GENERAL SESSION: Residential & Commercial/Multifamily (CMF) Legislative Issues Briefing (Closed to Media)
Get prepared to make an impact on the legislation, people, and processes that affect the single-family and commercial/multifamily real estate finance industry. MBA’s Federal Lobby Team will join a panel featuring dual member moderators to guide the conversation. Together they will provide detailed information about the most pressing housing issues in Congress that MBA is focused on, outlining the status of key legislation, its impact, and the specific policy changes or actions needed now.
Speakers
Introductions
Bill Killmer is Senior Vice President for Legislative and Political Affairs at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). A veteran of over three decades in the housing arena, Bill joined MBA in 2010 and is responsible for managing the real estate finance industry's federal legislative, grassroots, and political fundraising activities, in close coordination with the MBA member leadership and its public policy, economics, public affairs, and lobbying teams. He oversees MBA's direct outreach to Congress, and is a regular guest speaker on the intersection of politics, policy, and industry issues. Under Killmer's leadership, grassroots participation through MBA's Mortgage Action Alliance has doubled, while donations to MORPAC, the industry's political action committee, have more than tripled, enhancing the association's ability to develop and execute effective advocacy strategies on the industry's behalf. Killmer came to MBA after nearly 20 years in the policy space at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), where he last served as Executive Vice President for Advocacy, managing all aspects of the group's public policy outreach. During his tenure at both organizations, he has been named as a Washington trade association "Top Lobbyist" by publications such as The Hill and CEO Update. He previously served as a Senior Legislative Officer for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Department of Labor during the George H.W. Bush administration. Killmer holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration (BBA), with a concentration in Finance, from Baylor University.
Moderator
Jennifer Hedgepeth serves as Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer at DHI Mortgage (DHIM), providing oversight of operations for over 2,500 employees. With over 35 years of experience in mortgage banking, Hedgepeth’s guidance over operations, insights into risk management, coaching and mentoring skills, and servant leadership have been true assets. A champion of DHIM’s culture and employee engagement, she is passionate about professional development and empowering others to reach their full potential. Hedgepeth is an active member of the Mortgage Bankers Association and participates in many MBA initiatives, including co-chair of the MBA's IMB Executive Council, as well as a member of RESBOG. She also supports women in leadership through mPower - MBA Promoting Opportunities for Women to Extend their Reach. Additionally, she serves on the National Corporate Board of Governors for the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP).
Jeffrey Weidell is the chief executive officer of Northmarq. After serving as president for eight years, he assumed the role of CEO in 2020 to continue to lead the company’s growth and transformation strategy. As part of this effort, Weidell launched the Investment Sales business for Northmarq, created talent development with the Associate Producer/Associate Broker program, and initiated broader client offerings to include a new investment advisory fund business. Under his leadership, Northmarq’s loan servicing business has expanded quickly and offers customized client services with industry-leading capabilities. Earlier in his career, Weidell was a highly successful mortgage banker, structuring debt and equity financing to meet the unique needs of his clients. He began with Trowbridge, Kieselhorst & Company, which was acquired by Northmarq in 2000, after which he became a managing director for Northmarq in San Francisco. He is an active leader in the industry serving as board member of the Silicon Valley chapter of NAIOP, vice chair of the Mortgage Bankers Association’s COMBOG Multifamily Council, a member of the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC), and former president of the Bay Area Mortgage Association. Weidell holds the certified mortgage banker (CMB) designation, and earned a BA in Economics from Columbia University and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Speakers
Rachel Kelley is the Vice President of Legislative Affairs at the Mortgage Bankers Association, focusing her lobbying efforts on the Republicans in the House of Representatives. She was previously Assistant Vice President of Political Affairs at the MBA since 2021. Rachel was formerly in political fundraising working for CLT Host 2020, Inc, the RNC (Republican National Committee), and NRSC (National Republican Senatorial Committee). Prior to fulltime political fundraising, Rachel managed the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) PAC and helped represent ICSC on the Hill and worked on the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) PAC. Before NAHB Rachel was a junior lobbyist at a boutique lobby firm. She lives in Arlington, VA with her husband and two small children.
Madisyn Rhone serves as the Vice President of Legislative Affairs, specializing in House Democratic affairs, at the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). In this role, Rhone leads MBA's advocacy efforts within the House of Representatives, developing policy positions, and fostering relationships with House Democrats, congressional staff, and relevant stakeholders. Prior to her current position, Rhone held the role of Director of Government and Industry Relations at Enact, where she led the Democratic government relations efforts and developed policy positions at the federal level. She also served on the Structured Finance Association's Structured Finance Coalition Board of Directors and currently holds positions as Vice Chair of the Women in Government Relations Congressional Outreach Committee and Vice Chair of the Youth Excited About Sports Board of Directors. Rhone brings a wealth of industry experience from her previous roles, where she worked in various departments, including risk, pricing, and operations. Her diverse background equips her with a comprehensive understanding of the mortgage industry, informing her strategic approach to policy advocacy.
George Rogers is a strategic government affairs executive with 25 years of federal and state experience. With deep policy expertise, great government contacts, and expert procedural skills, George specializes in outmaneuvering the opposition. He joined MBA in 2023 after being a multiclient lobbyist for a decade, including work for MBA from 2016-23. Prior to his corporate work, George spent nearly fourteen years in key leadership roles in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, including serving as a senior Policy Advisor and Counsel to the Speaker of the House and to the Minority Leader. He also served as General Counsel of the Committee on Rules, as Oversight and Investigations Counsel for the Government Reform Committee, and as Legislative Counsel to the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Prior to DC, George was the Deputy Chief Counsel for the Indiana State Senate leadership. Before that he was an attorney in private practice. George is a 6th degree blackbelt and has a passion for scuba diving.
Ethan Saxon is an Associate Vice President of Legislative Affairs for the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). In this role, he is responsible for advocating MBA's legislative and policy priorities on Capitol Hill, with a primary focus on Democratic members of the United States Senate. He recently helped secure key provisions for MBA in the passage of the CARES Act and the American Recovery Plan Act. Ethan joined MBA from Capitol Hill, where he spent the majority of his professional career. Among his various roles, Ethan served as Chief of Staff for Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) and as Deputy Chief of Staff for Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). Originally from Australia, Ethan holds a bachelor’s degree from the Australian National University and master’s degrees from Georgetown University.
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