{
  "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lang/ru/california",
  "summary": "As of 2026-10-24, LenDb lists 8 loan officers licensed in or based in California whose lender pages say they speak Russian. The top-ranked are Valentina Gershunoff (Orange County's Credit Union, Santa Ana), Kristina Melnik (Churchill Mortgage, Roseville) and Julia Perstin (Bank of America, Northridge). Ranking is lender-neutral: a license in CA, branch location, experience and profile completeness. Nobody pays for placement. Languages come only from loan officers' own lender pages, and most lender pages do not list languages. A loan officer missing from this list may still speak it: not listed means not stated, not that they do not speak it.",
  "language": "ru",
  "state": "CA",
  "total": 8,
  "last_verified": "2026-10-24",
  "results": [
    {
      "rank": 1,
      "score": 38,
      "loan_officer": {
        "nmls_id": 439291,
        "slug": "valentina-gershunoff-439291",
        "full_name": "Valentina Gershunoff",
        "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/valentina-gershunoff-439291",
        "json_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/valentina-gershunoff-439291.json",
        "lender": {
          "nmls_id": 403462,
          "name": "Orange County's Credit Union",
          "slug": "orange-county-s-credit-union-403462",
          "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lender/orange-county-s-credit-union-403462",
          "type": "credit_union"
        },
        "branch": {
          "city": "Santa Ana",
          "state": "CA"
        },
        "headshot_url": "https://www.orangecountyscu.org/globalassets/products/home-loans/2019-10-mortgage-loan-officers-for-website-260x260-_0000_valentina-gershunoff-025_v1_current.jpg",
        "licensed_states": [],
        "licenses": [],
        "federal_registration_likely": true,
        "languages": [
          "en",
          "ru"
        ],
        "specialties": [],
        "lender_offers": [],
        "years_licensed": null,
        "earliest_license_record": null,
        "licensed_since": null,
        "years_experience": 15,
        "lender_profile_url": "https://www.orangecountyscu.org/products/home-loans/meet-our-team/valentina-gershunoff/",
        "disciplinary_check": "not_checked"
      },
      "reasons": [
        "Speaks Russian (lender page, verified 2026-10-16)",
        "Office in Santa Ana, CA",
        "Likely federally registered (works at a credit union). Federally registered MLOs aren't state-licensed; verify at NMLS",
        "States 15 years of experience (lender page, 2026-10-16)"
      ],
      "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/valentina-gershunoff-439291",
      "license_check": {
        "state": "CA",
        "confidence": "federal_registration",
        "eligible": true,
        "label": "Likely federally registered (works at a credit union). Federally registered MLOs aren't state-licensed; verify at NMLS",
        "verified_at": "2026-10-16",
        "source_url": null
      }
    },
    {
      "rank": 2,
      "score": 37.8,
      "loan_officer": {
        "nmls_id": 2316172,
        "slug": "kvitoslava-melnik-2316172",
        "full_name": "Kristina Melnik",
        "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/kvitoslava-melnik-2316172",
        "json_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/kvitoslava-melnik-2316172.json",
        "lender": {
          "nmls_id": 1591,
          "name": "Churchill Mortgage",
          "slug": "churchill-mortgage-1591",
          "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lender/churchill-mortgage-1591",
          "type": "imb"
        },
        "branch": {
          "city": "Roseville",
          "state": "CA"
        },
        "headshot_url": "https://info.churchillmortgage.com/hubfs/images/headshots/loan-officers/Melnik%2c%20Kristina.jpg",
        "licensed_states": [
          "FL",
          "CA",
          "MN",
          "SC",
          "TN",
          "WI"
        ],
        "licenses": [
          {
            "state": "CA",
            "confidence": "confirmed"
          },
          {
            "state": "FL",
            "confidence": "confirmed"
          },
          {
            "state": "MN",
            "confidence": "lender_reported"
          },
          {
            "state": "SC",
            "confidence": "lender_reported"
          },
          {
            "state": "TN",
            "confidence": "lender_reported"
          },
          {
            "state": "WI",
            "confidence": "confirmed"
          }
        ],
        "federal_registration_likely": false,
        "languages": [
          "ru",
          "uk"
        ],
        "specialties": [
          {
            "slug": "fha",
            "evidence": "lender_page_text"
          },
          {
            "slug": "investor",
            "evidence": "lender_page_text"
          },
          {
            "slug": "va",
            "evidence": "lender_page_text"
          }
        ],
        "lender_offers": [
          "1099-income",
          "asset-based",
          "bank-statement",
          "condo-non-warrantable",
          "condotel",
          "construction",
          "down-payment-assistance",
          "dscr",
          "first-time-buyer",
          "foreign-national",
          "heloc",
          "itin",
          "jumbo",
          "low-credit",
          "manufactured",
          "multi-family-2-4",
          "non-qm",
          "physician",
          "renovation",
          "reverse",
          "rural",
          "self-employed",
          "usda",
          "vacation-home"
        ],
        "employer_program_approvals": [
          {
            "program": "fha",
            "source": "HUD",
            "as_of": "2026-08"
          }
        ],
        "years_licensed": null,
        "earliest_license_record": {
          "date": "2022-08-03",
          "state": "CA"
        },
        "licensed_since": {
          "year": 2022,
          "state": "CA"
        },
        "years_experience": null,
        "lender_profile_url": "https://www.churchillmortgage.com/loan-officers/kristina-melnik",
        "disciplinary_check": "not_checked"
      },
      "reasons": [
        "Speaks Russian (lender page, verified 2026-10-20)",
        "Office in Roseville, CA",
        "Licensed in CA: confirmed with the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (license CA-DFPI2316172), verified 2026-10-24",
        "Earliest state license record: August 3, 2022 (California), per state regulator"
      ],
      "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/kvitoslava-melnik-2316172",
      "license_check": {
        "state": "CA",
        "confidence": "confirmed",
        "eligible": true,
        "label": "Licensed in CA: confirmed with the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (license CA-DFPI2316172), verified 2026-10-24",
        "verified_at": "2026-10-24",
        "source_url": "https://dfpi.ca.gov/"
      }
    },
    {
      "rank": 3,
      "score": 36,
      "loan_officer": {
        "nmls_id": 1186821,
        "slug": "julia-perstin-1186821",
        "full_name": "Julia Perstin",
        "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/julia-perstin-1186821",
        "json_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/julia-perstin-1186821.json",
        "lender": {
          "nmls_id": 399802,
          "name": "Bank of America",
          "slug": "bank-of-america-399802",
          "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lender/bank-of-america-399802",
          "type": "bank"
        },
        "branch": {
          "city": "Northridge",
          "state": "CA"
        },
        "headshot_url": "https://images.em.bankofamerica.com/AMP/9A4ED410-B71E-490F-9ABD-42FB428C88DE.jpg",
        "licensed_states": [],
        "licenses": [],
        "federal_registration_likely": true,
        "languages": [
          "ru"
        ],
        "specialties": [],
        "lender_offers": [
          "down-payment-assistance",
          "fha",
          "first-time-buyer",
          "heloc",
          "jumbo",
          "physician",
          "va"
        ],
        "years_licensed": null,
        "earliest_license_record": {
          "date": "2014-05-22",
          "state": "WI"
        },
        "licensed_since": {
          "year": 2014,
          "state": "WI"
        },
        "years_experience": null,
        "lender_profile_url": "https://mortgage.bankofamerica.com/julia-perstin",
        "disciplinary_check": "not_checked"
      },
      "reasons": [
        "Speaks Russian (lender page, verified 2026-10-19)",
        "Office in Northridge, CA",
        "Likely federally registered (works at a bank). Federally registered MLOs aren't state-licensed; verify at NMLS",
        "Earliest state license record: May 22, 2014 (Wisconsin), per state regulator"
      ],
      "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/julia-perstin-1186821",
      "license_check": {
        "state": "CA",
        "confidence": "federal_registration",
        "eligible": true,
        "label": "Likely federally registered (works at a bank). Federally registered MLOs aren't state-licensed; verify at NMLS",
        "verified_at": "2026-10-19",
        "source_url": null
      }
    },
    {
      "rank": 4,
      "score": 35.5,
      "loan_officer": {
        "nmls_id": 1415622,
        "slug": "mila-ioffe-1415622",
        "full_name": "Mila Ioffe",
        "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/mila-ioffe-1415622",
        "json_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/mila-ioffe-1415622.json",
        "lender": {
          "nmls_id": 399802,
          "name": "Bank of America",
          "slug": "bank-of-america-399802",
          "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lender/bank-of-america-399802",
          "type": "bank"
        },
        "branch": {
          "city": "Pleasant Hill",
          "state": "CA"
        },
        "headshot_url": "https://images.em.bankofamerica.com/AMP/29377D54-145D-4445-872F-629A8E785F9F.jpg",
        "licensed_states": [],
        "licenses": [],
        "federal_registration_likely": true,
        "languages": [
          "ru"
        ],
        "specialties": [],
        "lender_offers": [
          "down-payment-assistance",
          "fha",
          "first-time-buyer",
          "heloc",
          "jumbo",
          "physician",
          "va"
        ],
        "years_licensed": null,
        "earliest_license_record": null,
        "licensed_since": null,
        "years_experience": 11,
        "lender_profile_url": "https://mortgage.bankofamerica.com/mila-ioffe",
        "disciplinary_check": "not_checked"
      },
      "reasons": [
        "Speaks Russian (lender page, verified 2026-10-19)",
        "Office in Pleasant Hill, CA",
        "Likely federally registered (works at a bank). Federally registered MLOs aren't state-licensed; verify at NMLS",
        "States 11 years of experience (lender page, 2026-10-19)"
      ],
      "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/mila-ioffe-1415622",
      "license_check": {
        "state": "CA",
        "confidence": "federal_registration",
        "eligible": true,
        "label": "Likely federally registered (works at a bank). Federally registered MLOs aren't state-licensed; verify at NMLS",
        "verified_at": "2026-10-19",
        "source_url": null
      }
    },
    {
      "rank": 5,
      "score": 35.5,
      "loan_officer": {
        "nmls_id": 2835599,
        "slug": "sergiy-kuzin-2835599",
        "full_name": "Sergiy Kuzin",
        "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/sergiy-kuzin-2835599",
        "json_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/sergiy-kuzin-2835599.json",
        "lender": {
          "nmls_id": 320841,
          "name": "Loan Factory",
          "slug": "loan-factory-320841",
          "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lender/loan-factory-320841",
          "type": "broker"
        },
        "branch": {
          "city": null,
          "state": "CA"
        },
        "headshot_url": "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jKiMsHPLaG4emj4Qzae_HSDZTqwafF_iN34cgCjFuCbBwEFbnHmA6ht4J2f_4Qices1VXDo8ROcv9LK1hvni8Wzz2_Kh74ce3amh6w",
        "licensed_states": [
          "CA"
        ],
        "licenses": [
          {
            "state": "CA",
            "confidence": "confirmed"
          }
        ],
        "federal_registration_likely": false,
        "languages": [
          "en",
          "ru"
        ],
        "specialties": [],
        "lender_offers": [],
        "years_licensed": null,
        "earliest_license_record": {
          "date": "2026-06-27",
          "state": "CA"
        },
        "licensed_since": {
          "year": 2026,
          "state": "CA"
        },
        "years_experience": null,
        "lender_profile_url": "https://www.loanfactory.com/mortgage-expert/sergiy-kuzin-2835599",
        "disciplinary_check": "not_checked"
      },
      "reasons": [
        "Speaks Russian (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)",
        "Office in California",
        "Licensed in CA: confirmed with the California Department of Real Estate (license 02448042), verified 2026-10-24",
        "Earliest state license record: June 27, 2026 (California), per state regulator"
      ],
      "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/sergiy-kuzin-2835599",
      "license_check": {
        "state": "CA",
        "confidence": "confirmed",
        "eligible": true,
        "label": "Licensed in CA: confirmed with the California Department of Real Estate (license 02448042), verified 2026-10-24",
        "verified_at": "2026-10-24",
        "source_url": "https://www.dre.ca.gov/Licensees/ExamineeLicenseeListDataFiles.html"
      }
    },
    {
      "rank": 6,
      "score": 34.8,
      "loan_officer": {
        "nmls_id": 396123,
        "slug": "kirill-kizyuk-396123",
        "full_name": "Kirill Kizyuk",
        "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/kirill-kizyuk-396123",
        "json_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/kirill-kizyuk-396123.json",
        "lender": {
          "nmls_id": 320841,
          "name": "Loan Factory",
          "slug": "loan-factory-320841",
          "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lender/loan-factory-320841",
          "type": "broker"
        },
        "branch": {
          "city": null,
          "state": "CA"
        },
        "headshot_url": "https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/9EyMgnYmlce5Mn6r8X9ijtVuuKkethy0Fvr8J6IQSEFXGof0z3i5Z76hFTJolWhE4EFxrE6bqN0-PhJaXuy1EhVxVhRAAK5TISqarg",
        "licensed_states": [
          "CA"
        ],
        "licenses": [
          {
            "state": "CA",
            "confidence": "confirmed"
          }
        ],
        "federal_registration_likely": false,
        "languages": [
          "en",
          "ru"
        ],
        "specialties": [],
        "lender_offers": [],
        "years_licensed": null,
        "earliest_license_record": null,
        "licensed_since": null,
        "years_experience": null,
        "lender_profile_url": "https://www.loanfactory.com/mortgage-expert/kirill-kizyuk-396123",
        "disciplinary_check": "not_checked"
      },
      "reasons": [
        "Speaks Russian (lender page, verified 2026-10-09)",
        "Office in California",
        "Licensed in CA: confirmed with the California Department of Real Estate (license 01442158), verified 2026-10-24"
      ],
      "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/kirill-kizyuk-396123",
      "license_check": {
        "state": "CA",
        "confidence": "confirmed",
        "eligible": true,
        "label": "Licensed in CA: confirmed with the California Department of Real Estate (license 01442158), verified 2026-10-24",
        "verified_at": "2026-10-24",
        "source_url": "https://www.dre.ca.gov/Licensees/ExamineeLicenseeListDataFiles.html"
      }
    },
    {
      "rank": 7,
      "score": 30.5,
      "loan_officer": {
        "nmls_id": 459993,
        "slug": "lily-frenkel-459993",
        "full_name": "Lily Frenkel",
        "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/lily-frenkel-459993",
        "json_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/lily-frenkel-459993.json",
        "lender": {
          "nmls_id": 399801,
          "name": "Wells Fargo Home Mortgage",
          "slug": "wells-fargo-399801",
          "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lender/wells-fargo-399801",
          "type": "bank"
        },
        "branch": {
          "city": "San Jose",
          "state": "CA"
        },
        "headshot_url": "https://dynl.mktgcdn.com/p/7p6eTRfLJ05efj0rbilZRpLpZuyoij9MGNEKEnZfJN4/600x450.jpg",
        "licensed_states": [],
        "licenses": [],
        "federal_registration_likely": true,
        "languages": [
          "ru"
        ],
        "specialties": [],
        "lender_offers": [
          "down-payment-assistance",
          "fha",
          "first-time-buyer",
          "jumbo",
          "va"
        ],
        "years_licensed": null,
        "earliest_license_record": null,
        "licensed_since": null,
        "years_experience": null,
        "lender_profile_url": "https://homeloans.wellsfargo.com/mortgage/ca/san-jose/lily-frenkel",
        "disciplinary_check": "not_checked"
      },
      "reasons": [
        "Speaks Russian (lender page, verified 2026-10-19)",
        "Office in San Jose, CA",
        "Likely federally registered (works at a bank). Federally registered MLOs aren't state-licensed; verify at NMLS"
      ],
      "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/lily-frenkel-459993",
      "license_check": {
        "state": "CA",
        "confidence": "federal_registration",
        "eligible": true,
        "label": "Likely federally registered (works at a bank). Federally registered MLOs aren't state-licensed; verify at NMLS",
        "verified_at": "2026-10-19",
        "source_url": null
      }
    },
    {
      "rank": 8,
      "score": 30,
      "loan_officer": {
        "nmls_id": 2068590,
        "slug": "ilona-kondratyuk-2068590",
        "full_name": "Ilona Kondratyuk",
        "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/ilona-kondratyuk-2068590",
        "json_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/ilona-kondratyuk-2068590.json",
        "lender": {
          "nmls_id": 399802,
          "name": "Bank of America",
          "slug": "bank-of-america-399802",
          "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lender/bank-of-america-399802",
          "type": "bank"
        },
        "branch": {
          "city": "El Dorado Hills",
          "state": "CA"
        },
        "headshot_url": "https://images.em.bankofamerica.com/AMP/9630FC20-036D-4B9D-9E10-BB291DDE45B2.jpg",
        "licensed_states": [],
        "licenses": [],
        "federal_registration_likely": true,
        "languages": [
          "ru"
        ],
        "specialties": [],
        "lender_offers": [
          "down-payment-assistance",
          "fha",
          "first-time-buyer",
          "heloc",
          "jumbo",
          "physician",
          "va"
        ],
        "years_licensed": null,
        "earliest_license_record": null,
        "licensed_since": null,
        "years_experience": null,
        "lender_profile_url": "https://mortgage.bankofamerica.com/ilona-kondratyuk",
        "disciplinary_check": "not_checked"
      },
      "reasons": [
        "Speaks Russian (lender page, verified 2026-10-19)",
        "Office in El Dorado Hills, CA",
        "Likely federally registered (works at a bank). Federally registered MLOs aren't state-licensed; verify at NMLS"
      ],
      "canonical_url": "https://lendb.ai/lo/ilona-kondratyuk-2068590",
      "license_check": {
        "state": "CA",
        "confidence": "federal_registration",
        "eligible": true,
        "label": "Likely federally registered (works at a bank). Federally registered MLOs aren't state-licensed; verify at NMLS",
        "verified_at": "2026-10-19",
        "source_url": null
      }
    }
  ]
}