Women in Housing: Meet This Year’s Laurie Maggiano Legacy Award Nominees

MortgagePoint is proud to continue our tradition of recognizing and honoring the extraordinary accomplishments of our industry’s women executives. Each year, industry colleagues nominate their peers across five categories, and those nominees are then narrowed down further to a list of finalists. These are the women who are making a difference in the industry and making a mark on their colleagues and team members. Our final recipients in each of those five categories will be honored at the Women in Housing Leadership Awards, happening on Thursday, Sept. 3, at the Five Star Conference in Dallas.

The Laurie Maggiano Legacy Award

The Laurie Maggiano Legacy Award recognizes women whose accomplishments have left an indelible impact on the industry and have positively influenced homeownership within the past year.

Pam Forrester, SVP Operations Management, Docutech, First American Mortgage Solutions

Pam Forrester is SVP of Operations Management for the Docutech, the document solutions business segment of
First American Mortgage Solutions. With more than three decades of mortgage industry experience, Forrester brings extensive expertise in loan originations, default servicing, post-closing operations, and business process outsourcing, training, and development.

She shares her knowledge as part of First American’s leadership team contributing her operational perspective to initiatives focused on technology enablement, process improvement, and business transformation. Forrester is an honor graduate from the University of Phoenix with Bachelor of Science degrees in business management and finance, and a certification from MIT Sloan School of Management in Business Process Design for Strategic Management.

WHY SHE WAS NOMINATED: “Pam Forrester’s 30-year mortgage career has been defined by innovation, operational excellence, and a lasting commitment to advancing the industry. As SVP of Division Operations at First American Mortgage Solutions, she has led transformative initiatives that modernized document and servicing operations, including expanding automation, OCR, and API-driven integrations that improve efficiency, reduce risk, and enhance the customer experience. Over the past year, she unified document solutions across the organization, contributing to a 44% increase in CleanFile document intake while strengthening collaboration across teams. Beyond her organization, Pam serves on MISMO’s Standards Governance Committee, helping shape technology standards that benefit the broader mortgage industry. A respected mentor and champion for women’s leadership, she invests in developing future leaders while driving innovation that helps lenders and servicers better serve homeowners. Her visionary leadership and enduring impact make her exceptionally deserving of this honor.”

Kathy Hancock, CEO, Forta Solutions

Kathy Hancock is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Forta Solutions, a fintech company transforming warehouse lending through modern cloud technology and intelligent automation. With more than 30 years of experience in mortgage banking, warehouse lending, capital markets, and financial technology, she has led numerous organizations through growth and operational transformation.

Throughout her career, Hancock has played a key role in more than $50 billion in mortgage securitizations, bringing extensive expertise in capital markets, lending operations, and technology innovation. Hancock leads Forta’s vision of redefining warehouse lending through the Agility platform, helping financial institutions replace legacy systems with a connected, scalable solution that increases efficiency, reduces operational risk, and accelerates growth. Recognized for her strategic leadership and deep industry knowledge, she is passionate about building technology designed by warehouse lending professionals for warehouse lenders and advancing the future of the industry through innovation and trusted partnerships.

WHY SHE WAS NOMINATED “Kathy Hancock is considered a visionary because she recognized that warehouse lending technology was lagging behind the broader financial services industry and set out to modernize it through innovation, automation, and scalability. Under her leadership, Forta Solutions developed the Agility platform, a cloud-based solution designed to streamline funding, collateral management, reporting, and
risk oversight for warehouse lenders. Kathy’s vision extends beyond replacing legacy systems. She has focused on creating a platform that evolves with the industry’s needs through continuous enhancements, open integrations, advanced analytics, automation, and support for emerging lending models. Her leadership has helped Forta process more than $15 billion in warehouse lending transactions while earning industry recognition for technology excellence. By combining deep industry expertise with a commitment to innovation, Kathy is helping redefine how warehouse lenders operate, positioning Forta at the forefront of the industry’s digital transformation.”

Joanna McGinn, EVP, Client Relations, ServiceMac

Joanna McGinn is the Executive Vice President (EVP) of Client Relations at ServiceMac. She is responsible for sustaining meaningful ties with the organization’s clients, helping to ensure they are fully supported.
The team she leads helps execute strategic initiatives, train clients on the company’s processes, and act as a liaison between business operations and the client. They are focused on building long-lasting client
relationships that collaboratively work together to be solution-oriented while always keeping the customer front of mind.

McGinn is an experienced Executive Leader with 34 years in mortgage lending and financial services. She has a strong background in building large divisions of companies from the ground up, with ServiceMac being her fifth opportunity. Her strong focus on people, process, and technology allows her to be an advisor and advocate for many. Prior to ServiceMac, McGinn was VP of Quicken Loans Mortgage Services for 10 years, where she built and led the wholesale operations team through explosive growth from startup to $3.3 billion per month, landing them the second-largest wholesale lender in the country. The teams she has led through the years have won Best Places to Work as she believes a strong culture with a balanced focused on people as well as results will drive success. Prior to Quicken, McGinn was with HSBC Mortgage Services for 10 years leading their operational teams for wholesale production.

WHY SHE WAS NOMINATED: “Joanna McGinn has spent more than 20 years helping shape the mortgage servicing industry through visionary leadership, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to client success. As
Executive Vice President of Client Relations and Human Resources at ServiceMac, she has played a pivotal role in scaling the company from a startup into a top mortgage servicer. Her leadership has contributed to ServiceMac reaching a record servicing portfolio of 1.125 million loans in 2025, while advancing borrower retention strategies that leverage data, analytics, and digital engagement to strengthen customer relationships and support sustainable homeownership. Joanna is equally committed to developing future leaders, mentoring high-performing teams, and fostering a culture of collaboration and accountability. By combining operational excellence with a people-first leadership style, she has elevated servicing standards, strengthened client partnerships, and created a lasting legacy that continues to shape the future of mortgage servicing.”

Dr. Egypt Sherrod, CEO, Indigo Road Realty

Dr. Egypt Sherrod is a dynamic, Emmy Award-nominated television host, real estate expert, designer, author, and serial entrepreneur whose career spans media, real estate, philanthropy, and design. As the Founder
& CEO of the Indigo Road family of companies, Sherrod leads a multifaceted business empire that includes Indigo Road Realty, a premier residential brokerage; Indigo Road Design Group, offering top-tier design services; and Indigo Road Home Furnishings, her signature home décor line.

A passionate advocate for women entrepreneurs, Egypt co-founded 1000 Women Owned, a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting 1,000 women-owned businesses by 2030. Through funding, mentorship, and personalized business support, the initiative fosters a global community where women rise together.

WHY SHE WAS NOMINATED: “Dr. Egypt Sherrod is a real estate leader, Emmy Award–nominated television host, designer, author, and serial entrepreneur whose work has reshaped how families approach homeownership. As Founder & CEO of the Indigo Road family of companies including Indigo Road Realty, Indigo Road Design Group, and Indigo Road Home Furnishings, she has built a vertically integrated business that guides clients from purchase through design and furnishing, expanding access and confidence at every stage of the homeownership journey. She is best known as host and executive producer of HGTV’s top-rated series Married to Real Estate, which drew more than 19 million viewers in its broadcast season and airs in over 82 countries, a platform she uses to demystify buying, selling, and building wealth through real estate for a global audience. She was also host of HGTV’s long running hit Property Virgins, where she guided first-time homebuyers through the roller coaster of buying their first home for eight award-winning seasons. Her leadership has earned an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Stillman College, Global Influencer of the Year from Inman News, and a place among Atlanta Magazine’s Top 500 Leaders in Residential Real Estate.”