Over the past 20 years, Waterstone Mortgage has grown from a small mortgage company with just a handful of employees into a nationwide organization built on collaboration, innovation, and people-first leadership. Few people have witnessed — and contributed to — that growth as closely as Charissa Martin.
Today, Charissa serves as Vice President – Organizational Development, where she leads initiatives focused on training, leadership development, and growth across the organization. But when she first joined Waterstone Mortgage in 2006, things looked very different.
From Processor to Vice President
Charissa joined Waterstone Mortgage as a loan processor in 2006. At the time, the company was still in its early stages.
Within just a few months, Charissa was promoted to Processing Manager, where she not only continued processing her own pipeline, but also trained other processors.
As Waterstone Mortgage expanded, so did her responsibilities.
“I was part of the onboarding team when we started adding branches,” she said. “There were maybe four of us flying out to onboard new teams, train processors, and help loan originators learn systems and processes.”
Over the years, Charissa held a variety of leadership positions, including National Processing Manager, Specialty Operations Manager, and VP – Operations, before ultimately stepping into her current role in Organizational Development.
Looking back, she credits those experiences with giving her a unique understanding of every part of the mortgage process.
“It really gave me background in every area of the loan process,” she said. “That helps me understand every audience now in the organizational development role, which is really valuable.”
Leadership That Invests in People
While Charissa’s role has evolved many times over the years, she says the company culture has remained one of the biggest reasons she stayed.
“I always felt like a person and not a number,” she shared. “People genuinely cared about growing a company together and bringing a vision to life, and genuinely cared about each other in the process.”
She also credits strong mentorship and authentic leadership for helping shape her career journey.
“Rich Tucker saw something in me and gave me a chance to spread my wings and do something new,” she said. “Then Elizabeth Spragg came in and saw the next step — she saw something in me I didn’t even see in myself.”
That same ability to uplift and inspire others is now one of Charissa’s greatest strengths as a leader.
“Charissa has an incredible ability to connect with people. She lights up every Zoom meeting, training session, and company event she touches,” said Elizabeth Spragg, Chief People & Administrative Officer. “Whether she’s facilitating a leadership session, coaching presenters behind the scenes, or helping create engaging content for our teams, Charissa has a way of making people feel comfortable, connected, energized, and inspired. Simply put — she shines.”
Today, Charissa says her current role feels especially meaningful because it aligns so closely with her passions and strengths. “The work I do now feels the most purposeful of any work I’ve ever done,” she said. “Some days it doesn’t even feel like work anymore.”
Encouraging Big Ideas and Career Growth
In her current role, Charissa works closely with employees across the organization, especially helping support collaborative sales and leadership training initiatives. Her advice to newer employees reflects the same mindset that has guided her own career growth.
“Be transparent with your leader about who you are and where you want to grow,” she said. “You’re in an organization that is supportive of growth.”
She also encourages employees to think creatively and embrace innovation.
That willingness to innovate, collaborate, and challenge the status quo continues to be a defining part of Waterstone Mortgage’s culture today.
Celebrating the Past, Shaping the Future
Even after 20 years, Charissa remains deeply grateful for the opportunities, relationships, and growth she has experienced throughout her career at Waterstone Mortgage.
From onboarding branches in the company’s earliest expansion years to helping shape organizational development strategies today, her journey reflects not only personal growth, but the evolution of the company itself.
As Waterstone Mortgage continues to grow, leaders like Charissa help ensure the organization remains grounded in the people-first culture that has defined it from the beginning.
Congratulations, Charissa, on 20 incredible years. Your impact on Waterstone Mortgage is immeasurable, and we’re excited to see what the future holds.
Looking to join a team that prioritizes your growth? Visit our Careers page to view our current openings.
