Each March, International Women’s History Month offers an opportunity to recognize the achievements, leadership, and impact of women across industries. In fields like construction finance and financial technology, industries historically dominated by men, the influence of women leaders is increasingly shaping how projects are funded, managed, and delivered.
At CoFi, we believe that modernizing construction finance requires not only better technology and systems but also strong leadership and diverse perspectives. Our mission is to make construction finance predictable, safe, and fast. We do this by bringing capital, software, and operational discipline together into one unified platform.
The women leaders across our organization play a vital role in delivering on that mission—driving innovation in data, operations, customer experience, marketing, and underwriting. This Women’s History Month, we are proud to recognize several of the women helping move both CoFi and the construction finance industry forward.
Nanette Wakamatsu
Vice President of Data & Operations
Nanette Wakamatsu was recently recognized by The Financial Technology Report by Forbes as one of “The Top Women Leaders in Financial Technology of 2025.”
At CoFi, Nanette leads data strategy and operational infrastructure that power our lending platform. Her work oversees business intelligence, portfolio reporting, operational cadence, funding workflows, and risk oversight. In this way, she ensures that lenders and builders operate with the clarity and transparency needed to manage construction projects successfully.
Construction lending requires disciplined oversight and precise coordination between capital, project progress, and financial controls. Nanette’s leadership helps transform complex financial data into operational insight. As a result, CoFi can deliver on its mission of bringing predictability and structure to construction finance.
“Modern construction finance depends on clarity and disciplined systems. When lenders and builders have access to accurate data and transparent processes, projects move faster, and risk becomes easier to manage.”
— Nanette Wakamatsu, VP of Data & Operations
Kate Reiner
Head of Marketing
Kate Reiner, Head of Marketing at CoFi, was recognized by The Women We Admire (WWA) as one of “The Top 50 Women Leaders of Utah for 2026.” The recognition celebrates women who demonstrate exceptional leadership, innovation, and influence within their industries.
At CoFi, Kate leads brand strategy, thought leadership, and demand generation initiatives that help bring greater visibility to the evolving world of construction finance and financial technology. Kate has helped expand CoFi’s reach to a growing network of builders across the country. Additionally, her focus on demand generation ensures that more builders are discovering CoFi’s lending platform and getting access to the funding they need.
Through research, industry partnerships, and educational content, Kate’s work helps position CoFi as a leader in the next generation of construction finance.
“Construction finance is evolving quickly, and storytelling plays an important role in helping the industry understand what’s possible. Our goal is to show how better systems and better communication can create better outcomes for builders and lenders alike.”
— Kate Reiner, Head of Marketing
Stephanie Day
Head of Customer Success
Stephanie Day leads Customer Success at CoFi, ensuring lenders and builders using our platform receive the full benefit of CoFi’s technology and services. She supports clients throughout the lifecycle of a project—from onboarding and draw management to final disbursement—helping teams navigate complex financial workflows with clarity and responsiveness.
Outside of work, Stephanie is deeply involved in community service. She organized a shoe drive that collected approximately 13,000 pounds of shoes, which are donated to developing countries where local micro-entrepreneurs resell them to create sustainable income while reducing landfill waste. She has also organized volunteer groups at the Ogden Bike Collective, repairing bikes for lower-income households and children, and supported Stitching Hearts, creating blankets for refugees and sleep mats for people experiencing homelessness.
“Our job is to make sure our clients feel supported and confident at every stage of the process. When builders and lenders know exactly what to expect, projects move forward with far less friction.”
— Stephanie Day, Head of Customer Success
Shannon McCarthy
Underwriting Manager
As Underwriting Manager at CoFi, Shannon McCarthy brings more than a decade of experience in lending and banking, including 12+ years in lending and 10 years working within the banking industry. She has also been actively involved in the broader financial community, serving on the Utah Bankers Association event committee and completing the UBA Commercial Lending Development Program.
At CoFi, Shannon applies her extensive experience in construction finance and risk analysis to ensure every project is evaluated with discipline, expertise, and a deep understanding of construction lending dynamics. Her work focuses on assessing project viability, borrower capability, and financial structure. Therefore, each loan is responsibly underwritten.
Strong underwriting is foundational to responsible construction lending. Through careful evaluation and sound financial judgment, Shannon helps ensure that CoFi’s lending decisions balance opportunity with prudent risk management. This protects both lenders and builders while enabling projects to move forward successfully.
“Every successful construction project starts with a strong financial structure. Thoughtful underwriting helps ensure that projects are not only funded, but positioned to succeed.”
— Shannon McCarthy, Underwriting Manager
Advancing Construction Finance Through Leadership
Modern construction finance sits at the intersection of real estate development, capital markets, and financial technology. As the industry evolves, strong leadership across operations, technology, underwriting, and client experience becomes increasingly important.
At CoFi, we believe that better systems create better outcomes. When capital, software, and operational discipline are aligned, projects move faster, communication improves, and risk becomes more manageable. The women recognized here represent just a few of the leaders helping build those systems and deliver on CoFi’s mission every day.
To the women leading innovation, building stronger systems, and advancing this industry, both within CoFi and across the broader construction ecosystem, we thank you for the impact you make every day.
Top: Shannon McCarthy, Kate Reiner, Sarah Haynie, Stephanie Tilley, McKenzie Cooper, Kellie Holley. Front: Breann McArthur, Nanette Wakamatsu.
