Meet the ASEA

Skye Direen brings more than a decade of experience in the title industry, along with a perspective shaped by a lifetime around real estate. Growing up in a real estate family and later working in lending gave her a firsthand understanding of the many sides of a transaction—and the challenges REALTORS®, lenders, and their clients navigate every day.

As a Sales Executive with Pioneer Title Agency, Skye is known for being curious, resourceful, and highly collaborative. She enjoys digging into the details, finding practical solutions, and connecting industry professionals with information, tools, and resources that make their jobs easier and help them better serve their clients.

Over the years, Skye has also been involved with various boards and committees within the real estate industry, staying connected to the issues, organizations, and people shaping her local market.

A Prescott native, Skye is passionate about the community she calls home. Outside of work, she stays active through volunteer and community involvement and enjoys life in the mountains with her husband and their five cats.

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Penny Fincher has been in the escrow and title business since 1997. She began her career in customer service, later moved into Title, and found her home in Escrow in 2002. Over the years, Penny has handled every kind of transaction—from residential and commercial escrows to multi-million-dollar conservation trust land deals.

Her attention to detail, positive attitude, and dedication have made her a trusted partner in countless transactions. Penny is also a familiar face in the real estate community, actively involved in events such as the annual Affiliate Hoedown, the WCR Fashion Show, and many others that support local professionals.

A proud Prescott area resident since 1994, Penny and her high school sweetheart—now her husband—raised their three boys here. Today she treasures time with her two grandsons and granddaughter and enjoys life at home with her dogs, Sadie and Dixie. Outside of work, Penny loves crafting, gardening, and making memories with family.

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Amy began her career in the Escrow industry in 1994. During this time, she has grown from a Receptionist, to an Escrow Officer, to a Branch Manager and now currently serves as an Escrow Administrator/ Area Manager for Pioneer Title Agency. Over the years, Amy has handled a variety of escrow transactions including vacant land, mobile home/land, HUD transactions, residential, refinances and Builder transactions. For the past 17 years, she has held a position in management. She believes in bringing out the best in everyone and enjoys helping people grow professionally.

Amy has been a member of ASEA for many years and has previously served as Secretary and 2nd Vice President. When she is not working, you can find her hanging out at the hockey rink with her kids or spending time with family and friends.

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Christin Mack is the Managing Partner of Consult with Mack and a title and escrow professional with more than 23 years of experience serving Arizona's real estate industry. Throughout her career, she has held leadership roles ranging from Escrow Officer and Branch Manager to President of an Arizona title agency.

Christin holds the designations of ASEA Certified Escrow Officer, Certified Senior Escrow Officer, Certified Escrow Instructor, and LTAA’s Arizona Land Title Professional. She is also a Past President of the Arizona State Escrow Association and currently serves as ASEA Treasurer.

A passionate advocate for education, leadership development, and professional excellence, Christin has dedicated much of her career to supporting escrow professionals and strengthening the industry. During her term as Treasurer, she has remained committed to responsible financial stewardship and ensuring the Association is well-positioned to continue delivering value to its members.

• Email Christin Mack, CEO, CSEO, CEI, SASIP, ALTP

Melissa began her title and escrow career in Colorado in 1991. She worked as an escrow officer for over 10 years before moving to the next 15 years of her career as a licensed Colorado real estate broker. She and her husband co-founded a successful real estate brokerage firm which they managed along with their personal real estate business until relocating to Arizona in 2012. Experience in both aspects of real estate transactions has added to her vast knowledge and her ability to provide superior
customer service.

She has worked in the title and escrow industry in Arizona since relocating, with the last 9 years at Stewart Title. She oversees and manages all escrow operations for the Phoenix division plus contributes to the industry by collaborating and moderating real estate agent panels and instructing agents on key, predominate topics from the escrow and title world. Her mission to inform consumers about fraud has led to several presentations at senior centers, community centers and outside industry meetings.

When not managing her escrow team, Melissa enjoys boating and spending time with family and friends. She is an avid hiker, boater and animal lover, spending as much time as possible outdoors. She has two grown children that fortunately live in Arizona close enough to enjoy “Sunday Night Dinners” complete with traditional Italian cooking she mastered from the Fanelli family recipes.

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With over 45 years of experience in the escrow industry, Leslie Banes is a highly respected Certified Senior Escrow Officer, Certified Escrow Instructor, and holder of the Senior American Settlement Industry Professional and Land Title Professional designations. She currently serves as Senior Escrow Advisor at Stewart Title. In 2021, Leslie was honored as the first recipient of the Leadership Award from the American Escrow Association (AEA), a testament to her commitment and impact on the industry.

A passionate advocate for the profession, Leslie has been deeply involved in industry associations at both the national and state levels. She has served as First Vice President, Second Vice President, and Treasurer of the American Escrow Association and currently contributed to key workgroups including the Closing Instructions Development Workgroup, Remote Online Notary Workgroup, Title Insurance Section Workgroup and Title and Closing workgroup for MISMO (Mortgage Industry Standards Organization). Additionally, she is an active member of the Arizona State Escrow Association (ASEA), where she chaired the Education and Industry Liaison Committees and played a pivotal role in producing the ASEA Escrow II book and the 2016 AEA Annual Conference.  Leslie currently chairs the education committee for AEA and the escrow administrators luncheon committee for ASEA

Leslie is a sought-after speaker, regularly presenting to escrow officers, lenders, and realtors. She has also chaired the Industry Partners Conference and planned educational sessions for the ASEA’s annual escrow conferences, as well as the 2014 AEA Annual Conference.

A proud Arizona native, Leslie earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northern Arizona University. She resides in Gilbert, Arizona, with her husband Phil, and enjoys spending time with their three children and two grandchildren.

• Email Leslie Banes, SASIP, CEI, CSEO, ALTP

Hello, my name is Heather LeBlanc, Branch Manager and Escrow Officer at Great American Title Agency. This year I am celebrating 25 years in the escrow & title industry!

When I first transitioned from teaching into escrow, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. But what I did know was how to adapt, how to pivot, and how to stay on my toes—skills that every teacher knows well. Little did I realize just how valuable those skills would be in this fast-paced, ever-evolving industry.

Service to AEA

Over the years, I have been honored to serve this Association in several leadership roles, including:

• AEA Director
• Treasurer
• Vice President
• President

Through these experiences, I have built strong, lasting relationships with many Members of the Association, and I truly treasure those connections.

Commitment to the Profession

I have had the privilege of working alongside incredible professionals, learning from each challenge, and celebrating each success. Those experiences have strengthened my commitment to serving with passion, integrity, and purpose.

Each day I’m filled with gratitude—for the mentors who guided me, the colleagues who stood by me, and the clients who trusted me. And I look forward to continuing this journey with the same passion, integrity, and commitment that brought me here. As I look ahead, I remain committed to learning, evolving, and giving back to this Association that has given me so much.

• Email Heather LeBlanc