All Episodes

• The Human Side of Disaster Servicing: Forbearance, Rebuilding & What Must Come Next | Connect
  When a natural disaster destroys a home, the mortgage servicer is one of the first calls a homeowner makes. What happens in those first days and weeks can determine whether a family rebuilds — or falls through the cracks. In this episode of Connect, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with Ron Malik, Senior […]
• 50 Million Millennials Haven't Bought a Home Yet — Here's Why That Matters | Nora Guerra | Connect
  Affordability. Access. Inventory. These words get thrown around constantly — but what do they actually mean for the families sitting in a financial literacy event in Atlanta wondering if they'll ever own a home? In this episode of Connect, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with Nora Guerra, Senior Vice President of Community Lending […]
• Stop Whiteboardng and Start Building: How Lenders Actually Adopt AI | Varant Herculian, JazzX AI
  Every lender is being pitched AI right now. But how many are actually implementing it successfully — and what separates the ones that do from the ones that don't? In this episode of Connect, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with Varant Herculian of JazzX AI for a candid, execution-focused conversation on what it […]
• FICO® 10T Is Here — What Every Mortgage Lender Needs to Know | Devin Norales, FICO | Connect
  Credit scoring is one of the most consequential — and least understood — topics in mortgage right now. And it's moving fast. In this episode of Connect, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with Devin Norales, Head of Mortgage and Capital Markets at FICO, for a deep-dive conversation on credit score modernization, FICO 10T, […]
• Double Your Volume Without Doubling Your Staff | Vince Furey, MeridianLink | Connect Podcast
  Lenders are spending more on technology than ever — and getting less return than they expected. Why? Because most of them don't know what they have, what it costs to run it, or whether it's actually delivering. In this episode of Connect, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with Vince Furey, who leads the […]
• Credit, Income & Assets — Certified in 5 Minutes | Mike Brown, Gateless | Connect Podcast
  Lenders cut to the bone. Volume stalled. And now the next cycle is coming — are you operationally ready for it? In this episode of Connect, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with Mike Brown of Gateless, a company helping lenders rethink how work gets done across the entire mortgage loan lifecycle. Mike brings […]
• GSEs Are Scrubbing 2020–2023 Portfolios. Are You Ready? | James W. Brody, Brody Gapp LLP | Connect
  The regulatory and compliance landscape for mortgage lenders has never been more complex — and the risks hiding in the rearview mirror may be bigger than the ones ahead. In this episode of Connect, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with James W. Brody, Esq., Founder and Managing Partner of Brody Gapp LLP, for […]
• Notice of Default, Junior Liens & the California Usury Trap | Steven Ernest, Forta Law | Connect
  Nobody originates a loan hoping it becomes a legal strategy session — but in the real world, defaults happen, projects stall, and lenders need a plan. In this episode of Connect, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with Steven Ernest of Forta Law for a practical, no-nonsense conversation on managing defaults, protecting collateral, and […]
• The Fight for the Consumer: Real Estate Consolidation, AI & Future of the LO Relationship | Ep.265
  Mortgage lenders track rates, volume, and affordability. But are they paying close enough attention to what's happening in real estate — and how it directly affects their business? In this episode of Connect, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with Coby Hakalir, SVP/Managing Director of Mortgage & Core Services at T3 Sixty, a firm […]
• The Borrower Has Changed. Has Your Product Suite? | Tom Davis, Deephaven Mortgage | Connect Podcast
  One out of every four loans in 2026 will be non-agency. Are you positioned to compete for all of them — or just three out of four? In this episode of Connect, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with Tom Davis, Chief Sales Officer at Deephaven Mortgage, for a data-heavy, no-fluff conversation on where […]
• Shift Left or Get Left Behind: Steve Kolker on AI, Production, and the Future of Mortgage
  The mortgage production environment is as competitive as ever — tight margins, volume pressure, and a flood of technology promises. So what actually separates the lenders managing through it well from those that are struggling? In this episode of Connect, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with Steve Kolker, Managing Director and Chief Production […]
• People First, Technology Behind the Scenes | Neil Armstrong, CRO of Indecomm | Connect Podcast
  The mortgage industry has been talking about AI and automation for years — but where is it actually delivering results today? In this episode of Connect, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with Neil Armstrong, newly appointed Chief Revenue Officer of Indecomm, to dig into the real-world mechanics of operational automation in mortgage lending. […]
• Why AI Won't Replace Your Loan Officer — And What Will | Bob Jennings, CEO of TrustEngine
  The mortgage borrower has changed — but most lenders' engagement strategies haven't. In this episode of Connect, Paul Gigliotti, CEO of the California MBA, sits down with Bob Jennings, CEO of TrustEngine, to unpack what it really takes to win and retain borrowers in today's volatile, hyper-competitive lending landscape. From the dangers of AI-dependent borrowers […]
• How Digital Collateral is Transforming Capital Markets | Michael Sachdev, CEO of Snapdocs
  Closing isn't just a moment at the end of a loan—it’s the highest leverage integration point in the entire mortgage lifecycle. In this episode of Connect, Paul Gigliotti, CEO of the California MBA, sits down with Michael Sachdev, CEO of Snapdocs, to discuss why the industry must stop treating closing like a simple "feature" and […]
• Mortgage Industry 2026 Outlook: Rates, Housing Supply & AI with John Hedlund
  In this episode of the Connect Podcast, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with John Hedlund, Vice Chair of ICE, Vice Chairman of the National MBA, and California MBA Board Member. John shares powerful insights from ICE Experience “Win” event in Las Vegas and breaks down the biggest shifts facing mortgage finance today: • […]
• Why AB1018 Could Raise Mortgage Costs 50%+ | Paul Gigliotti & Nick Pabarcus Discuss
  In this episode of the INSIDE THE IMPACT Podcast from the California MBA, host Paul Gigliotti, CEO of the California MBA, sits down with Nick Pabarcus, Managing Director of Non-QM Sales at PennyMac, to break down California bill AB1018 and its potential impact on automated decision systems—including AI—in mortgage lending. AI has powered mortgage efficiency […]
• Unified POS/LOS + AI: Wilco's Charlie Changes Mortgage Production Forever
  Join Paul Gigliotti, CEO of California MBA, on Connect for Episode 254 with Tom Morelli from Wilco! Discover how Wilco is transforming mortgage origination with Charlie – a groundbreaking Production Optimization Platform (POP) that unites POS, LOS, AI, and business intelligence into one seamless system. Key topics: - Why traditional LOS/POS silos are broken and […]
• From Paper Stacks to AI-Powered Verification: The Future of Mortgage Lending w/ Sasha Stair, CMB®
  In this powerful episode of the Connect Podcast by California MBA, host and CEO Paul Gigliotti, sits down with Sasha Stair, CMB®, CMO at Xactus, to unpack the massive shift happening in mortgage verification. Say goodbye to outdated, manual, paper-based processes — Xactus 360 delivers dynamic, data-driven verification that adapts in real time. Powered by […]
• Will AB 801 Change How We Lend in 2026? | IMPACT Podcast
  In this episode of the IMPACT Podcast, California MBA CEO Paul Gigliotti sits down with Chuck Iverson to break down California’s proposed Community Reinvestment Act (AB 801) and what it means for the industry heading into 2026. While the intent behind new legislation is often to help, Paul and Chuck discuss why policy must be […]
• Secondary Market Secrets: Whole Loan Trading, Valuations & Market Shifts with Rams Capital | Ep. 252
  In this episode of Connect by California MBA, host Paul Gigliotti sits down with Vik Kasparin from Rams Mortgage Capital for an in-depth look at the secondary mortgage market. Rams specializes in mortgage asset valuation, training, advisory services, and whole loan trading—focusing on post-closing strategies for lenders, banks, and portfolio holders. They help market and […]