Meet the team at Mortgage Choice Miami, Burleigh & Palm Beach

CEO/Founder

James founded Mortgage Choice in Miami in March 2006 and for the two years prior to this he managed a Mortgage Choice franchise in Brisbane’s inner North.  In June 2013, he proudly opened his second office in James Street, Burleigh Heads to make room for further growth. In September 2017 he took on a third office in Palm Beach and in the last 2 years has expanded the business to both Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.   The businesses now have over 20 staff members across the five offices.  

James is extremely passionate about Mortgage Broking and relishes in being able to help clients fulfil their dreams.  He will always go above and beyond the call of duty to ensure his customers get the best possible deal.  His love for the business and high level of customer service is the reason James is an acclaimed specialist in his field, with many awards and accolades to his name.

When James is not at work he enjoys spending time with his wife Kate whom also works in the business and 4 children, running, walking his French bulldog Ouzo, eating out and supporting local businesses in anyway he can.

Marketing Manager 

Kate joined the Mortgage Choice in Miami, Burleigh and Palm Beach team in 2013 as the Marketing Manager.  Taking some time off inbetween to have children, Kate has been back on board working part time since 2019.

Originally from Melbourne, Kate completed a double degree, Bachelor in Business/Bachelor in Computing in 2005 and has since worked in Marketing in the finance industry.  Prior to joining the team Kate worked for Mortgage Choice (the franchisor) in Brisbane as the State Marketing Manager assisting Queensland Franchisees with their local area marketing.

Bringing her wealth of marketing knowledge, Kate is continually working to implement a strategic marketing plan to help to grow the business.

Outside of work, Kate loves spending time with her husband and 4 young children, exercising, going to the beach, eating out and socialising with friends.

Business Partnership Manager

Glenn holds a Bachelor of Business from the University College of Southern Queensland.  With greater than three decades of management, human resources, sales and marketing experience, Glenn Kunning has developed an expertise in partnering with like-minded business owners identifying missed market segments, client retention and missed revenue opportunities.

He enjoyed many years of success working with some of the top 100 companies in Australia. Companies such as ANZ, Mortgage Choice, RAMS, Heritage Building Society, St George, Bank-West, LJ Hooker, QSuper are organizations where he provided leadership and management to large high performing sales teams while facilitating strategies for growth and profitability.

In his spare time, Glenn enjoys travel, fine dining, live music, and spending time with his new granddaughter/family.

Business Development Manager

Lee joined our ever growing team in 2019 after 25 years at Suncorp Bank as a Manager, Business Banker and as a Senior Business Development Manager for brokers like ourselves.

He worked as a Credit Advisor/Mortgage Broker for 5 years, thoroughly enjoying helping his customers reach their financial goals but has since semi-retired and taken on the Business Development Manager role part time.  He holds his Certificate IV and Diploma in Finance and Mortgage Broking and is also extremely knowledgeable when it comes to managing business relationships. 

In his spare time, Lee likes to travel and spend time with his family. 

Credit Advisor 

For the past 10 years Angela has been an invaluable and experienced team member of the Mortgage Choice businesses in Miami, Burleigh and Palm Beach.

Angela holds a Certificate IV in Finance and Diploma of Mortgage Broking and Finance Management. Angela's wealth of industry knowledge along with her strong customer service skills consistently ensures that all her clients receive the best possible finance solutions.

Regular praise from Angela's clients acknowledging that she makes the process of a home loan as seamless and enjoyable as possible is mainly attributed to her industry knowlegde, experience, solution based approach, and strong service ethic which is a strong endorsement in her abilities to look after each and every client seeking a home loan.

Outside of work Angela spends her time family and enjoys catching up with friends, travelling and the lifestyle the Gold Coast has to offer.

Credit Advisor/Team Credit Coach 

Elliott joined the team at Mortgage Choice in Miami & Burleigh in June 2013.  Elliott holds a Diploma of Mortgage Broking and Finance Management and is able to assist you with all your home loan and finance needs.

Elliott’s friendly, motivated, high spirited and approachable manner makes him a great asset to the team, you can always find him working towards the best result for the customer.

Outside of work he enjoys spending time with his kids and loves everything that is sport, although now days is a far better spectator then participator.

Credit Advisor 

Gemma joined the Mortgage Choice team in July 2015 after working many years in Sales & Marketing Management roles for large hotel companies. She is a fully qualified Credit Adviser and holds a Diploma of Mortgage Broking and Finance Management, as well as a Bachelor's Degree in Business.

Gemma is now the Franchise Manager of our newest office in Maroochydore.  She strives to always provide excellent customer service with a smile. She understands that dealing with your finances can be a stressful experience for many and therefore aims to make the process as seamless and enjoyable as possible.

Gemma lives in Buderim, and on the weekends enjoys being at the beach with her husband, two children and Toy Cavoodle Remy. She loves the relaxed vibes of the Sunny Coast and all the region has to offer.

Franchise Manager / Credit Advisor

Matty joined the Team in 2020 after a lengthy period in the Tourism Industry. Matt graduated from Southern Cross University in 2003 and is now a fully qualified Credit Adviser, holding a Diploma of Mortgage Broking and Finance Management. 

Matt has adapted his customer-centric nature to help clients meet their home and financial goals alongside an award-winning team. 

Matt loves spending time swimming, golfing and hanging out with his wife and two boys on his days off.  Music is a must and Matt cannot operate without good tunes in the background.

Franchise Manager / Credit Advisor

Carissa joined the Mortgage Choice team in 2022.

Prior to joining our ever growing team, Carissa worked as a lawyer practising in conveyancing and family law for 12 years.

Carissa loves the challenge of finding her clients the best lending solutions to meet their needs. With a strong focus on customer service and attention to detail, Carissa will be able to guide you through the process and make it stress free. 

In her spare time, Carissa enjoys spending time with her young family, tending to her vegetable garden and chickens and catching up with friends.

Loan Processing Manager- Approvals Department

Gavin joined the Mortgage Choice in Miami & Burleigh team in December 2006.  Starting out as the Marketing Co-ordinator to help grow the business, he now works as the Loans Processing Manager in the Approvals Department. 

Gavin ensures that all clients, Lenders, Real Estate agents, Solicitors and anyone else involved in the transaction are kept up to date throughout the process of the loan - from the moment a loan is submitted to the lender, right through to the settlement.  

With his very calm and friendly nature, Gavin loves to help his clients in any way possible to ensure a smooth transaction takes place.

When he’s not working, Gavin enjoys all things outdoors; walking, kayaking, climbing, exploring and camping.  He is happiest in a place he’s never been before or camped on a beach under the stars.

Client Services Officer - Processing & Approvals

Nicole currently works in the office 3 days a week as our Processing & Approvals Client Services Officer which includes managing all customer loan documents.

Born and bred on the Gold Coast, Nicole joined the team in 2013 and prior to that spent 5 years with Professional Investment Services Pty Ltd. 

Nicole has a Cert IV in Business and is a great asset to the team having learnt most roles within the business providing her with a strong knowledge base whilst offering exceptional customer service. 

Outside of work, Nicole loves to spend time with her husband and young family, camping and going to the beach.

Client Services Officer - Processing & Approvals

Ange joined our team in December 2018, originally working with our brokers as a Credit Analyst, assisting our clients with broker appointments and file preparation.

Ange is now in a job-share role with Nicole, together they support and guide clients through the final steps of their application process.  Ange will assist with the completion of lender documents, the set up of new accounts and will endeavour to answer any questions regarding your new home loan.

Prior to jumping on board with our team, Ange worked with her husband in their family business running a busy gym in Miami, while raising their 2 children.  

She has also been in the customer care industry for over 8 years prior to this, so we can guarantee you, she will make sure you are well looked after.

When not working, Ange loves walks on the beach with family & pooch, running and training in the gym with her husband.

Broker Associate

Ian moved to the Gold Coast from Southern Sydney in February of 2021. He was very excited to join the Mortgage Choice team at the beginning of 2023.

Prior to joining our team, Ian worked as a Barista and Cafe Manager for 9 years. He is looking forward to adapting his years of customer service experience to provide our clients with the best possible care.

When Ian is not in the office he enjoys getting some sun at the beach with his wife, camping with his mates or attempting some DIY home renovations.

Broker Associate

Mieli joined the Mortgage Choice in Maroochydore team when they opened at the start of 2023 as a Broker Associate. 

Previously she was working as the Assistant Manager at a busy banking branch on the Sunshine Coast. In her time working in the banking industry she found her passion for helping her customers achieve all of their home buying goals. 

Mieli was born and bred on the Sunshine Coast and loves the relaxed lifestyle that it provides. Outside of work you will find Mieli at the beach or enjoying a nice meal and a drink with family and friends. 

Senior Client Services Officer

Murray owned a Mortgage Choice franchise for 17 years and retired in 2019......but he just kept turning up in the office to work at least once a week.  As he wouldn't take a hint we figured we should just make use of his remaining talents while at the same time protecting the mental health of his wife Tania.

Murray's wealth of knowledge and excellent customer service skills are an asset to our team.  He helps out with various back office functions including assisting our Broker Team with Commercial Asset Finance applications.

In his spare time Murray loves a game of golf (recently achieving his first ever hole in one), long walks on the beach, cooking and socialising with family and friends.

Team Leader - Credit Analyst

Alvin joined the Mortgage Choice team in Oct 2019 as a Credit Analyst and Approvals Assistant. 

Prior to this he worked with several local banks including Westpac where Alvin assisted clients for more than 2 years through the Customer Contact Centre.

Working closely with our processing department, Alvin deals with all electronic data submissions ensuring accuracy, timeliness and completeness when submitting all customer loans.

Alvin loves cars and likes to spend his free time having fun with his family, he is also a movie buff.

Credit Analyst

Before joining Mortgage Choice Kristen worked alongside Alvin as a client assistant for Westpac through the contact centre.  She worked there for almost 4 years before joining the team at Mortgage Choice in Miami, Burleigh, Palm Beach, Brisbane’s Bayside and Maroochydore.

Kristen works as a Credit Analyst helping out the team and customers before, during and after the home loan process.

When Kristen is not at work she loves hanging out with friends, trying different foods and visiting different places.  Her dream is to do lots of travelling to countries all over the world.

Credit Analyst

Rhea joined the Mortgage Choice in Burleigh, Miami, Palm Beach, Brisbane's Bayside and Maroochydore team in April 2021 and works as part of the Credit Analyst team.

She previously worked with both Kristen and Alvin for more than 4 years as a Senior Consultant at the Westpac contact centre gaining lots of customer service experience.

Rhea loves music, arts, theatre and travelling and on the weekends she spends most of her time doing church activities and services.

Team Leader - Credit Analyst

Marison joined Mortgage Choice in March 2019.  Prior to this she worked as a Senior Consultant at the Westpac Contact Centre for 3 years assisting bank staff.

Her role as Credit Analyst is to keep track of all applications following submission.  She stays in touch with the lenders to make sure approval and settlement is on time. She also ensures there is ongoing communication in regards to the progress of the loan to any other parties involved such as real estate agents and solicitors. 

During the weekends, she spends time with her husband and 2 fur babies (Chase & Khaleesi) strolling around, playing and eating. She loves to cook and bake during her free time.  She plans to visit the beaches in the Philippines and travel to other countries in the future.

Broker Assistant

Lovely joined the Mortgage Choice Team in May 2021.  Before Mortgage Choice, she worked for local and international banks as an Analyst acquiring a broad range of banking knowledge and expertise.

Her job is to deal with electronic data submissions, ensuring all customer loans are submitted on schedule, accurately, and completely.  Her high attention to detail and customer service experience helps ensure loan applications go through smoothly.

Outside of work, Lovely likes to appreciate the solitude of her alone time as much as adventures.

Customer Care Consultant

Jen joined Mortgage Choice in 2021 to pioneer our Client Retention Team.  Prior to joining our team, she previously worked for both local and international banks for 8 years as a Senior Banking Consultant gaining a wide range of banking skills and experience.

Our service doesn't end after loan settlement and Jen's caring and attentive nature ensures clients are well looked after for the life of their loan.  Jen will help to keep an eye on interest rates to make sure that it remains competitive and make sure that any questions you have about switching or changing your loan get answered and actioned.

Outside of work Jen loves music and enjoys spending time with her young family.  

Administration Assistant

Before joining the Mortgage Choice team Catherine worked as a Customer, Technical and Collections Service Representative for 10 years.  Her expertise was working in customer services and account management.

Together with Jen, Catherine takes care of clients after settlement by managing the loan for life program. This is done by monitoring interest rates and then switching or changing loans when needed to ensure the customer always has the best loan for their current situation. 

On days off, she loves binge-watching tv and traveling with her friends.