For
more
than
a
decade,
the

HousingWire

Rising
Stars
award
has
recognized
professionals
ages
40
and
under
who
are
driving
measurable
impact
across
housing.
Since
being
named
a
2025
Rising
Star,

Leah
Sommerville
has
expanded
both
her
leadership
scope
and
her
industry
influence
—
transitioning
into
a
sales
leadership
role
at

DocMagic
while
continuing
to
champion
digital
transformation
across
the
mortgage
ecosystem.

In
the
Q&A
below,
Sommerville
shares
how
her
career
has
evolved,
why
advancing
paperless
adoption
remains
a
top
priority
and
the
qualities
she
believes
will
define
the
industry’s
next
wave
of
leaders.

HousingWire:
Since
being
named
a
Rising
Star,
how
has
your
role
or
career
evolved?

Leah
Sommerville:
I’ve
continued
to
evolve
not
just
in
title
but
in
impact
—
transitioning
from
an
individual
contributor
focused
on
digital
mortgage
strategy
to
leading
DocMagic’s
sales
organization
as
director
of
sales.
In
this
role,
I’m
privileged
to
guide
and
mentor
a
high-performing
team
while
continuing
to
work
alongside
lenders,
banks,
credit
unions
and
partners
to
accelerate
the
adoption
of
paperless,
efficient
closing
workflows.

Being
recognized
as
a
Rising
Star
reinforced
my
commitment
to
industry
education
and
innovation,
and
I’ve
doubled
down
on
efforts
to
support
lenders
through
their
most
complex
digital
transformation
challenges.

HousingWire:
What
project,
initiative
or
achievement
are
you
most
excited
about
right
now?

LS:
Currently,
I’m
most
excited
about
advancing
and
scaling
digital
adoption
beyond
just
the
mortgage
industry.
My
passion
has
always
been
helping
lenders
and
settlement
partners
move
confidently
into
fully
paperless
workflows.
Over
the
past
year,
I’ve
been
deeply
involved
in
initiatives
like
expanding
eNotary
onboarding
programs
and
helping
organizations
implement
compliant
eNote
and
eVault
processes
that
truly
transform
the
borrower
experience.

These
efforts
not
only
streamline
operations
but
also
unlock
new
efficiencies
and
opportunities
across
the
mortgage
ecosystem.
Now
that
we’ve
truly
seen
the
impact
this
makes
for
all
stakeholders
throughout
the
mortgage
life
cycle,
other
industries
(such
as
auto
and
commercial)
are
also
clamoring
to
provide
digital
tools
to
accommodate
not
only
electronic
loan
origination
workflows,
but
also
for
digital
collateralization
of
additional
loan
types
as
well.

HousingWire:
What
skills
or
experiences
have
been
most
critical
to
your
growth
in
the
housing
industry?

LS:
Consultative
problem
solving,
relationship
building
and
clear
communication
have
been
critical
to
my
professional
growth.
Helping
lenders
understand
where
they
are
today
and
where
they
want
to
go
with
their
digital
workflows
has
always
been
at
the
core
of
my
work,
and
that
consultative
approach
has
allowed
me
to
deliver
solutions
that
are
both
practical
and
forward-looking.

Building
strong
partnerships
across
the
industry
—
from
lenders
to
notaries
and
technology
partners
—
has
also
been
essential
in
driving
meaningful
adoption
and
collaboration.
Along
the
way,
I’ve
leaned
heavily
into
communication
and
education,
whether
that’s
breaking
down
complex
digital
mortgage
concepts
into
actionable
strategies
or
guiding
teams
through
change.
Across
all
of
this,
maintaining
a
solution-oriented
mindset
and
staying
focused
on
outcomes
has
been
paramount
to
my
foundational
growth.

HousingWire:
What
advice
would
you
give
to
professionals
early
in
their
careers
who
aspire
to
make
an
impact
in
mortgage,
real
estate
or
homebuilding?

LS:
Be
curious
and
be
purposeful.
The
mortgage
and
housing
ecosystem
is
evolving
rapidly,
especially
with
digital
transformation
accelerating
everywhere
from
eClosings
to
eNotes
to
eHELOCs
to
eChattel
and
so
on.
Early
in
your
career,
seek
opportunities
to learn holistically
—
not
just
about
your
role,
but
about
how
the
entire
value
chain
works
together.

Don’t
hesitate
to
ask
questions
and
challenge
processes
that
aren’t
serving
your
clients
and
partners
well.
Lastly,
build
relationships
and
find
mentors.
These
connections
will
expand
your
perspective
and
support
your
growth
as
both
a
professional
and
a
leader.

HousingWire:
When
you
think
about
the
next
generation
of
Rising
Stars,
what
qualities
or
traits
do
you
think
set
future
leaders
apart?

LS:
I’m
excited
to
work
with
the
future
leaders
in
our
industry
who
will
be
defined
by
adaptability,
empathy
and
innovation.
The
mortgage
ecosystem
is
in
the
midst
of
a
significant
transformation,
and
those
who
thrive
will
be
the
ones
who
can
see
around
corners
—
who
combine
business
acumen
with
the
ability
to
engage
thoughtfully
with
customers
and
partners.
They’ll
also
be
the
professionals
who
lift
others
up,
encourage
collaborative
problem
solving,
and
work
across
teams
to
bring
new
solutions
to
life
efficiently
and
thoughtfully.

Click
here
to
nominate
a
2026
Rising
Star.