Top lending and broker execs on the steps needed to level the playing field
The mortgage industry may be making progress in building a more equal playing field between women and men – but there’s still plenty of work to be done before full gender equality is achieved in the sector.
An important part of that process is encouraging young women to enter the mortgage industry and carve out a career, with scores of successful female brokers and lending executives already blazing their own trail in the mortgage space.
At last week’s sold-out Women in Mortgage Summit in Toronto, which welcomed over 600 attendees for a day packed with keynote speeches, networking sessions and industry insights, Canadian Mortgage Professional caught up with leading mortgage industry women to hear their take on what’s needed to continue the momentum towards equality.
Unsurprisingly, plenty emphasized the importance of finding a mentor to provide guidance and support – and while that’s especially important in the early days as an industry member, it can prove an essential part of growth at any stage of a mortgage professional’s career journey.
“I think mentorship looks very different when you’re starting your career,” Sofia Hondrogiannis (pictured, far left), associate vice president, sales and strategy, broker services at TD Canada told CMP. “It’s more technical, trying to understand the organization and trying to navigate where you are at the very beginning of your career.
“And I think as you progress in your career, you end up meeting some of those mentors within the organization and find that they’re able to talk about leadership at a higher level or high capacity. And that really does help me navigate my career as well.”
Midday momentum is strong at Women in Mortgage Summit Canada! From market shifts to mindset shifts, today’s sessions are packed with strategies to lead, grow, and thrive. #WomenInMortgageCA pic.twitter.com/xCuTri31Hp
— Canadian Mortgage Professional Magazine (@CMPmagazine) June 5, 2025
Networking an important component of a successful career
The value of forging new connections within the industry at every stage can’t be neglected, according to Haventree Bank’s president, chief executive officer and director, Fern Glowinsky (pictured, middle left).
Her advice for younger women breaking into the mortgage industry: “Network like crazy. Learn from those who’ve been doing it for longer and build your network,” she said. “People generally want to help each other even if they’re competing in the market for clients.
“I find people, for the most part, want to help others, so learn from others, and make connections that can help accelerate your growth and your immersion in the space.”
Unity, common purpose essential to drive equality forward
Addressing and correcting gender imbalance in the mortgage industry – particularly in leadership roles – takes a unified effort, according to Denise Laframboise (pictured, middle right), chief operating officer and broker at BRX Mortgage.
That’s where industry events and outreach play a key role. “I think events like this help people to make connections where they can meet mentors and make a community where they can get together and help grow their leadership opportunities and abilities,” Laframboise told CMP.
Also essential: volunteering and dedicating time and effort to the community. “I just think it’s really important to give, to see how you can help someone else, support someone else’s career, give back to the community as a whole,” she said.
“It could be simple things like answering a question on Facebook or reaching out to somebody who looks like they need help, but also bigger things like volunteering to be part of events, helping with training at your brokerage, maybe offering to mentor someone that needs a little help. As you give more and you connect with more people, your opportunities will grow.”
Last week’s event marked CMP’s third Women in Mortgage Summit, an event that’s been noteworthy for the growing number of men in attendance each year.
The involvement and advocacy of men in fighting for change and equality within the industry is important, said Tara Somerset (pictured, far right), senior vice president, servicing and B2B partnerships at Nesto Group.
“Women have to speak up for each other, firstly,” she said. “But I think it’s also very important that we’re vocal with our male counterparts and that we’re using them as ambassadors for more equality across the board so that as you move up the ranks, we see more of an equal balance at the top.
“I think having male ambassadors in your company is very important, making sure that the men in the company understand that there are still struggles. Women have been working very hard to get where they are, but honestly, it’s really been a very short period of time together and we still need support in getting further.”
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