heck out of the way. I’ve learned to come into a new role understanding and willing to follow. As I learn and I feel the ability to lead, I will show that I can lead.” Jennifer Cosentini, housing director at Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp., didn’t pursue leadership roles early in her reverse mortgage career. In those days, she was usually asked to lead after a year or so in a particular area, but her attitude has matured. “Now, I intentionally say, ‘This is where I’m going to go after this,’” she says. “I think I realized I was one of the only female leaders in my office, and one of the only people speaking up in a lot of circumstances.” Before entering reverse mortgages, Cosentini taught elementary school students. The experience showed her the importance of preparation and learning to deal with different personalities and learning styles. “That absolutely helps in any career,” she says. Don’t just find the right fit but go looking for it, says Ami Kellogg, president of Premier Reverse Closings. Her parents taught her to “respect your manager and the company you work for. If you can’t see yourself being there for the next three or five years, you need to decide why. If you can’t make it work, you need to make a change. Never be afraid to ask your manager to answer your ‘why’ questions. If you don’t tell people what you want, it’ll never happen.” Meeting Challenges continued on page 28 Carmalon Batiste Vice President of Operations, TMAC Carmalon Batiste When Carmalon Batiste was a young teller at Arrowhead Credit Union in her native California, she got to know many of the older members. On the days their Social Security payments were deposited, some would be waiting for the bank to open, eager to withdraw the funds they needed to pay the bills. “I often think how the HECM program could have helped some of those senior members, as well as my own grandmother when she was living,” Batiste reflects. At Arrowhead, Batiste was promoted to financial service representative. She was in line for an operations manager position when a colleague pointed her toward a processing job at Banc One Financial Services—her introduction to the forward mortgage industry. From there, she worked for other financial institutions. After a downsizing at Downey Savings and Loan, she worked as an assessment clerk in the San Diego County business division assessor’s office. Her former Downey Savings manager referred her for an underwriting position in the reverse division of Plaza Home Mortgage (PHM). Although she had never heard of reverse mortgages and had no Federal Housing Administration (FHA) experience, she got the job. That began a journey of learning about the HECM program from FHA resources and “anyone who seemed willing or offered their assistance,” she says. Over ten years with PHM, Batiste rose to assistant vice president of operations in the reverse division. In February 2021, she stepped down from PHM to join Traditional Mortgage Acceptance Corporation (TMAC) as underwriting manager. One year later, she returned to executive leadership, accepting the role she holds today. Batiste also serves on the NRMLA Board of Directors. “What I came to learn and appreciate about the HECM program, and why I am proud to be a part of the industry, is the intent of the program and how it helps seniors age in place and, in some instances, save their home,” she says. REVERSE MORTGAGE / JULY–AUGUST 2023 27
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