for CEO and other high-level stakeholders.
• Developed comprehensive financial forecasts based on historical data analysis, enabling more accurate budget planning and resource allocation.
• Optimized resource allocation by analyzing operational needs, reallocating resources as needed to maximize efficiency across all functions.

• Leveraged experience and functional knowledge to design, build, implement, and manage the Non-QM program for this wholesale mortgage lending company
• Managed a team of up to 20 professionals while overseeing day-to-day operations; led manual underwriting, income calculation, investor post-close issue resolution, scenario desk oversight, and regulatory compliance for brokers and account executives
• Generated energy and stability by creating department’s strategic plan including budget development, forecasting, needs analysis, market analysis, and creation of Key Performance Indicators for productivity and quality
• Delivered key contributions toward success by recruiting, hiring, training, mentoring, and developing a high-performing team of income analysts, underwriters, and junior underwriters
• Fostered a workplace culture focused on empowerment, growth, teachability, and diversity
• Established and monitored program objectives in close partnership with the executive team
• Contributed to corporate financial health by exceeding goals within eight months by processing and underwriting over $200M in Non-QM loans with a 100% investor purchase rate
• Employed balanced, disciplined leadership to develop a bank statement review team charged with analyzing and calculating self-employment income for Alternative Document Loans
• Streamlined processes and clarified expectations by establishing best practices, policies, and procedures for Non-QM underwriting; facilitated employee training on systems and processes
• Employed refined relationship-building skills and collaborative mindset to build enduring relationships with secondary investors; managed the post-close suspense department
• Captured substantial gains in efficiency and productivity by creating and managing a specialized training program designed to provide account executives and brokers with information on Non-QM loan products and support sales
• Honored to receive the March 2022 MVP Award based on inspirational leadership skills, employee support, dedication to team development, and servant leadership and compassionate approach.

• Demonstrated leadership and perseverance to drive innovation by providing strategic advice and guidance to mortgage companies (wholesale/retail, banks and credit unions, and correspondent lenders) on department structure, underwriting operations, risk analysis, Fraud Strategies, policy and procedure development, employee management, training, contract negotiation, and compliance
• In depth experience with Cryptocurrency and other issuing companies
• Provided insightful vision and guidance while consulting with clients across lending, portfolio, correspondent, frontline, direct, wholesale, and secondary markets
• Planned and developed Quality Assurance underwriting programs by setting up milestones for pre-closing and post-closing audit findings in close partnership with business executives
• Extensive experience with SBA and commercial lending, including complex loan structuring
• Exhibited resourcefulness by creating and implementing policies and procedures designed to manage risk and reduce fraud
• Harmonized operations by establishing expectations and goals, creating employee development plans, improving employee morale and engagement, and developing peer support groups for managers in collaboration with management teams
• Oversight of recruitment and hiring for departmental needs, ensuring that all employment laws and regulations were followed for FNMA, FHLMC, GNMA, VA, HUD, Jumbo, Conventional and Non-QM loans
• Extensive CRE and SBA loan experience
• Ensured flawless execution by training underwriting teams on analysis of self-employment income documents including tax returns (1120, 1120S, 1065, Schedule C), income statements, transcripts, account statements, and profit and loss statements
• Defined direction that catalyzed coordination by providing subject matter expertise on mortgage underwriting, AUS findings, regulatory guidelines, terminology, misrepresentation / fraud alerts, Reg Z, Appendix Q, HMDA, NMLS reporting, RESPA, TILA, FDCPA, ECOA, BSA/AML, OFAV, Reg B, GLBA and all pertinent banking/lending regulations
• Exercised sound judgment and discretion while supporting organizations with navigating COVID regulations and communicating updates to staff.
• Designed customized training programs to enhance employee skills and improve productivity levels.
• Increased client revenue through effective sales strategy development and implementation.
• Developed strong relationships with key stakeholders at all organizational levels, fostering collaboration across departments.
• Facilitated client negotiations resulting in mutually beneficial agreements and long-term partnerships.
• Broadened improvement initiatives, troubleshooting problems for corrective action.
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop comprehensive business plans and strategies.
• Provided expert guidance on change management initiatives, leading to successful business transformations.
• Restructured procedures through coordination with compliance director to create and execute projects.
• Gathered, documented, and modeled data to assess business trends.
• Reviewed internal systems and organized training plans to address areas in need of improvement.
• Leveraged on-site observation and personal interviews to identify team and individual strengths.
• Evaluated current processes to develop improvement plans.
• Leveraged industry best practices to drive continuous improvement efforts within client organizations.