Introducing the 2026 HousingWire Rising Stars!

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 Lyons
Vice President, Closing
Griffin Funding

Morgan Heinrich
Marketing Director
Supreme Lending

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