This piece originally appeared in the September 2022 edition of MReport magazine, online now [1].
On Tuesday, September 20 at Noon Central, the Five Star Institute will recognize and honor the accomplishments of the industry's women executives during the Five Star Conference and Expo’s Women in Housing Leadership Awards Luncheon [2], to be held during the annual Five Star Conference and Expo in Dallas [3].
Each year, nominees are presented across five categories, and that group is then narrowed down further to a final list of finalists. These pioneers are women who are making a difference in the industry and leaving their mark on their colleagues and team members, both within the workplace and beyond.
Today, we focus on the finalists for Corporate Social Responsibility Award, an award recognizing those women executives who are driving charitable initiatives and helping the industry make a positive difference in the lives of many by giving back to their community.
Congratulations to the final five nominees for the 2022 Corporate Social Responsibility Award:
Darcy Chapman
VP, Strategic Partnerships, Auction.com
What Others Are Saying
“Darcy Chapman is caring and competitive. In a recent fundraising campaign for Feeding America, she was the highest fundraiser. As a former foster mom, Darcy is aware of the harmful effects of food insecurity. She and her husband also support a local Dallas charity, Lil’ Warriors Foundation. This nonprofit partners with communities to provide financial assistance for families with children battling critical medical challenges. Darcy supports the foundation financially and by volunteering her time. Darcy belongs to Auction.com’s Inclusion, Diversity, Engagement, and Awareness (IDEA) Council and has been a VFSAC A
What This Nomination Means to Her
“To be considered as a candidate for the Corporate Social Responsibility Award is an absolute honor. There are so many women who selflessly give of themselves daily without recognition. Recently, social responsibility has taken on a new meaning for me. I am a new mom to a baby girl and have a 10-year-old stepdaughter. It’s imperative to me that they are not blinded to the bleak realities some others face. I want my children to fully understand that with being fortunate comes the responsibility of good stewardship to those in need.”
Tamara Gifford
Director, Community & External Relations, Ocwen
What Others Are Saying
“Tamara Gifford leads Ocwen’s corporate social responsibility efforts which provided over $26 million in funding since 2012 to mortgage industry, consumer advocacy, and nonprofit organizations that serve low- to moderate-income families. In addition to this, she manages Ocwen’s Community Advisory Council, a group of 15 diverse industry leaders who provide expertise and guidance. Members include NCRC, UnidosUS, NAACP, and others. She oversees borrower outreach efforts resulting in 100+ virtual outreach events across 29 states since the beginning of the pandemic. In 2021, Ocwen received the External Partner of the Year award from Neighborhood Housing Services of NYC.”
What This Nomination Means to Her
“It’s an honor to be selected as a finalist for the Five Star Institute’s Women in Housing Corporate Social Responsibility Award. The work my peers and I do is instrumental in helping low- to moderate-income individuals and families. This nomination underlines my lifelong dream to be able to help those who are struggling financially. Ocwen’s commitment to helping homeowners has been the platform to which we’ve built our corporate giving program, focused on those organizations that have the greatest impact. I am proud we’ve been able to provide over $26 million since 2012 to our nonprofit, consumer advocacy, and industry association partners.”
Toniqua Green
VP of Corporate Social Responsibility, Mr. Cooper Group
What Others Are Saying
“With her 15 years of mortgage experience, Toniqua Green has leveraged her knowledge along with her passion to help others. She is responsible for driving corporate social responsibility initiatives, community outreach, and environmental social governance programs at Mr. Cooper. During her time as VP of Corporate Social Responsibility, Toniqua has elevated engagement within the company and taken on new directives in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She shares her knowledge, enthusiasm, and passion at industry events to encourage others to join in the efforts. Her department has helped with the Homeowner Assistance Funds to assist borrowers after the pandemic. To meet Toniqua Green, is to know she has a passion to help people in their distress. She is known for her tenacious ability to get things done!”
What This Nomination Means to Her
“I am honored to be nominated for the 2022 Women in Housing Corporate Social Responsibility Award. It is a testament to the great things we are doing at Mr. Cooper Group. Leading the Corporate Social Responsibility team for Mr. Cooper Group was the career path I never knew I needed. I enjoy being able to partner with housing advocates, state housing agencies, and federal housing associations to provide mortgage assistance to homeowners in need, manage our outreach efforts, government-sponsored initiatives, strategic planning of foreclosure prevention, and new homeowner efforts in low- to moderate-income markets and underserved communities. I love that my team and I are able to live out Mr. Cooper’s vision of keeping the dream of homeownership alive. Every day we are looking for ways to help our homeowners and better our communities."
Dana Stephenson
Consumer Direct Onboarding Manager, Caliber Home Loans, Inc.
What Others Are Saying
“When it comes to philanthropic events, Dana is the go-to person at Caliber to help organize, plan, and participate. She is a key driver in offering continued support to Caliber’s favorite nonprofits, like Operation Homefront, Patriot Paws, and Gatehouse Women’s Shelter. As a veteran herself, she has played an especially huge part in Caliber’s military-related partnerships and events. Last year, Dana led efforts to provide $250 gift cards to military high schoolers so that they could purchase new clothes and supplies for school, along with over 80 stocked backpacks that she personally handed out on-base with almost $10,000 worth of supplies.”
What This Nomination Means to Her
“I’m honored to be nominated for this award, but the work I get to do and the opportunity that I’ve been given to use my skills, talents, and resources to serve the community is truly its own reward. This nomination has helped me to reflect upon the opportunities I’ve had and the impact I’ve made in improving the lives of veterans and their families within our communities. This nomination means more to me than recognition—it means that we, as a society, are bringing awareness, accountability, and commitment to various issues impacting the communities in which we live and work.”
Carrie Tackett
Director of Business Development, Safeguard Properties
What Others Are Saying
“Carrie Tackett started her career in 2006 at ServiceLink and joined Safeguard Properties in 2010 as an REO Supervisor. She currently holds the position of Director of Business Development. She has been a member of the AMDC since 2019, promoting diversity within the mortgage industry. She is a member of the VFSAC committee, which addresses the needs of veterans in relation to housing and critical services. Carrie also cultivated a relationship between Safeguard Properties and the Military Warrior Support Foundation, where the Safeguard vendor network is used to renovate homes to be gifted to wounded veterans.”
What This Nomination Means to Her
“Being nominated for the Corporate Social Responsibility Award means that I have been acknowledged as the face of a company who has been recognized for helping communities for many years. It means I am a part of how we successfully build employee engagement and sustainable partnerships through activities such as volunteering, financial contributions, community service, ecofriendly practices, and many creative activities by which Safeguard gives back to our nation’s communities. Partnerships with VFSAC and Military Warriors Support Foundation allow us to directly impact housing opportunities for our nation’s military heroes. I am honored to be considered a leader in all Safeguard social initiatives.”
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Click here [3] for more information or to register for the 2022 Women in Housing Leadership Awards Luncheon, Tuesday, September 20 at Noon Central.