Meet our panelists
Gary Acosta
Co-founder & CEO
NAHREP
About Gary
As CEO of NAHREP, Gary Acosta created the Hispanic Wealth Project, a non-profit organization with a strategic plan to triple Hispanic household wealth by 2024. He is also the co-founder of L’ATTITUDE, a major event he produces with international business executive Sol Trujillo, former United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz, and music superstar Emilio Estefan. Acosta is also a general partner of L’ATTITUDE Ventures, the nation’s largest venture capital fund focused exclusively on Latino-led start-ups.
A self-described serial entrepreneur, Gary has founded several mortgage, real estate, and technology companies. In 2013, he co-founded The Mortgage Collaborative (TMC), a cooperative corporation of 200+ mortgage companies.
Gary was appointed to the inaugural Consumer Advisory Board (CAB) of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the federal regulator to the financial services industry. He served as 2014 Chairman of the CFPB mortgage committee.
The MBA awarded him with their annual prestigious Investing in Communities award. REALTOR® Magazine named him one of the 25 Most Influential People in real estate, and Hispanic Business Magazine named him one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics in America. Mr. Acosta writes a weekly blog about business and current events at garyacosta.com.
Irma DeLeón, JD, CMPS
Branch Manager
Geneva Financial Mortgage
About Irma
Irma DeLeón is a producing branch manager based in Chicago, IL. She is dedicated to helping people fulfill their aspirations of homeownership. With an impressive 30 years of experience in the mortgage industry, she is skilled in structuring diverse mortgage loans and cultivating strong relationships with real estate professionals and referral partners. Her commitment extends to community involvement, where she regularly conducts informative seminars for potential first-time homebuyers, emphasizing the value of building wealth through real estate investments.
Prior to her mortgage career, Irma earned her Juris Doctor from Northern Illinois University College of Law. As a full-time law student, she actively engaged in student affairs, holding the position of assistant to the director of admissions. She also played a pivotal role in organizations such as the Latinx Law Student Association and Delta Theta Phi law fraternity. Irma earned the distinction of becoming the first recipient of the Kane County Bar Foundation scholarship.
Her pursuit of excellence garnered recognition from YWCA, which honored Irma as one of the Women of Professional Excellence for her contributions to empowering women in professional settings. Irma takes immense pride in her role as a devoted mother to her two adult sons, Matthew and Zack Luckman.
Pamela Stephens
Branch Manager
Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, Inc.
About Pamela
Pamela Stephens brings over 20 years of experience in the real estate industry as a loan officer. Her knowledge spans from real estate sales to residential title and lending. She has been in the Top Latino Performers of America and is a top producer in her current company.
She understands the key components of a successful real estate transaction and knows the importance of communication and transparency. Pamela is bilingual in Spanish and English, which offers her a multicultural approach that helps to expand homeownership to the Hispanic market.
Pamela is driven to ensure her processors, loan officers and customers get the best treatment possible and achieve success. She currently manages and produces at a retail branch in Nashville, TN.
Pamela was born in Quito, Ecuador, and is the mother of two amazing girls, Ari and Olivia. Her mother and sisters are a big part of her life and success.
Meet our moderator
Elyse Mitchell
VP – National Accounts
MGIC
About Elyse
Elyse Mitchell is a vice president of national accounts at Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC). Elyse joined MGIC in 2000 and brings 25+ years of sales experience as she concentrates on cultivating business partnerships and developing and executing sales strategies with a focus on service, quality and performance.
With her passion for affordable housing, she serves on MGIC’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Executive Council, where she is responsible for framing DEI strategy, initiatives and products. She currently sits on National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals' (NAHREP) Corporate Board of Governors (CBOG), representing MGIC in advancing equitable homeownership for the Hispanic community.
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