Lynell Bevels

About Lynell Bevels

Lynell is a seasoned mortgage professional with over 30 years of experience helping individuals and families realize the dream of homeownership. In her current role as the Vice President, Community Lending Manager for the California, Nevada, & Arizona regions, Lynell partners with team members and community partners to ensure that lending parity is accessible to all communities across Columbia’s eight-state footprint. This includes expanding access to homeownership, community development, small business formation and growth, financial literacy support and philanthropic giving. This is in keeping with the banks $8.1 Billion Community Benefits Agreement and the evolving culture of the company. Lynell\'s passion for financial literacy and community development stems from her early career as a licensed real estate agent and a mortgage broker, while working with a minority-owned real estate development firm that challenged the status quo and built a new 26-unit planned unit development in East Palo Alto in the late 90\'s. Lynell currently partners with local housing agencies, diverse real estate agent trade organizations, and elected officials to bring the message of home ownership and responsible lending to diverse and underserved populations in the Bay Area. Lynell is also a lifelong learner and a culinary enthusiast, who completed an Associates of Occupational Studies in Culinary Arts at the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts.Fun facts, Lynell has a twin brother (no, they’re not identical), three younger sisters, all of whom have children. The matriarch of her family is her grandmother, who was born in Oklahoma, where her grandfather was part of the Choctaw Nation. Lynell’s Grandmother always instilled a work ethic, unmatched by many, as she worked 35+ years at the post office, traversing the foggy streets of Pacifica to clock in timely to her graveyard shift on Evans Street in S.F. Lynell’s Grandfather, a Navy man from Arkansas, was an active real estate agent for more than thirty years, and a licensed life insurance agent who helped many families with their financial goals. When not working, Lynell enjoys cooking, a robust social life, spending time with friends, family, and her long-time partner, Courtney Smikle, affectionately known as Big Papa. Together they enjoy wine tasting along Oakland’s Wine Trail, dining at their favorite restaurants, including Town Fare, Lucy Blue, Calabash, T\'chaka a Taste of Haiti, Italian Colors, MUA, Perle Wine Bar, and all the benefits that living in Oakland affords.

Experience

1. Community Impact Lending Manager

   Columbia Bank

   Jan 2026 — Present · CA, US

   Lead strategic initiatives to expand Columbia Bank’s service to underserved markets through lending, investments, and partnerships, ensuring alignment with CRA, CBA goals, and the bank’s vision to become the Business Bank of Choice.

Education

• Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts

  Associate of Occupational Studies in Culinary Arts, Culinary Arts/Chef Training

• Merritt College

  Real Estate Certification, Real Estate

Skills

• Business Development
• Loan Origination
• Real Estate
• Negotiation
• Sales
• Mortgage Lending
• Sellers
• Online Marketing
• Advertising
• Networking
• Customer Service
• Marketing
• Fundraising
• Public Speaking
• Residential Homes
• Qualifying Prospects
• Refinance
• Finance
• Account Management
• Residential Mortgages
• Crm
• Real Estate Financing
• Retail
• Small Business
• Nonprofits
• Usda
• Strategic Planning
• Mortgage Banking
• Consultative Selling
• Leadership
• Selling
• Loans
• Sales Management
• New Business Development
• Time Management
• Investment Properties
• Property
• Fha