
Planning for Success: How to Build an Effective Mortgage Operation
Tuesday, September 21 at 1:00 p.m. central time

The Federal Home Loan Banks’ Mortgage Partnership Finance® (MPF®) Program provides credit unions with competitive, easy-to-use mortgage products. In addition to our support of ACUMA, we help credit unions promote homeownership within their communities through access to our conventional/conforming and government loan products. Visit FHLBMPF.com to learn more.
Session Description
In partnership with the American Credit Union Mortgage Association (ACUMA), the MPF Program is pleased to welcome ACUMA Board Member Jason Sasena and his colleague Michelle Burke of Westerra Credit Union for an insightful discussion focusing on how to establish a successful mortgage operation. Topics will include:
- How to attract new business
- Building productive sales and operations teams
- How to best manage your secondary market pipeline/execution
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Speakers

Michelle Burke
VP of Mortgage Lending, Westerra Credit Union
Michelle Burke serves as the Vice President of Mortgage Lending at Denver-based Westerra Credit Union. She has been lending within the credit union space for the last 11 of her 28 years in the mortgage industry, also holding positions in sales, technology, credit policy and operations.
Previously, Burke was a key contributor in the growth of Lake Michigan Credit Union to the No.1 purchase lender in of Michigan and a top three credit union mortgage originator in the state. Westerra’s mortgage production has grown by more than 300% under her leadership in the past year.
Burke challenges the status quo in order to provide a better experience for members and employees. She believes that process, supported with smart technology, empowers her team to better serve members and prospects.

Jason Sasena
Chief Lending Officer, Westerra Credit Union
Jason Sasena joined Denver-based Westerra Credit Union as Chief Lending Officer in April 2019. He is responsible for driving the organization’s lending strategy and credit oversight.
Sasena brings more than 20 years of experience as a thought leader in the mortgage banking industry, overseeing residential mortgage leadership, marketing and technology. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President of National Mortgage Production at Lake Michigan Credit Union, headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he led the credit union to become the No.1 purchase lender in the state of Michigan and third-largest mortgage lender in the credit union industry.
In his career, Sasena has also held leadership roles with Kinecta Federal Credit Union, JP Morgan Chase, GMAC Residential Capital and ditech.com. He is an active member of several industry associations including the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) and the Certified Mortgage Banker’s (CMB®) Society. He also actively serves on the American Credit Union Mortgage Association (ACUMA) Board of Directors.
Sasena is a contributing author of “The Mortgage Professionals Handbook.” He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Management from Midland, Michigan-based Northwood University and a Master’s Degree in Internet Marketing from Orlando, Florida-based Full Sail University. He is also a graduate of the Cardwell Group 306/2 Leadership Symposium.