Teresa Carlile Named President Of loanDepot-Affiliated Ridgeland Mortgage

Industry veteran Teresa Carlile has been named president of the loanDepot-affiliated Ridgeland Mortgage.

Ridgeland is a joint venture between loanDepot and Smith Douglas Homes, the 36th largest new home builder in the U.S.

Teresa brings more than two decades of experience to the company. Throughout her career, she has held leadership positions with D.H.I. Mortgage, Inspire Home Loans, and Bank of England Mortgage. Before joining Ridgeland, she served as Operations Manager, Business Insurance, for Travelers.

“Much like the mission of Ridgeland Mortgage, I have dedicated my career to supporting families in achieving their homeownership goals, and I look forward to leading our team to success with a contagious sense of purpose and passion,” said Carlile.

She is the first major executive hire for Ridgeland, which debuted in November 2024. 

The company is primed to both support Smith Douglas’s home sales goals and expand loanDepot’s purchase originations business, especially in Georgia, where both Smith Douglas and Carlile are based.

“Teresa is a trusted leader in the mortgage industry, and as our first key hire, she’s an exceptional addition to the Ridgeland Mortgage team,” said Dan Peña, EVP of national joint ventures for loanDepot. 

“With experience across all areas of the business, she brings a wealth of knowledge about mortgage products, complex guidelines, and operations, positioning her as the ideal leader to guide our team in delivering a best-in-class customer experience.”

California-based loanDepot is one of the largest non-bank lenders in the U.S. and operates hundreds of offices across the nation.

Smith Douglas operates primarily in the Southeast. It sold 7.69 million shares in its initial public offering in 2024, raising $161.49 million.

Its founder and executive chairman, Thomas Bradbury, was named one of twelve new homebuilding industry billionaires by Forbes last year.