Reverse Mortgage Jan-Feb 2021

About NRMLA’s Lobbyists Melody Fennel, Fennel Consulting LLC, Alexandria, VA Melody H. Fennel is a public policy and gov- ernment relations consultant, who specializes in serving affordable housing and banking clients. Previously, she served as assistant secretary for con- gressional and intergovern- mental relations at HUD. Prior to her appointment to the Executive Branch, Fennel served the Senate Banking Committee as its chief housing finance and economic development policy adviser. As an in-house industry lobbyist, she represented the National Association of Home Builders and advo- cated for the National Council of State Housing Agencies. Fennel is a graduate of Vassar College. David Horne, NRMLA lobbyist based in Washington, DC David Horne has spent most of the past 20 years providing government relations advo- cacy and strategic advice for a broad range of clients. Prior to starting his own lobbying practice, Horne spent six years working for former Rep. Rick Lazio (R-NY) as his chief of staff. During 2008- 2009, he was the chief of staff for HUD. In addition to NRMLA, some of Horne’s current and past clients include Community Mortgage Lenders of America, Multifamily Lenders Council, Veterans United, Freddie Mac, National Association of Realtors, and the International Swaps and Derivatives Association. From 1990 to 1995, he practiced law with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Los Angeles and Washington where he worked mostly on real estate, bankruptcy and corporate reorganization cases. Horne received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Scott Olson, Olson Advocacy Group, Arlington, VA Scott Olson is the president of Olson Advocacy Group, a firm he founded in September 2011 to provide advocacy, lobbying and consulting services in the area of financial services, special- izing in mortgage finance and housing. Previously, Olson spent over 20 years working on Capitol Hill, 15 of which he served on the House Committee on Financial Services, where he was the Housing Policy Director, Democratic Staff. He worked exten- sively on housing finance issues, including GSE reform and FHA policies, as well as mortgage provisions in Dodd-Frank, mortgage modifi- cation policies and mortgage servicing issues. Olson also has six years of private sector experi- ence as a public finance investment banker and four years of experience in commercial real estate finance and investments. He was graduated with an M.B.A. from UCLA and received his under- graduate degree from Stanford University. Melody Fennel David Horne Scott Olson REVERSE MORTGAGE / JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2021 19