Ana I. Lage,
Assistant Vice President and Documentation Manager,
Eastern Funding
Ana Lage joined Eastern Funding as a funding officer in 2011. She quickly excelled by focusing on collaboration to create enhancements that improved workflows within originations. Her enthusiasm for operational excellence and teamwork was critical during her early days.
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VISION FOR THE FUTURE: “It is an essential component to be happy at work. Respecting the difference in opinions and aligning professional and personal values is key to creating and maintaining teamwork.” |
In 2015, Lage was promoted to documentation team leader. As a leader, her mission has been to improve employee retention and morale. Her passion has been the continuous development and growth of her team members.
“It is an essential component to be happy at work. Respecting the difference in opinions and aligning professional and personal values is key to creating and maintaining teamwork,” Lage says.
Lage is Eastern Funding’s committee chairwoman and provides oversight to three very active employee-focused committees. With Lage’s guidance, the committees have organized employee engagement in events such as Soup Kitchen Volunteer Day, Zoom-guided meditation, participation in a Habitat for Humanity project and more. In 2019, she organized and participated in Eastern Funding’s first Women in Leadership conference.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lage has focused on her team’s work-life balance and mental health initiatives to ensure a successful transition to remote work. Lage was also a critical member of the conversion team that successfully converted Eastern Funding’s enterprise platform.
Lage’s leadership journey has been guided by mentors who taught her the importance of growth and leadership. For the last 10 years, Lage has worked directly with Nancy Robles, the company’s chief operating officer, and she considers Robles an amazing mentor who has made a significant difference in her career.
Lage understands the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. As a minority woman in corporate America, her opportunities to lead were initially limited, so providing opportunities to others is important to her.
“The future of DEI is here and I will utilize my leadership role to make a difference for all people of color from different backgrounds,” Lage says.
When asked what makes Lage a unique and valuable member of the industry, Jose Pena, senior documentation specialist at Eastern Funding, says it is her fierce loyalty and drive for continuous improvement.
