National Association of Mortgage Brokers President Valerie Saunders can project calm amid chaos, a trait that's served her well as she's worked to help the industry navigate tumultuous housing-market business cycles and operate businesses in a hurricane-prone state.

In an interview from Florida shortly before a storm, Saunders weighed in on how she and NAMB are contending with disaster risk, new government-sponsored enterprise restrictions on a rebounding refinance market and trade association policy positions in a polarized election year.

Excerpts of an Sept. 27 interview with Saunders covering these topics and others, edited for clarity and length, follow.