How we Started

The Story of Champions

Champions Funding, LLC was founded in 2021 as a wholesale mortgage banker with a CDFI (Community Development Financial Institution) designation. Founded by proven industry leaders Evan M. Stone and Patty Arvielo, the company addresses the inequalities in homeownership that exist today.

Champions Funding offers unique Non-QM loan solutions for credit-worthy borrowers who don't fit traditional agency guidelines such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, etc. As the need for modern and flexible programs grow, the Champions team adapts to serve its most diverse population of borrowers.

OUR CORE Business is 100% Non-QM

What We Do

Champions Funding offers a full suite of Non-QM loan products through our wholesale broker & correspondent (fully delegated and non-delegated) partnerships. The products have been designed for borrowers and real estate investors who may not qualify through traditional agency lending criteria.

We help approved business partners win the deal by offering a mix of relevant loan programs together with top-tier operation and fulfillment support.

Direct access and communication with empowered underwriters and decision-makers

1:1 support through daily live trainings, a staffed scenario desk, and self-service videos/tutorials

Frictionless loan processes combined with the industry's most broker-friendly LOS platform

Company Culture

Our Core Values

At the heart of the company is a dedicated team of mortgage professionals who are committed to upholding the company mission while providing the best client experience for mortgage brokers and loan officers as well as their borrowers. We offer the most inclusive Non-QM products in the mortgage industry.

Our team strives to uphold these three core values in our daily work to serve our greater mission.

#WeAreChampions

Service of Champions

Champions think Yes before NO. We act as catalyst in solving complicated challenges with simplified solutions.

Inspiring Champions

As Champions, we listen to understand versus listening to respond. We strive for a better way through learning from the team and embracing new ideas.

Integrity of Champions

Champs "Do the right thing. Period." We are committed to honesty, trust, and full transparency within our internal and external team members, as well as our community.

Diverse leaders. Proven mortgage professionals.

Meet Our Leadership Team

We are founders, entrepreneurs, and leaders coming together to fulfill the mission of serving the underserved.

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Evan M. Stone

CEO & Co-Founder

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Bryan Filkey

President

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Rob Bernabe

Chief Financial Officer

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Aron Rofer

General Counsel

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Maria Coh-Prospero

Chief Administrative Officer

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Christy Mindell

EVP of Marketing

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Amanda Cooper

EVP Operations & Chief Credit Officer

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Annette Arevalo

SVP of Operations

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Dalton Rucker

SVP Capital Markets

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Tara Goodwin

SVP Post Closing

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Angela Castillo

SVP, Talent Acquisitions

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Angela Castillo

SVP, Talent Acquisitions

Angela Castillo is a dynamic talent acquisition professional with a proven track record in full-cycle recruiting and strategic talent development. With extensive experience in the mortgage industry, Angela has effectively collaborated with C-level executives and hiring managers to address recruitment needs, boost company productivity, and enhance team morale. Angela’s skills in talent sourcing, ATS management, and market strategy, coupled with her knack for headhunting top industry talent, have been instrumental in expanding organizations' footprint nationwide. She also brings strong capabilities in onboarding, social media branding, and negotiating to her role at Champions Funding.

"We listen to understand, not to respond."

Evan M. Stone

CEO & Co-Founder

Evan M. Stone has cemented his place as a leader in the mortgage industry. As the former Founder/CEO of Pacific Union Financial and owner of ClearVision Funding, he has repeatedly grown mortgage companies to the ultimate level of success. In Champions Funding, he is hyper-focused on building a team to serve underserved and underbanked communities of borrowers by providing access to loan products that fill a significant gap in the mortgage industry. Evan is also the Chairman of Community Savings Bank and a Co-Owner and Partner for Rep1 Sports agency – representing top names in the NFL, and MLB, including Cooper Kupp, Super Bowl LVI’s MVP, and Rafael Devers, current face of the Boston Red Sox.

"express the story of our people through the art of numbers."

Rob Bernabe

Chief Financial Officer

Rob Bernabe is a passionately engaged industry veteran with 35 years in a variety of roles. He has successfully served to navigate companies through explosive growth, such as E*Trade Mortgage and H&R Block Mortgage Corporation, and helped build other companies from start-up to maturity in a variety of business climates. Rob’s broad depth of industry knowledge helps him, as he likes to say, “express the story of our people through the art of numbers”. Rob’s CPA pedigree was founded at KPMG, where he served financial services clients in the United States and Australia. He is a published author, speaker, volunteer, and most importantly – a husband and a father of two children.

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Maria Coh-Prospero

Chief Administrative Officer

Maria is our Chief Administrative Officer, a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience. With more than ten years of specialized experience in the mortgage and servicing industry, Maria is an expert in managing HR, IT, Servicing Oversight, and Client and Broker Management. Maria is known for her ability to get things done. She has a proven track record of driving organizational effectiveness through strategic leadership, team building, and talent management. Her extensive industry knowledge and keen eye for emerging trends enable her to create innovative solutions that meet the needs of our clients and partners, both internal and external.

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Aron Rofer

General Counsel

Aron is an accomplished and seasoned attorney with extensive experience in mortgage banking, lending, fintech, and consumer financial services. He brings a wealth of expertise in regulatory compliance, commercial litigation, data privacy and security, and employment and HR matters. Before joining Champions, Aron served as General Counsel for over a decade at a leading Non-QM lender, overseeing all mortgage compliance and legal matters for the company. He also served as Deputy General Counsel of Origence and its wholly owned subsidiaries Origence Lending Services and FI Connect. Aron’s career began in private practice, where he spent several years at the prestigious law firm Bingham McCutchen (now part of Morgan Lewis), focusing on business litigation for high-profile clients such as PricewaterhouseCoopers, KPMG, Washington Mutual, Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, and celebrities like Larry King and Tom DeLonge of Blink 182. Following this, he founded his own firm, representing borrowers and consumers in real estate transactions, mortgage restructuring, foreclosure defense, and bankruptcy.

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Christy Mindell

EVP of Marketing

Christy Mindell brings over 20 years of experience in financial services marketing, project management, event planning, business intelligence, corporate branding, targeted email marketing, social media strategies, niche product marketing, direct mail, blogging, print and online advertising, client acquisition, plus retention strategies and tactics. Throughout her career, she has proven she is a multi-talented product management leader with a strong understanding of an array of marketing and communication strategies that drive engagement and communicate value. Her approachable style makes her a tremendous value to sales teams fostering their growth, plus the ultimate brand ambassador during traditional, digital, and event marketing opportunities. Christy fosters a motivating internal culture that motivates marketers and mortgage professionals to increase their roles and personal brands.

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Amanda Cooper

EVP Operations & Chief Credit Officer

Amanda Cooper brings over 20 years of experience in the mortgage industry, with a particular focus on Non-QM products for the past decade. She has a proven track record of leadership, having built and led a Non-QM Underwriting team of 75 underwriters, closing over $450 million monthly. Amanda excels at developing processes that ensure faster and more efficient turn times while motivating her teams to achieve high performance without compromising quality. Her ability to build trust and strong business relationships with staff, clients, and brokers is a testament to her expertise and dedication in the industry.

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Annette Arevalo

SVP of Operations

Annette brings a decade of Customer Support experience as the Senior Vice President of Customer Relations. Her ingenuity, transparency and friendly approach to resolution of challenges foster a “can-do” environment for our internal and external clients. Her acute ability to identify opportunities for enhancing the customer experience paired with her positive disposition empower our Champions Customer Relations Team to effectively make real time impact and change to the overall customer experience. Her passions outside of work are her family and love of her 4 legged furry pups.

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Dalton Rucker

SVP Capital Markets

With more than 15 years of expertise in financial analysis, Dalton Rucker, SVP Capital Markets, possesses a wealth of experience in investment, margin, and capital market management. His meticulous approach to strategic planning and market trend analysis has consistently enhanced Champions Funding's strategic positioning. His unwavering dedication remains fixated on achieving financial growth and propelling Champions in the Non-QM space. Dalton's Champion spirit was demonstrated in his decision to play college basketball at Hardin Simmons University, despite the offer of a full ride to Wharton School of Business.

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Tara Goodwin

SVP Post Closing

Tara brings over 30 years of industry expertise to her role as SVP Post Closing at Champions Funding. Known for her exceptional attention to detail and unwavering commitment to efficiency, Tara leads her team with a winning attitude that ensures every step of the Post Closing process is streamlined and precise. She was drawn to Champions Funding’s strong leadership and its mission-driven CDFI certification, which opens doors for underserved borrowers. Under her leadership, the team diligently monitors, gathers, and processes files post-closing, always striving to enhance efficiency without sacrificing accuracy. Tara’s drive for excellence makes her an invaluable part of Champions Funding’s ongoing success.

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Bryan Filkey

President

Bryan has extensive experience and expertise in capital markets, product development, operations, technology and management. He has overseen more than $3 billion in non-agency originations and has experience running successful wholesale and correspondent divisions for national lenders. As President of B2B at a national, publicly traded mortgage company he oversaw capital markets, wholesale & correspondent divisions, Non-QM production and was the head of IT R&D where his team pioneered proprietary AUS, automated conditioning engine, data integrity module, a custom portal and enhanced rules & reporting. He is regarded as one of the pioneers & thought leaders of Non-QM and is passionate about growing the alternative lending market in a responsible way. His previous employers include prestigious firms such as: PIMCO, Capital One Bank & Credit Suisse.

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Robben Moore

EVP Credit Risk

Robben Moore, EVP Credit Risk, has dedicated 28+ years to the mortgage industry, where her passion for helping others achieve their dream of homeownership has never wavered. With expertise spanning underwriting, operations, risk assessment, quality control, and leadership, she's been a guiding force and mentor to many in the field. Beyond her professional achievements, Robben cherishes her role as a wife and mother of two adult children, one of whom follows in her footsteps in the mortgage business, affirming her lifelong passion for making a meaningful impact on borrowers and colleagues alike.

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About Champions Funding

Angela Castillo

Evan M. Stone

Patty Arvielo

Rob Bernabe

Maria Coh-Prospero

Aron Rofer

Christy Mindell

Amanda Cooper

Annette Arevalo

Rex Haverberg

Dalton Rucker

Tara Goodwin

Bryan Filkey

Robben Moore

Building a Culture of Champions

Evan M. Stone (CEO)

The True Value of Partners

Natalie Verrette (COO)

Mission Drive Lending

Patty Arvielo (Chairwoman of the Board & Co-Founder)