DSNews delivers stories, ideas, links, companies, people, events, and videos impacting the mortgage default servicing industry.
Issue link: http://digital.dsnews.com/i/1541210
41 November 2025 F E A T U R E S T O R Y November 2025 » and bigger, and demonstrated how to challenge others in a respectful way. I also want to shout out Nanci Weissgold, Partner at Alson & Bird. Nanci and I met through the MBA, and she quick- ly became a friend, a cheerleader, a sounding board, and a confidant. It has been critically important to me to foster genuine friendships with women I look up to and respect, like Joy and Nanci. These women help create a sense of community where we can all learn from each other and build each other up as we grow. Q: What is the most critical piece of advice you would give to women beginning their careers in this industry? Create genuine connections. Push outside your comfort zone, meet and befriend others in the industry, and nur- ture those relationships over time. We are all stronger when we work together to lift each other up. Public Sector Champion Award CRISTI RICHEY VP Business Account Management Solutions, Fannie Mae Q: What are your proudest career achievements thus far? I'm incredibly proud to have worked alongside col- leagues at Fannie Mae and amazing industry partners to solve complex challenges such as: 1) creating mortgage servicing standards and effective loss mitigation solutions during crises like the Great Recession, global pandemic, and natural disasters; 2) promoting fair servicing practices to ensure all borrowers understand their options; and 3) transforming the industry through the deployment of GenAI capabilities—an "in-flight" transformation I'm deeply passionate about. These efforts reflect a commitment to innovation and resilience in housing finance, and I'm honored to have contributed to meaningful change across the mortgage servicing landscape. Q: Are there any women who have served as career mentors for you, and what did you learn from them? I have been fortunate to have mentors (both men and women) who have guided me in a meaningful way in my career. An example that continues to stand out is when a mentor helped me during a time of high stress. When I faced numerous deliverables at the same time, she taught me to categorize them into two buckets: glass and rubber. Then let the rubber go—it will bounce and not break. Focus on the glass and pick up the rubber later! Q: What is the most critical piece of advice you would give to women beginning their careers in this industry? I continue to learn and be reminded that humans are emotional beings, and this will absolutely show up at work. Knowing this, I try to live by the follow- ing principles and would share this with anyone just beginning their career: 1) don't assume ill intent and take time to truly listen to other perspectives; 2) trust yourself and promote yourself; 3) build a strong network with people from all walks of life; and 4) set boundaries that create health and stability. Industry Partner Impact Award MIRIAM MOORE Division President of Default Services, ServiceLink Q: What are your proudest career achievements thus far? One of my proudest career achieve- ments was co-founding the Women Executives in Business (WEB). WEB is a network dedicated to supporting women executives in the Servicing industry, creating mentorship and networking opportunities. What I love most is that it's not just a group of women coming together periodically. It's really a movement. Over the years, we've grown from small gatherings at industry events to dynamic, impactful weekend retreats where women are encouraged, chal- lenged, and supported. Through these events and our time together, I've had the privilege of watching WEB attendees advance in their careers and reach new levels of leadership in their respective organizations. It's gratifying to know that I've contributed to building a platform for women to grow and build authentic connections in what has historically been a male-dominated industry. Q: Are there any women who have served as career mentors for you, and what did you learn from them? Although the industry is slowly changing, when I was coming up through the ranks, there unfortunately weren't very many strong women profes- sionals to mentor me. I was often the only woman in a room full of male exec-