Joseph Elias
JE

Joseph Elias

Principal Consultant — Enterprise Data & Risk Strategy  ·  Enterprise Risk, Compliance & Governance Leader  ·  AML/BSA Officer  ·  Fair Lending Officer

Strategic Enterprise Data & Risk Executive with 15+ years in financial services and fintech. Regulatory Affairs leader with deep expertise in AML/BSA, Consumer Protection (UDAAP, Fair Lending), and Prudential supervision. Proven liaison with federal and state agencies (Federal Reserve, OCC, FDIC), overseeing Regulatory Reporting, RFI responsiveness, and multi-state expansions.

Partners with C-suite and Board stakeholders to drive ROI-driven data strategies and enterprise transformation. Expert in scaling high-performing data and risk functions and leveraging AI/ML to optimize underwriting, credit risk, and operational efficiency.

Deep expertise in Federal & State Advocacy, ERM Governance, Cybersecurity Risk, Fraud — AML/BSA/OFAC, Regulatory Reporting (HMDA, MCR), Mortgage Licensing, Fair Lending, AI-Driven Data Governance, and Quantitative Analytics — ensuring data integrity and responsible AI deployment.

info@josephelias.info 📞 469-315-2808 Joseph Elias
15+
Years Experience
13
Certifications
68%
Avg Cost Reduction
53%
Audit Pass Lift
48%
Risk Exposure Reduced
6
Major Institutions

Work Experience

Principal Consultant — Enterprise Data & Risk Strategy Jan 2026 – Present
Compliant Mortgage Solutions
📍 Remote
  • Directly managed enterprise-wide regulatory engagement strategies, serving as the primary liaison for federal examinations with the Federal Reserve, OCC, and FDIC.
  • Developed and executed comprehensive advocacy strategies to influence legislative policy and federal rulemaking, ensuring alignment with long-term business interests and regulatory innovation.
  • Oversaw the development of end-to-end risk management strategies, leveraging AI-driven analytics to improve decision-making accuracy by 40% and ensure full compliance with international data privacy standards.
  • Led the development of advanced GRC and analytics ecosystems, achieving 53% faster reporting and enhanced data visibility for executive decision-making on average.
  • Directed operational transformation and the development of scalable data platforms to support enterprise-wide AI-driven decision-making, resulting in a 61% reduction in manual tasks.
  • Developed and implemented comprehensive Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) frameworks that integrated data-driven KRI monitoring, resulting in a 25% improvement in risk mitigation results.
  • Developed quantitative risk assessment models to evaluate the impact of emerging regulatory changes and macroeconomic shifts on mortgage operations and data privacy standards.
  • Led cross-functional risk workshops to align data governance initiatives with corporate risk appetite, ensuring 100% adherence to internal and external compliance benchmarks.
  • Designed a centralized risk reporting dashboard that synthesized disparate data sources into a 'single source of truth' for C-suite and Board-level risk oversight.
  • Conducted Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) / Vendor Management assessments for enterprise clients, identifying and mitigating critical security gaps to reduce overall operational risk by 25%.
VP, Compliance Feb 2025 – Dec 2025
Finance of America
📍 Remote  ·  AML/BSA Officer  ·  Fair Lending Officer
  • Appointed to the Fair Lending Committee and served as an active member of the AI/Data Governance Committee; led the Compliance team as AML/BSA and Fair Lending Officer across Fraud Investigations, Consumer Complaints, and Regulatory Reporting.
  • Served as the primary subject matter expert and accountable officer during federal and state regulatory examinations (AML/BSA, Fair Lending, Consumer Complaints, and Issues Management governance); coordinated responses to regulatory inquiries and managed audit readiness and remediation plans.
  • Revamped the AML/BSA and Fair Lending programs by automating OFAC processes — reducing manual review time by 97.33% — and implementing a COSO ERM framework for risk assessments, ensuring 100% alignment with regulatory expectations.
  • Shifted Compliance Testing to a risk-based unit by revamping testing scripts and leveraging statistical data sampling, increasing testing coverage by 18% and improving operational efficiency.
  • Partnered with Operations to resolve systemic escalations and design scalable operating models that improved cross-functional delivery.
  • Developed Regulatory Reporting database to ensure data consistency, which reduced FTE hours by 17% and helped identify root causes of LOS and process issues affecting data integrity and downstream reporting including HMDA and MCR.
  • Developed data structures for Fair Lending Regression Analysis and established formula-based semi-automated Risk Assessments to enhance organizational compliance and data quality.
  • Participated in the AI Task Force to develop enterprise AI strategy and established governance frameworks, including protocols for ethical AI, ensuring compliance with regulations and data integrity.
  • Collaborated with the enterprise data team to implement a scalable data platform and data governance frameworks, reducing data inconsistencies by 24%, increasing retrieval speeds by 21%, and ensuring 100% compliance across enterprise data initiatives.
Strategic Consultant — Compliance & Ops Risk May 2023 – Jan 2025
Compliant Mortgage Solutions
📍 Remote
  • Provided strategic consulting in enterprise risk, IT risk, and governance using the COSO ERM framework, driving strategic data and compliance initiatives for mortgage lenders.
  • Led fair lending programs and regulatory filings (NMLS, MCR, HMDA), achieving a 29% improvement in compliance outcomes through advanced regression and steering analyses.
  • Designed controls to address operational gaps, reducing compliance failures by 63% and enhancing monitoring for call centers and cybersecurity risks.
  • Developed advanced analytics and GRC systems that improved risk visibility and accelerated regulatory reporting efficiency by 42%.
  • Built statistical sampling methodologies for quality control and implemented comprehensive Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) / Vendor Management programs.
Key Achievements
  • 48% reduction in operational risk exposure through predictive analytics
  • 53% improvement in audit pass rates
  • 68% reduction in compliance costs via GRC platform deployment
Director of Governance & Reporting (Risk & Compliance) Sep 2017 – Apr 2023
American Advisors Group (AAG)
📍 Irvine, CA
  • Directed the full-lifecycle development of an Enterprise Data Mart and AI-driven GRC systems and framework, providing real-time KPIs/KRIs that reduced operational overhead by 47%.
  • Led the Risk and Compliance team across Risk Governance, with direct oversight of the Regulatory Reporting, Mortgage Licensing, Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) / Vendor Management, and Corporate Policy and Procedures teams.
  • Chaired the Operations Risk and Technology Committee, providing strategic counsel to the C-suite on legislative policy impacts and orchestrating enterprise-wide risk governance and regulatory policy frameworks.
  • Directed Business Continuity Planning (BCP) and Disaster Recovery (DR) strategies, ensuring operational resilience and regulatory alignment across the enterprise.
  • Co-led regular simulation exercises with the CISO to validate operational readiness and identify improvement opportunities for Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery plans.
  • Led the development of AI-driven RPA solutions and automated LOS review processes, increasing operational efficiency by 28%.
  • Directed IT Risk/Cybersecurity frameworks aligned with COSO ERM, reducing risk issues by 19% through enhanced automated oversight.
  • Architected scalable operational models and delivery frameworks to close organizational gaps, ensuring risk controls aligned with enterprise ROI objectives.
  • Led a cross-functional team of 22, including 8 managers, fostering a data-driven culture through analytics workshops and high-quality performance management, while championing the democratization of data through self-serve reporting, automated dashboards, and data extracts.
Key Achievements
  • 36% reduction in issue resolution time
  • 72% savings in compliance-related costs via GRC systems
  • 53% mitigation of vendor-related risks through TPRM frameworks
Strategic Consultant — Compliance & Ops Risk Apr 2017 – Sep 2017
Compliant Mortgage Solutions
📍 Remote
  • Delivered enterprise-wide risk and compliance strategies for 7 mortgage lenders, focusing on regulatory data alignment and governance frameworks.
  • Directed database development and statistical data modeling initiatives to address operational gaps, achieving a 28% reduction in gaps and resolving compliance system failures.
  • Executed regression analyses for fair lending evaluations and redlining reviews, ensuring data-driven regulatory adherence.
  • Designed scalable operating models and per diem metric analyses for California-based lenders, maintaining full compliance and achieving a 15% increase in operational efficiency.
Director of Compliance Initiatives & Analytics Mar 2014 – Apr 2017
Prospect Mortgage (Homebridge Financial Services)
📍 Dallas, TX & Sherman Oaks, CA
  • Served as the primary compliance contact, leading the development of GRC systems, regulatory databases (HMDA, tracking and reconciliation mainframe), and social media monitoring, which improved compliance accuracy by 84%.
  • Led strategic analytics initiatives that reduced compliance risks by 27% through cross-functional process improvements and predictive modeling.
  • Partnered with the Chief Fair Lending Officer to execute statistical analyses (regression, redlining, steering), achieving a 68% improvement in audit outcomes.
  • Developed an Operational Risk model and updated QC systems using statistical sampling, reducing operational failures by 34% in the first year.
  • Created a systematic approach for the Licensing Department to manage non-licensable activities and NMLS reporting, reducing filing errors by 39%.
  • Designed and implemented compliance tools and applications that drove a 42% increase in departmental efficiency and faster decision-making.
  • Partnered with product and credit teams to embed predictive models into core products, driving a 20% increase in engagement and revenue.
  • Trained a team of 5 analysts in advanced programming and led monthly analytics workshops to foster a data-driven culture.
  • Developed a data literacy and culture program to enhance understanding and effective use of data across the compliance organization.
  • Collaborated on the development of an Azure-based modern data architecture to support enterprise-wide data initiatives and AI/ML integration.
Key Achievements
  • 67% reduction in processing time via HMDA review system
  • 32% reduction in compliance costs through enhanced GRC systems
  • 68% improvement in audit outcomes through fair lending programs
Senior Analyst, Portfolio & Risk Analytics Apr 2011 – Mar 2014
Vericrest Financial (Caliber Home Loans)
📍 Dallas, TX
  • Served as a senior member of the Portfolio Risk and Analytics Management Team, overseeing the production and maintenance of 93 monthly reports and risk models for compliance and asset management.
  • Instituted a holistic reporting approach to quantify risk metrics and recommended workflow changes that improved operational efficiency by 26% across multiple business units.
  • Developed key data structures for the ASPECT dialer system, investor data reporting (S&P, Moody's), and standardized metrics for regulatory agencies and GSEs.
  • Created the Portfolio Risk monthly reporting package, providing actionable insights to 13 executive team members and boosting operational consistency and transparency.
  • Directed all compliance reports and strategic initiatives for the compliance division while supporting mortgage state licensing efforts.
Key Achievements
  • 26% improvement in operational efficiency through streamlined portfolio risk reporting
  • 71% reduction in reporting errors with standardized metrics
  • 49% cost savings through actionable portfolio risk insights

Education

Management Information Systems & Engineering
Florida International University
2007 – 2009  ·  Miami, FL
Coursework in Engineering & Management Information Systems

Certifications

GRCP
GRC Professional Certification
CGEIT
Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT
CRVPM III
Certified Regulatory Vendor Program Manager
CRISC
Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control
CISM
Certified Information Security Manager
CBE
Certified Blockchain Expert
MCSE BI
MCSE Business Intelligence
EMCDSA
Data Science Associate
FMVA
Certified Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst
Six Sigma
Green Belt Certification
LPEC
Leadership Professional in Ethics and Compliance
CCP
Certified Compliance Professional
CIPP
Certified Information Privacy Professional

💼 Professional Skillset

Core competencies spanning strategy, data, AI, analytics, governance, and cross-functional leadership developed across 15+ years in financial services and fintech.

Entrepreneurial Mindset
Go-to-Market Planning
Application Development
Teamwork & Collaboration
Analytics
Quantitative Risk
Qualitative Research
Enterprise Risk Management
Risk Governance
Regulatory Compliance
Third Party Risk (TPRM)
Regulatory Affairs
Statistical Analysis & Modeling
Business Intelligence
Data Governance
AI/ML Strategy
Ethical & Responsible AI
Digital Transformation
ROI-Driven Innovation
Process Optimization
C-Suite & Board Reporting
Cross-Functional Leadership
KRI / KPI Development
Issues Management
Predictive Modeling
Portfolio Risk Analytics

🏠 Mortgage Lending Knowledge

Deep domain expertise across the full mortgage lifecycle — origination, licensing, servicing, risk, and regulatory reporting — built over 15+ years in financial services.

📋Mortgage Licensing — SAFE Act
🛡️AML / BSA / OFAC
🤝Vendor Risk Management (TPRM)
⚖️Counterparty Risk
📊Regulatory Reporting (NMLS / MCR)
🏦HMDA — Reg C
⚖️Fair Lending — ECOA / Reg B / CRA / FHA
📝Policy & Procedures
📈Portfolio Risk Analytics
🔄Loss Mitigation
🏠Servicing Risk
🏛️Risk Governance & Compliance
📉Regression & Steering Analyses
🔍Redlining Reviews
📋NMLS / MCR / MBFRF Reporting
🏢Third-Party Origination (TPO)

🖥️ Technical Acumen

Tools, platforms, and technologies leveraged to build data-driven risk, compliance, and analytics solutions.

Power BI
Tableau
T-SQL
SQL Server (SSMS, SSIS, SSRS)
RStudio
Python
Visual Studio
Salesforce
HubSpot
Zoho CRM
GRC Platforms (VendorRisk, ProcessUnity, Venminder, RSA Archer)
Everbridge
Mortgage LOS (Encompass 360, Mortgage Cadence, Empower)
QC Tools (ACES, CogentQC)
SharePoint
QuickBase
Azure / AWS

Let's Connect

Open to strategic leadership opportunities, consulting engagements, and professional collaborations.

Email
info@josephelias.info
Phone
469-315-2808
Languages
English · Spanish
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