Blog: Q&A with Marcia Davies of the Mortgage Bankers Association

March 30, 2022

“Women and minority households should have equal opportunity to enjoy the personal and wealth-creating benefits that come from owning a home.”

Marcia Davies is the Chief Operating Officer of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) and the founder of mPower, which is MBA’s networking platform for women in the real estate finance industry. As part of USMI’s Q&A series celebrating prominent women leaders in housing finance, Marcia shared advice to others in this space, her thoughts on how the industry can ensure the unique borrowing needs of women, and how the industry can grow to ensure diverse representation at all levels. She has had a tremendous career, made truly positive impacts on housing, and has demonstrated women’s leadership at its highest levels.

 

Read more from women leaders

1. What piece of advice has stuck with you most and helped you become a leader in the housing finance space?
2. What’s your message for young women in the housing finance industry who seek a long and successful career?
3. We have seen a surge in the number of mortgage companies owned by women. What do you think women leadership brings to the table for the mortgage industry?
4. With women becoming an increasing share of the home purchase market, how do you think the housing industry can best respond to meet these borrowers’ homebuying needs?

Marcia Davies Biography

Marcia Davies is Chief Operating Officer for the MBA. As COO, Marcia is responsible for ensuring cross-organizational alignment and facilitating the implementation of strategic initiatives, as well as maintaining oversight of key organizational priorities. She is also the lead strategist for MBA’s external activities, providing leadership, guidance and overall management to the public affairs and marketing divisions. In addition, Marcia provides strategic direction and management of MBA’s Conferences, Membership, Education, Information Technology and Office Services divisions. She also provides management oversight to and is a Board member of MBA’s Opens Doors Foundation.

Previously, Marcia worked at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Housing and Federal Housing Commissioner. She directed HUD’s industry relations program to strengthen relationships, garner support, streamline communications and resolve policy and regulatory issues. Before joining HUD, Marcia spent 21 years at Freddie Mac, where she held a variety of officer positions in communications, customer outreach, marketing, servicer relations and policy.

Marcia is the founder of mPower – MBA Promoting Opportunities for Women to Extend their Reach – MBA’s networking platform for women in the real estate finance industry. Under her leadership, mPower has grown into an engaged community of more than 24,000, providing best-in-class conference and webinar programming, networking events, and online opportunities to stay engaged. Through mPower, more women are positioned to achieve leadership positions and are well represented in all segments of the industry.

Marcia is a member of the NAWRB Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Council (NDILC). She is also a member of Women in Housing Finance and the International Women’s Leadership Association. Marcia received the silver Stevie Awards for Women in Business 2018 Maverick of the Year. She is also the recipient of Five Star’s Laurie A. Maggiano Legacy award, a two-time Mortgage Women Magazine Women With Vision award winner, and a recipient of the NAWRB 2018 Industry Revolutionary Award, and the CIFS Diversity & Inclusion 2018 Trailblazer Award. In 2015, Marcia was honored by HousingWire as one of its 2015 Women of Influence.

Marcia is a graduate of the Katharine Gibbs School in Montclair, N.J.