Patty Arvielo

Patty Arvielo Speaker Biography

Inspirational Hispanic Entrepreneur, CEO & Co-Founder of New American Funding, and Champion for Homeownership & Women’s Leadership

Patty Arvielo is one of the nation’s most respected entrepreneurs, an inspiring keynote speaker, and the co-founder and CEO of New American Funding, the largest Latina-owned mortgage company in the United States. Beginning her career in the mortgage industry at just 16 years old, she worked her way from an entry-level position to building one of America’s largest independent mortgage lenders. Today, Patty is recognized as a visionary business leader who champions entrepreneurship, financial empowerment, workplace inclusion, and expanding homeownership opportunities for underserved communities.

Keynote Speaker Patty Arvielo at a Glance

• CEO and co-founder of New American Funding, one of the nation’s largest independent mortgage lenders and the largest Latina-owned mortgage company in the United States.
• Inspirational entrepreneur and nationally recognized business leader who transformed a startup into a company with more than 250 locations serving homeowners nationwide.
• Recipient of numerous honors, including Forbes 50 Over 50, EY Entrepreneur of the Year® Orange County, Bloomberg Línea’s 100 Influential Latinos, and the Gold Stevie® Woman of the Year Award.
• Dynamic keynote speaker who inspires organizations with practical lessons on entrepreneurship, leadership, financial empowerment, workplace culture, diversity, and building purpose-driven businesses.

From Entry-Level Employee to Industry Leader

Patty Arvielo began her mortgage career as a teenager, learning every aspect of the lending business from the ground up. Through hard work, determination, and an unwavering commitment to serving customers, she advanced from loan opener to processor, underwriter, branch manager, assistant vice president, and operations executive. Recognizing the growing importance of serving Hispanic homebuyers long before it became an industry priority, Patty helped pioneer outreach to Spanish-speaking communities. Her innovative approach and deep understanding of underserved markets laid the foundation for what would become one of the nation’s most successful independent mortgage companies.

Building New American Funding

In 2003, Patty and her husband, Rick Arvielo, founded New American Funding with a vision of creating a customer-focused mortgage company built on integrity, innovation, and opportunity. Under Patty’s leadership of sales and operations, the company has grown into one of America’s leading independent mortgage lenders while maintaining a strong commitment to personalized service and community impact. The company’s inclusive workplace culture has earned repeated recognition from Great Place To Work® as one of the Best Workplaces for Women. Patty’s leadership philosophy centers on empowering employees, developing future leaders, and creating an environment where people succeed based on talent, hard work, and opportunity.

Champion for Financial Empowerment and Inclusive Leadership

Throughout her career, Patty has worked to expand access to homeownership while creating greater opportunities for women, minorities, and underserved communities. She founded the Latino Focus Committee to educate Hispanic consumers about homeownership and later launched the New American Dream initiative to increase homeownership opportunities within Black communities. Internally, Patty created the “Thrive and Lead” mentorship program and the “If You Want to Grow, We Want to Know” initiative, encouraging employees to pursue professional growth through coaching, mentorship, and leadership development. Her commitment to building inclusive organizations has made New American Funding an industry leader in workforce diversity and employee engagement.

National Leadership and Industry Influence

Patty is widely respected throughout the financial services industry for her leadership on housing policy and affordable homeownership. She serves on the Mortgage Bankers Association Residential Board of Governors and The Mortgage Collaborative Board Advisory Council, while previously serving on advisory boards for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals. Her leadership extends beyond the mortgage industry through service on the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education Board, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County Executive Board, and numerous nonprofit and educational organizations dedicated to expanding opportunity and developing future leaders.

Honors and Recognition

Patty Arvielo has received widespread recognition for her entrepreneurial leadership, commitment to diversity, and impact on the financial services industry. Her many honors include Forbes’ 50 Over 50, Bloomberg Línea’s 100 Influential Latinos, EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year® Orange County, the Gold Stevie® Woman of the Year, HousingWire’s Women of Influence, Orange County Business Journal’s Innovator of the Year, and ALPFA’s Most Powerful Latina recognition. In 2023, Vanguard University established the Patty Arvielo School of Business and Management, making it the first business school in the United States named in honor of a Latina entrepreneur. The university recognized Patty’s extraordinary business leadership and her commitment to inspiring future generations of entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Why Organizations Book Patty Arvielo

Patty Arvielo delivers authentic, high-energy keynote presentations that inspire audiences to think bigger, lead with purpose, and create meaningful opportunities for others. Drawing from her remarkable journey from entry-level employee to CEO of one of America’s largest independent mortgage companies, she shares practical lessons on entrepreneurship, leadership, customer experience, financial empowerment, organizational culture, and building resilient businesses. Her presentations are ideal for financial institutions, women’s leadership conferences, entrepreneurship summits, real estate organizations, Fortune 500 companies, and business conferences seeking an accomplished executive who motivates audiences to lead with courage, embrace innovation, and create lasting impact through inclusive leadership.