PAV I N G T H E WAY
PAVING THE WAY
with
A n In t er v iew C a t hleen S chr einer Ga t es and Pam F aulk ner BY A N D R I A LI G HTF O OT P M P, C S M
T
his article fulfills my long-standing dream to interview industry giant, Cathleen Schreiner Gates. Cathleen is currently the president and advisory board member to SimpleNexus, and I first came to know Cathleen while she was EVP, sales and marketing at Ellie Mae. As the inaugural recipient of the NEXT Powerhouse Awards, it is no surprise that I have referred to Cathleen as the “Oprah” of mortgage technology due to her larger-than-life presence, way of reaching back to others, and focus on mentoring female leaders within the industry. I asked Pam Faulkner, director of Mortgage Solutions at SimpleNexus to join us in our conversation around the importance of mentoring and giving back.
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Housing Wire named Pam its “2020 Woman of Influence,” and full disclosure, Pam and I were both part of the EMerge Women’s Leadership foundation Cathleen founded during her time at Ellie Mae. A powerhouse in her own right, Pam has influenced product and mortgage trends as well as many mentees during her illustrious career. We sat down to discuss their experience mentoring over the years in a candid “Q&A” style format. Their responses ignited within me a renewed passion for giving back. Regardless of the stage you are at in your own career, mentoring is a worthwhile endeavor that impacts both the mentor and the mentee. To mentor, we practice using our emotional intelligence, emphasizing one-on-one dialogue, focusing on empowerment, and relationship building. For mentees, a good mentor will support, guide, and believe in our potential, seeing in us what we cannot yet see within ourselves. Below is a masterclass from two industry standouts. – Enjoy.
