MBA Opens Doors Foundation Welcomes Mark Jones, Rick Thornberry, And Dr. Lamia Soghier To Its Board

The MBA Opens Doors Foundation (Opens Doors) announced three new members to its Board of Directors: Mark Jones, MBA 2022 Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Amerifirst Home Mortgage; Rick Thornberry, Chief Executive Officer of Radian Group Inc.; and Dr. Lamia Soghier, Medical Unit Director, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Children’s National Medical System. 

“Mark, Rick, and Lamia bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise from their respective fields and a deep passion for giving back to their communities. I look forward to collaborating with them and developing new strategies that will increase our impact and broaden our ability to serve more families with critically ill or injured children,” said Debra W. Still, CMB, President and CEO of Pulte Financial Services and Opens Doors Foundation Chair.

Mark Jones co-founded Amerifirst Home Mortgage in 1983 and has overseen the company’s growth from a single site in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to more than 80 locations and 900 employees across the country. Amerifirst is ranked first in USDA rural lending, third in FHA lending in Michigan, and manages a $6 billion servicing portfolio. 

Rick Thornberry is chief executive officer of Radian Group Inc. Radian is one of the largest private mortgage insurers of U.S. residential mortgages, and its real estate services segment is a leader in each of its industries. Thornberry has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, as a leader of some of the most innovative mortgage industry businesses. 

Dr. Lamia Soghier, a Board-Certified neonatologist, is the Medical Unit Director, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and the NICU Quality and Safety Officer at Children’s National Medical System. Dr. Soghier is also an assistant professor of Pediatrics at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences (GWSMHS). She is certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in both pediatrics and neonatology and has practiced pediatrics and neonatology in the U.S. and the Middle East. Dr. Soghier is an active clinician and researcher, deeply involved in promoting clinician education as a means of improving newborn’s health. 

“One of the many wonderful things about Opens Doors is the dedication and passion our board members have for our mission and for reaching populations in need of housing assistance. Mark, Rick, and Lamia embody the true spirit of an Opens Doors champion,” said MBA Opens Doors Foundation President Deborah Dubois.

The MBA Opens Doors Foundation, through its Home Grant Program, provides relief in a time of personal crisis. The Home Grant Program has become a critical part of a family’s support structure, especially when a parent or guardian must take unpaid leave to be with a child. Grants of up to $2,500 are made monthly to families in need of mortgage or rental payment assistance. The Foundation has provided more than $15 million in mortgage and rental payment assistance to nearly 10,000 families since its inception in 2011.