.png)
HousingWire’s 2026 Rising Stars honor industry leaders age 40 and under who are making an impact across mortgage, real estate and homebuilding. From advancing innovation to supporting their organizations and communities, they represent the next generation shaping housing.
This year’s honorees span a wide range of roles — from entrepreneurs and marketers to operations leaders and technology innovators — but share a common thread: a clear ability to drive impact. Each Rising Star is advancing their organization’s success while contributing to broader progress across the housing industry.
Take a look at the full list of winner’s below to see their accomplishments.
Congratulations to the 2026 class of Rising Stars!
| Name | Job Title | Company Name |
|---|---|---|
| Abdel Khawatmi | National Brand Ambassador and Area Manager | Paramount Residential Mortgage Group Inc. |
| Adam Krahn | Vice President, Mortgage Strategy and Alliances | Cotality |
| Alex Verget | Vice President, Business Services | Aspen Grove |
| Aleyna Groves | Chief Executive Officer | Groves IQ | Groves Capital |
| Amanda Standley | Vice President, Business Development | Bluebird Valuation/Class Valuation |
| Andrew Klein | Principal, Product Management | U.S. Financial Technology |
| Angadvir Paintal | Senior Technical Product Manager | Experian |
| Anthony Dotson | Director of Operations, Closing | Supreme Lending |
| Ashley Bierwolf | Head of Collateral Policy | HomeVision, Inc. |
| Avery Shackelford | Vice President, Agent Programs | Lower |
| Bo Seamands | Senior Vice President, Loan Originations | Merchants Mortgage & Trust Corporation |
| Camryn Cisneros | ONE eXp Manager | eXp Realty |
| Charles Goodwin | Vice President, Head of Bridge and DSCR Lending | Kiavi |
| Charlotte Brown | Vice President, Product and Design | Qualia |
| Charlotte Young | Senior Staff Attorney | Auction.com |
| Chase Anderson | Regional Sales Manager | Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation |
| Chris Giannos | Chief Executive Officer | Humaniz | LPTA Holdings |
| Chris McDonald | Data Research Analyst | ATTOM |
| Conor Breen | Vice President, Operations | Coldwell Banker Elite |
| Dan Federico | Senior Vice President, Enterprise Sales | Anchor Loans |
| Dan Miedema | Vice President, Performance Efficiency | Rate |
| Dominic Parikh | General Manager, Real Wallet | The Real Brokerage |
| Eric Krattenstein | Managing Director | American Heritage Lending, LLC |
| Felicia Lee | Vice President of Technical Services | Truework, a Checkr company |
| Felix Bravo | Managing Director, eXp International | eXp International (eXp Realty) |
| Fintan Garrett | Director, Financial Planning and Analysis | Consolidated Analytics |
| Hannah McManus | Vice President, Marketing | Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group |
| Henry Broeksmit | Managing Director of Capital Markets | MAXEX |
| Jake Diekfuss | Vice President, Investor & Comergence Enablement | Optimal Blue |
| James Wong | Chief Executive Officer | MAXA Designs |
| Jeff Hill | Branch Manager | Planet Home Lending |
| Jessica Reed | Vice President, Marketing, Brand, Recruiting and Partnerships | AnnieMac Home Mortgage |
| Jon Mullinix | Senior Account Executive | LendingPad |
| Jonathan Wright | Software Engineer, III | Blue Sage Solutions |
| Joshua Montano | Director, Loan Origination Systems | American Financial Network, Inc. |
| Julia Brown | Strategic C-Suite Advisor / M+A Consultant / Growth Partner | Teloscope Advisors |
| Kabir Suri | Vice President | FundingShield LLC |
| Kate Pisano | Lead Strategic Operations Manager | First American |
| Kate Schilling | Director of Sales | Friday Harbor |
| Katy Howell | Vice President, Product Management | Xactus |
| Kendyl Morris | Marketing Manager, Wellness Program Director | Lender Toolkit |
| Kevin Pennington | Senior Loan Originator | Equity Smart Home Loans |
| Kimberly Hartnett | Executive Vice President, Strategic Growth and Agency Development | AmTrust Title Insurance Company |
| Leah Campbell | Director, Product Management | Clear Capital |
| Lindsey Hughes | Vice President, Servicing Valuation | ServiceLink |
| Marc-Antoine Juanéda | Director, Product Management, Agent Solutions | Cotality |
| Marcus Gilbert | Assistant Vice President, Application Development | United Wholesale Mortgage |
| Marisa Adams | Vice President, Loss Mitigations | LoanCare |
| Mason Maurer | Vice President, Branch Manager | Northpointe Bank |
| Matthew Haenn | Vice President, Finance | Freedom Mortgage |
| Matthew Lossmann | Head of Distribution and Partnerships | Obie |
| Megan Peagler | Senior Vice President, Automation and Performance | Cenlar FSB |
| Micah Dunham | Capital Markets Leader | NEO Home Loans Powered by Better |
| Michael Ouellette | Staff Product Manager – AI/ML | Polly |
| Morgan Heinrich | Marketing Director | Supreme Lending |
| Morgan Lyons | Vice President, Closing | Griffin Funding |
| Nicole Krouse | Vice President, Marketing | Closinglock |
| Nithya Sam | Principal Product Manager | Sagent |
| Nolan Eggert | Chief of Staff | Vesta |
| PJ Crescenzo III | Vice President, Sales | American Pacific Mortgage |
| PJ Harley | Executive Vice President, Business Development | Lendz Financial |
| Ricardo Beer | Senior Vice President, Franchise Sales, North America, Central America, South America | The Agency |
| Roberto Galaviz | Vice President, FP&A | Offerpad |
| Sarah DeFlorio | Vice President, Mortgage Banking | William Raveis Mortgage |
| Seamus Mulroy | Director, Data Services | Constellation HomeBuilder Systems |
| Shaun Harkley | Head of Sales | Rechat |
| Simon Vassalo | Team Leader and Broker/Manager | Coldwell Banker Realty |
| Steven McElroy | Director, Strategic Growth, Consumer Direct | Newrez |
| Sydney Barber | Head of Product | Floify |
| Thomas Rasmuson | Director of Sales | Argyle |
| Timothy Austen | Marketing Content Manager | LodeStar Software Solutions |
| Tony Ameti | Co-Chief Executive Officer | Neighborhood Loans |
| Tracy Mock | Mortgage Sales Manager | Gateway Mortgage |
| Victoria Keichinger | Vice President, Head of Marketing | Century 21 Real Estate LLC. |
| William Denslow | Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer | Reggora |
Read More
By: Lesley Collins
Title: Introducing the 2026 HousingWire Rising Stars!
Sourced From: www.housingwire.com/articles/introducing-the-2026-housingwire-rising-stars/
Published Date: Wed, 01 Apr 2026 17:00:00 +0000
