Kayla Lopez is the senior vice president of strategy at UMortgage, and every single department has directly benefited from her influence. Lopez played a key role in creating the blueprints which directly contributed to the continued growth and development of the UMortgage platform. In 2022, the UMortgage platform scaled at an exponential rate through its developed practices and structures based on continued feedback and radical transparency throughout the organization. None of this collective growth would have been possible without the guidance and leadership offered by Lopez to the entire organization. Just last year, she led the daily operations of UMortgage’s business development, operations, marketing and business innovation teams as they planned and executed large-scale projects, underwent department restructurings and managed the consistent growth of the company.

Lopez’s role as a leader directly embodies UMortgage’s core value to “get better every day.” While she helped lead UMortgage through a year of record growth in 2022, Lopez was busy receiving a master’s degree in organizational leadership. Whether she’s leading the innovation, marketing or business development team, she is approachable, compassionate and hands-on. She consistently reminds every team member that they’re not just helping originate loans, but they’re helping to create life-changing opportunities through homeownership. This people-first mentality reverberates throughout the organization.

What is one habit that has helped you succeed?

Allocating time to discover new information, processes and practices. I shadow people, ask questions, read books, and meet with people both in and outside of the industry. Building this practice into my routine, connects all the dots and helps me clearly see gaps in the organization. The habit of building discovery in my schedule has helped me tremendously in my career.

Name:

Kayla Lopez

Age:

32

Title:

Senior Vice President of Strategy

Company Name:

UMortgage

Industry

Mortgage