Amanda Patella
LIFE THROUGH A COMPASS
Amanda Patella is a traveler at heart. From a young age, she was drawn to the diverse communities around her and was particularly captivated by nature. She was born in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, and lived in neighboring towns before making her way down to Florida for a brief stint. Not long after, Amanda moved up to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to finish out middle and high school — a place she considers her hometown.
Although she was considered the new girl throughout much of her childhood, Amanda felt very fortunate to have all these diverse experiences early on in life. It was in North Carolina that she discovered her passion for photography. When considering colleges, she decided to stay in state and attend Appalachian State University, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains. She had always dreamed of living somewhere where she was steps away from endless hiking opportunities and breathtaking views.
In addition to her hobbies, some of Amanda’s hard skills include a strong attention to detail and a knack with numbers, which led her to the business program in college. During this time, she particularly enjoyed her real estate finance courses, as the importance of having a home in a sustainable community resonated with her. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in finance and banking, Amanda went on to work in operations and then banking before finding her career in real estate.
Shortly after working in the industry on the single-family side of the business, she came across an opportunity at Freddie Mac. Amanda currently works as a production associate on the Small Balance Loan (SBL) Production & Sales team for the Central region and recently celebrated her six-year anniversary. From keeping the pipeline organized, testing updates to various systems and ensuring smooth rollouts, she has a played a crucial part in supporting her team.
Let’s hear more from Amanda on what it’s like to work at Freddie Mac and what she does to celebrate Earth Month.
In honor of Earth Month, what are some things you do to help protect the planet?
A: Much of it comes down to the little things that I have built into consistent habits. This includes bringing my own bags when I go shopping, carrying a reuseable water bottle, being mindful of reducing waste, etc.
When I started at Freddie Mac, I joined the Green BRG to find more volunteer opportunities within the community. As a result, I’ve gained a lot of inspiration and broadened my view on other ways to help take care of our planet. From setting up drop-off locations for e-waste recycling to facilitating activities like upcycling art events, bringing awareness to the importance of bee colonies and increasing the plant diversity to attract more pollinator species; there are many options for those who want to go above and beyond.
What are some hobbies/activities you enjoy doing outside of your job?
A: I’ve always been drawn to photography. I see it as an outlet to capture the beauty of the world we live in, candid moments and just documenting life. I also love traveling, whether that’s to new cities and seeing how the locals live, or just exploring nature and everything it has to offer. Some of my favorite places that I’ve been to are Iceland, Australia and Italy — all of which were on my bucket list. I try to plan at least one new destination every year, so I’ll be making my way to Canada and then the Grand Canyon here shortly. Beyond that, I’ve become obsessed with spin classes, and I enjoy going to concerts and hockey games whenever I get the chance.
Amanda visiting the Godafoss waterfall in Iceland.
In what ways do you promote diversity and inclusion within your team?
A: I believe collaboration and teamwork go a long way, so I try to do my part in creating a welcoming environment for my team and colleagues. Growing up, I moved around quite a bit, and each town was different from the last. I’ve found these experiences to be invaluable because despite those differences, we are all so similar at a human level. I carry that mindset with me into the workplace because I know that regardless of each of our backgrounds, there’s so much we can learn from one another.
Freddie Mac’s mission is to ‘Make Home Possible’. What does that mean to you?
A: For me that means bringing quality homes within reach to more people. In SBL, we have such an important and intimate space in the market. It brings me joy seeing all the communities we serve, many of whom are run by mom-and-pop borrowers who tend to be more involved in the day-to-day operations — it’s their livelihood. You never know the challenges people are facing in these communities, but it brings a sense of fulfillment to be able to see that the work we do is helping families across the country have access to affordable homes.
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