Debra, a NMLS State Licensed Mortgage Loan Originator and Certified Residential Mortgage Specialist (CRMS), graduated from Western Connecticut State University, Danbury, CT with a B.B.A. in Accounting. She has over 35 years of financial, banking, accounting and business experience. Since 1994 when she started originating retail residential mortgages she has directly overseen and managed in excess of $1 billion in closed residential real estate loans, representing thousands of customers. Debra also owns Charter Oak Learning which is a professional training school offering customized sales, sales management and mortgage-related training courses. Her experience and educational focus has given her a strong foundation as a passionate trainer for mortgage originators and Realtors. Her husband Don DeRespinis, CPA and CRMS developed a proprietary software system (LoanMgr) designed for transparency and constant communications with customers, clients, Realtors, attorneys and closing agents, throughout each and every transaction. Charter Oak Learning recently teamed up with The Dares Institute, LLC www.dares1.com where she and Dares owner Carl Bulgini have co-authored a federally mandated NMLS approved 20-hour pre-licensing SAFE Act compliant course required for all state-licensed mortgage originators by Title V of the SAFE Act. In addition, Debra is an approved instructor for continuing education classes for Realtors. In December 2008, Debra was installed as a Director or the CT Association of Mortgage Brokers (CTAMB). She is an active member on the education and government affairs committees for the National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) and is one of only five brokers to earn the Certified Residential Mortgage Specialist (CRMS) designation and the first broker in CT to earn the Lending Integrity Seal of Approval from NAMB. She speaks on a variety of topics to various professional groups and trade organizations. She is a national member of the Women’s Council of Realtors (WCR), an affiliate member of Northern Fairfield County Association of Realtors (NFCAR), and Connecticut Association of Realtors (C.A.R).