American Heart Association’s STEM Goes Red mentorship initiative propels young women into rewarding careers

Female finance leaders from loanDepot, Inc. ("LDI" or "Company") (NYSE: LDI), have begun mentoring high school students in the Anaheim Union School District through the American Heart Association’s (AHA) STEM Goes Red initiative. The initiative was created to inspire young women to follow their passions and incorporate STEM into their career paths by exposing them to motivating female influencers who can share career experience and insights.

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loanDepot SVP of Accounting Systems Jennifer Edwards (left), Director of Operational Accounting Lisbeth Bustos (middle), and Senior Accounting Manager Melissa Zavala (right) led a discussion with 200 female students during the American Heart Association's Orange County STEM Goes Red Mentor Day at California State University, Fullerton. (Photo: Business Wire)

loanDepot SVP of Accounting Systems Jennifer Edwards, Director of Operational Accounting Lisbeth Bustos, and Senior Accounting Manager Melissa Zavala kicked off their mentorship by leading a discussion with 200 female students during the AHA’s Orange County STEM Goes Red Mentor Day at California State University, Fullerton. They discussed financial literacy including the importance of finance and accounting in their daily lives and how they apply it through their careers at loanDepot. The finance leaders will continue to work with their students throughout the year, further teaching them about financial services and accounting while helping to instill values of respect and responsibility, guide informed decision-making, provide ongoing academic support and facilitate professional networking opportunities.

“The American Heart Association’s work to support these young women, to help them realize their full potential, can be life changing and we’re proud to join their efforts to bring more diversity to STEM fields,” said loanDepot Chief Human Resources Officer Melanie Graper. “Jennifer, Lisbeth and Melissa embody the Team loanDepot spirit, and I am so impressed by how they’ve come together, contributing their time and talents to inspire the next generation of women.”

Bustos, an alumni of the Anaheim Union School District said, “I see a lot of myself in these young women, and I feel a deep sense of responsibility to help guide their futures – to give them something to aspire to. I’m a first generation American, the youngest of six and the first in my family to achieve a higher education. I know where the students are coming from, because I was there, and I want to show them all that they can accomplish great things in their lives, and break through the gender gaps that currently exist in the STEM workforce. We’re here to show them accounting and finance are more than just numbers, they are keys to unlocking opportunities and shaping a better future.”

Women, especially women of color, make up a small share of the STEM workforce. Of 100 female students working toward a bachelor’s degree, only three will work in a STEM job 10 years after graduation¹. Through STEM Goes Red, AHA brings interesting careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics to life, engaging more women in the fields.

About loanDepot

loanDepot (NYSE: LDI; NMLS # 174457) is an equal housing lender and digital commerce company committed to serving its customers throughout the home ownership journey. Since its launch in 2010, loanDepot has revolutionized the mortgage industry with a digital-first approach that makes it easier, faster and less stressful to purchase or refinance a home. Today, as one of the nation's largest non-bank retail mortgage lenders, loanDepot enables customers to achieve the American dream of homeownership through a broad suite of lending and real estate services that simplify one of life's most complex transactions. With headquarters in Southern California and offices nationwide, loanDepot is committed to serving the communities in which its team lives and works through a variety of local, regional and national philanthropic efforts.

¹_{Anthony Carnevale, Nicole Smith, and Michelle Melton. STEM. Georgetown University: Center on Education and the Workforce, as retrieved from http://cew.georgetown.edu/stem/}

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“The American Heart Association’s work to support these young women, to help them realize their full potential, can be life changing and we’re proud to join their efforts to bring more diversity to STEM fields.”