Jamie Cavanaugh, a 30-year mortgage industry veteran and current CEO of reAlpha Mortgage, has been named CEO of the Broker Action Coalition (BAC), the group announced Monday.
The Washington, D.C.-based grassroots advocacy organization, which represents independent mortgage brokers and their supporters in national policy debates, said Cavanaugh will guide the Broker Action Coalition through its next phase of growth by expanding its reach, resources and influence in Washington, D.C.
Cavanaugh will continue in her role as CEO of reAlpha Mortgage while leading the BAC. She has owned and managed multiple mortgage companies over three decades and is a longtime advocate for the mortgage broker channel, according to the announcement.
“I’ve spent three decades in the mortgage industry, and advocacy has been an important part of my work for a long time. I’ve seen firsthand how decisions made in Washington affect mortgage professionals, businesses, and, ultimately, the consumers we serve,” Cavanaugh said in a statement.
“BAC has already proven what focused, effective advocacy can accomplish. My goal is to build on that foundation. To expand our reach, bring more people into the movement, and make sure BAC has the resources and influence to be an even stronger voice for the industry.”
The leadership move comes as independent mortgage brokers face a shifting regulatory landscape, including heightened scrutiny from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, evolving guidance on steering and compensation, and ongoing debates in Congress around credit reports, data privacy and trigger leads.
Trade groups, including BAC, have increasingly positioned themselves as a conduit between small broker shops and policymakers who traditionally hear more from large depositories and nonbank lenders.
Key role in new trigger leads law
The BAC said its grassroots model focuses on bringing brokers directly into the policymaking process through congressional meetings, coalition building and campaigns around targeted issues such as trigger leads. The organization’s multiyear effort to end what it describes as “abusive” trigger lead practices produced hundreds of meetings with lawmakers and tens of thousands of messages to Congress before legislation was passed, the group said.
For mortgage brokers, the CEO appointment signals that BAC intends to professionalize and scale its advocacy infrastructure at a time when margin compression and consolidation have pressured smaller firms. A more coordinated advocacy arm could affect how brokers are represented on issues ranging from LO compensation and wholesale lender practices, to government loan policy and access to credit for first-time and underserved borrowers.
Cavanaugh used the announcement to urge more brokers to actively participate in the organization’s work.
“If you believe brokers deserve a strong voice in the decisions that affect our businesses and our clients, get involved. Support the BAC. Show up. Donate. Help us grow this movement,” she said.
Clark steps down, McKay retains role
Brendan McKay, the BAC’s president and co-founder, will remain in his current role and work closely with Cavanaugh. Under the new structure, Cavanaugh will concentrate on organizational strategy, growth and resources, while McKay continues to lead on policy, advocacy and industry relationships.
“Jamie is smart, ethical, and relentless. There isn’t a more respected person in the broker community,” McKay said in the announcement, adding that her “experience, credibility, energy, and fearlessness” align with what the group needs for its next chapter.
The transition follows what BAC described as several years of “significant growth” for its advocacy network, including its annual Advocacy in Action fly-in that brings brokers to Capitol Hill for meetings with lawmakers and regulators.
Cavanaugh succeeds Rachel Clark, who is stepping down as executive director. Clark has been involved with BAC since its early days, starting as a Texas state captain and co-chair of the State Government Affairs Advocacy Council before moving into operations and ultimately the executive director role.
McKay credited Clark with helping build the organization’s current foundation, saying the BAC that Cavanaugh is inheriting is “stable, growing, and positioned for an exciting next chapter.”
This article was generated using HousingWire Automation and reviewed by a HousingWire editor before publication.
