Operations Team

Jessica is a native Georgian and grew up in Cumming. She is a graduate of North Forsyth High school and started her mortgage processing career shortly thereafter in 2003. She joined our Neighborhood Mortgage team in March of 2020 and has been a fantastic addition. Her laid back and friendly approach make her a favorite among her teammates and our clients alike.

She and her husband Rob have lived in Woodstock for 16 years. They have one dog baby named Ryker, and two white long hair Maine coon cats (who have outlived two of their dog siblings). If they had more property Jessica would love her own personal petting zoo complete with a goat, a donkey or two, and chickens…..but no pigs because they stink too bad.

In her spare time, Jessica enjoys getting her hands dirty in the yard, playing outdoors, kayaking (the lazy kind), camping with their travel trailer and road trip traveling in general with the pups. Last year thy travelled to Mount Rushmore, Devils Tower, Yellowstone National, The Grand Tetons, Jackson Hole, Utah & Colorado. They even stopped to say Happy 96th Birthday to her husband’s grandfather in Arkansas on their way home.

Before beginning her career at Neighborhood Mortgage, Inc. Julie spent 19 years in the Residential Construction arm of the banking industry. She joined our team seven years ago and has been an integral part in delivering a customer service centered experience for our clients and business partners. Her business acumen and knowledge has proven invaluable while guiding clients through the mortgage process. This, coupled by Julie’s selflessness, is paramount in her approach to assisting team members and clients. Her endlessly positive attitude is infectious!

Julie and her husband Todd of 21 years reside in Cumming. She is a rare Georgia native and has lived in Cumming for the last 22 years. She is Mom to two daughters, a High School Senior and Seventh grader. The girls are athletes so in her spare time you can find Julie on the sidelines of the softball field or basketball court cheering on the girls with her husband. On the rare occasion they have a break from practice, regular season games or tournaments you can find the Jacksons hitting the bike trails on the Greenway or boating on Lake Lanier. Julie is also a volunteer in the children’s program at their Church.

I was born in Trenton and raised in Princeton, New Jersey. As the youngest of 4, we enjoyed an amazing childhood on 5 acres with horses, and a pool to swim in during the summer and a pond to skate on in the winter. I started my college career at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove PA. This was a dry campus and a very small private college, and I knew that wasn’t for me. I quickly decided I liked the warmer weather better. So, I transferred to and graduated from James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business. I started my career as a Restaurant Manager in Alexandria, Virginia and then moved to Atlanta in the early 90’s.

As a temporary employee with Kelly Temps, I landed a fantastic job at Scientific Atlanta (now Cisco). They saw that I had a great work ethic and hired me full-time within two weeks. I ended my 7-year career there as the Worldwide Tradeshow and Event Coordinator. I met my husband Jim in July 1997, engaged July 1998 and married in the Bahamas in July 1999. We had about 40 folks come with us to the Bahamas and Jim’s favorite story is when we went to get our marriage license….they put me down as a spinster!

We bought our current house in Cumming, GA in 1998 and are raising 2 amazing teenage boys. Jamie and Patrick both attend South Forsyth High School and have enjoyed lots of sports, including karate, tennis, baseball and soccer. And were forced by me ???? to take some musical lessons with Jamie on the guitar and Patrick on the piano. They are both super smart (if I don’t mind saying so myself) and we look forward to seeing what path they will chose after high school.

We have rescued MANY animals in the 21 years of living there, 5 dogs, 4 cats and 1 squirrel. We currently have Taco Bell (chihuahua rescue from Angels Among Us), Tinker Bell (morky), Shtupid (kitty, nicknamed by the boys) and Thor the squirrel. Thor came to us via our cat’s mouth at about 6 days old. After feeding him puppy formula and eventually squirrel food, he was sent to freedom to live outside at 8 weeks old. That was May 1, 2019. He is still with us, visiting for nuts and treats whenever he hears us outside.

As for my career with Neighborhood Mortgage – I started in 2003 as a ‘whatever you need’ kind of position. Currently I am the Post Closing Manager responsible for clearing loans for purchase on our warehouse line. It’s a hectic, crazy, stressful job but I love it and I love the family we have here at Neighborhood Mortgage.

*Editor’s Note: You can also find Kris emptying the dishwasher, taking out the garbage, replenishing the toilet paper, giving a hug or a shoulder to lean on……..and scolding a few people for leaving their dirty dishes in the sink. She is the ultimate work Mom. If you don’t have a work Mom inquire with us about a career at NMI!

Laura has been in the mortgage business since 1986 and worked until her first child was born in 1999. She took a career break to stay at home with her son and daughter who are now a Sophomore in College and Senior in High School. In 2010, Laura returned to her mortgage career here at Neighborhood Mortgage, Inc.

Laura, and her husband Brad of 23 years, reside in Alpharetta with their daughter and their dog Chase the third child! She grew up in South and North Carolina and is a UNC graduate.

Laura loves to watch sports – all kinds – especially College Football and Basketball. She adopted the Georgia Bulldogs as her team since moving to Georgia in 2000……but that’s only when they aren’t playing the Tar Heels! Prior to moving to Georgia, Laura and Brad lived in San Francisco Bay Area. Laura is also an avid photographer (AKA picture taker), she is always the one gathering everyone for a photo, which we thank her for later. In addition, the Wheelers enjoy vacationing on the lake, going to the beach, attending outdoor concerts, spending time with family, friends and loved ones and are active members of their Church.

Laurie came to the mortgage industry after a career in the lighting industry. During college she and a friend started their own business, 3-D Lighting in Villa Rica. Through Cooper Lighting she obtained the Source Lighting Certification and used her expertise to collaborate with builders, architects and homeowners on lighting projects throughout her four-year career. In addition to running a successful business, Laurie was also a student at the University of West Georgia. When she wasn’t working on her studies or managing lighting projects you could find her in Athens, visiting friends, and watching UGA play football – GO DAWGS!

In 2004 she graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Real Estate and in 2006 she decided it was time to pursue her college degree joining the mortgage business as a loan officer. After four months she realized her passion was in the operations side of the industry and fell in love with processing. She found working directly with Underwriters and borrowers to obtain the goal of homeownership extremely rewarding. Laurie is a natural problem solver and enjoys facilitating the loan process for a smooth transaction, which can be difficult at times, with patience and a positive attitude. Her entrepreneurial spirit has played an integral role in the growth of Neighborhood Mortgage. Having been with us over a decade, her dedication to excellence is one of the key contributors to our success.

Lucky for all of us at Neighborhood Mortgage, Laurie roped her husband, Cory Wells, into the industry as a loan officer a few years ago. She is very proud of his hard work and enjoys working side by side with Cory. When they aren’t busy working with clients and business partners, they love watching sports and playing golf.

Payton is a Georgia native and grew up right here in Forsyth County. She is a recent graduate of North Forsyth High School and completed one year of college at GCSU before deciding she was ready to take a break from the classroom and join the workforce. Payton joined our team in August as production support specialist and is currently assisting the appraisal desk, setup and closing. She is eager to learn all about the mortgage industry and develop a lasting career at Neighborhood Mortgage. Her easy going demeanor and people pleasing approach are valuable contributors to our customer service focused company culture

In her spare time, Payton enjoys finding new and exciting outdoor places to explore with the apple of her eye, Cosmo, her Great Dane rescue dog. Payton and Cosmo reside in Dawsonville, GA – if you see her out and about be sure to say hello and give Cosmo a pat on the head!

Shawna is the epitome of integrity and hard work and approaches her role with an energetic spirit. With every mortgage processed she understands the importance of an efficient, seamless process. Whether it be a first-time home buyer or an experienced real estate investor, she approaches both with the same focus on an excellent customer service experience.

She is honored to be a part of helping every client reach their goal – the first-time homebuyer’s introduction to homeownership, the move-up buyer’s dream home closing or the downsizing buyer’s forever home. Shawna strives to provide the finest experience possible and her positive personality is infectious! She possesses the experience and knowledge necessary to assist clients navigate the mortgage process and works in tandem with them to ensure closing dates are met and the process is as efficient as possible. In addition to her experience in the mortgage industry, Shawna brings an accounting background which has proven invaluable in her processing role.

Outside of the office, she is a wife and mother to three beautiful daughters. Shawna and her husband enjoy spending time with family and can be found most weekends soaking up the sun boating on beautiful Lake Lanier or at the beach.