Wesley is CEO and Co-Founder of Sola Insurance based in Atlanta, GA. Wesley comes from a tech background and jumped into the insurance industry at a flood insurance startup where he was tasked with working on the data side with private and FEMA flood maps. Realizing this data was telling us exactly where the damage is, Wesley and the Sola team became obsessed with how data can be used to automatically trigger an insurance claim payout. Sola is starting with supplemental tornado coverage for homeowners and small businesses but plans to expand into every type of natural disaster to help people cover their deductible and immediate expenses. Sola has already been approved in 14 states as the first ever admitted personal lines parametric product, is fully reinsured through Lloyd’s of London and has partnered with dozens of agencies and aggregators.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

• Customer feedback is a growth tool – Handling negative reviews with a positive approach strengthens relationships.
• Cultural fit matters – Many employees leave due to misalignment with company culture rather than job dissatisfaction.
• Talent is everywhere – Hiring based on traits, not just experience, can uncover high-potential candidates.
• The industry must evolve – Adapting to new expectations and investing in education will attract the next generation.

Monica Adwani is a dynamic leader whose career has been defined by breaking barriers and championing diversity.Monicais a passionate advocate for creating opportunities and fostering inclusivity, particularly for women and Latinos in the business world. As the CEO of Breezy Seguros, she leads a company dedicated to providing accessible and comprehensive insurance solutions tailored specifically for the Latino community in the United States.

Born in Puerto Rico,Monicaearned degrees in Information Management and Medical Coding from the InterAmerican University. Her desire for continuous learning brought her to Massachusetts, where she obtained a Business Management degree from Fisher College in Boston.

Monica's exceptional leadership has earned her multiple accolades, including Young Agent of the Year in 2019, LatinX Amplifier in 2021, one of the Top 50 Women Leaders in Massachusetts in 2022, and the Top 100 Latino Influencer award in 2023. Additionally, Breezy Seguros was recognized as one of America's Top 250 Latino Companies in 2024.

Monicais deeply committed to the Latino community and is working tirelessly to reach the goal of insuring more than 5 million Latinos across the United States through Breezy Seguros. Her dedication drives her efforts to empower and protect Latino families, entrepreneurs, and businesses, ensuring their success and security for future generations.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

With over a decade of experience in the insurance industry, Judy has been a licensed Property and Casualty agent since 2010 and a licensed Life and Health agent since 2011. Currently, she serves as a Personal Lines Account Manager at Anderson and Green Insurance Agency, where she has been for the past five years. In this role, Judy recently expanded her expertise to assist Medicare customers with their prescription plans.

In addition to her work at Anderson and Green, Judy also holds a position as a Customer Service Representative at Cravens Insurance Agency, where she specialize in Medicare Supplements where her commitment to providing exceptional service and guidance allows Judy to help clients navigate their insurance needs effectively.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Regent Benham is the CEO of JBKnowledge, a 280-employee global insurance software company he co-founded in 2001, with offices and staff in 4 countries. He served for five years as an Adjunct Professor of Construction Science at Texas A&M University and still volunteers as a mentor and advisor for student groups. Regent Benham served the City of College Station as a Planning and Zoning Commissioner from 2011 to 2012 and was elected to two terms on the College Station City Council from 2012 to 2018 where he also served as Mayor Pro Tem. He is a member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO). He lives in College Station and is an avid airplane pilot and musician. Regent Benham received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting in 2001 and a Master of Science in Management Information Systems in 2002, both from Texas A&M University.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Dive deeper into the fascinating history of insurance and discover how it has shaped the world we live in today. Explore A Tedious Brief History of Insurance—a captivating publication that uncovers pivotal moments, groundbreaking innovations, and the enduring impact of insurance through the ages. Perfect for industry professionals, history enthusiasts, or anyone curious about the roots of risk management.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

• Diverse Sessions: A comprehensive agenda covering compliance, risk management, and cybersecurity awareness.
• Leadership Vision: Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Alan McClain’s forward-looking view on industry challenges and opportunities.
• Next-Gen Engagement: UCA student Connor Black shares perspectives on attracting young professionals to the field.
• Reinsurance Insights: Lee Covington delves into the evolution of reinsurance and its impact on the industry.
• Cybersecurity Focus: FBI Agent Tanja Sablatura stresses the importance of cybersecurity in today’s risk landscape.
• Generational Shift: Over 30% of attendees have 20+ years in the field, emphasizing the need for mentorship and knowledge transfer.
• Purpose-Driven Work: Encouraging professionals to find meaning and purpose in their roles, fostering a legacy for future leaders.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Douglas Ver Mulm is currently the Chief Executive Officer at Turris, a financial infrastructure platform for the insurance industry. Prior to this, Douglas was the Co-Founder & CEO at Stable Insurance, focusing on distribution and analytics for insurance in the shared/on-demand economy. With a background in law and economics/finance, Douglas has also served as a Volunteer Executive Director at InsurTech Association and as a Lead Mentor at Founders Network.

Garrett Droege, CIC, CPCU, CLCS, CBIA, CWCA, CRIS serves as Senior Vice President and Director of Innovation and Digital Risk Practice Leader at IMA Financial. His role oversees IMA’s national focus in the technology, and digital risk verticals (collectively called the Advanced Industries Specialty). He also co-manages IMA Labs, IMA’s insurtech innovation, investment, and strategy with BrokerTech Ventures. Additionally, he is part of the founding team of IMA’s web3Labs initiative and helped IMA become the first broker to build an insurance and risk management facility in the metaverse and issue the industry’s first “proof of coverage” via blockchain/NFT. He serves on the Crypto.Chicks NFT Advisory Board and consults with several other NFT projects.

Prior to his current role, he served as CEO/Executive Director of TechAssure Association, Inc., an international consortium of insurance agents/brokers specializing in technology-related risks.  Garrett’s expertise includes Errors & Omissions, Cyber, and Technology Risk Management. Additionally, he is a brokerage technology specialist – focused on InsurTech, AMS/BMS/CRM platforms, data mining, and client journey tech stack development. 

Garrett has designed complex insurance and risk management programs for some of the most sophisticated and diverse tech businesses in the country.  These include firms in info tech, medical technology, telecommunications, new media and all types of digital risk and blockchain. 

Garrett is an alumnus of University of North Carolina at Wilmington and The Hartford School of Insurance.  He was named to the Charlotte Business Journal’s 40 Under Forty list and Insurance Business America’s Young Guns of Insurance list. Garrett is routinely featured in national publications and media productions, including NPR’s All Things Considered. 

He holds the esteemed Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) industry designations, among others. He has been a featured keynote speaker for numerous organizations, including: Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Public Radio, CIO Magazine, Society of CPCU, Insurance Innovators, FinTech Association of Hong Kong, Net Diligence, Healthcare Information & Management Systems Society (HIMSS), Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), North Carolina Technology Association, Texas Blockchain Council and many more.

Droege has been named three times to the Hot 100 List – a group of the top 100 insurance professionals that have “moved the industry forward” over the past 12 months. Garrett also serves as an advisor and mentor to several technology startup companies and has extensive relationships with global accelerator programs and investors. He is a frequent guest on business podcasts including: “The Insurance Guys”, Lowenstein Sandler’s “Don’t Take No For An Answer,” “InsurTech Geek Podcast,” “Beyond Insurance,” “A.I. Wisdom,” “The Insurance Coffeehouse,” 

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Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Nate Curtis is a National Sales Director for Clearspeed, a technology company that enables risk assessment through voice analytics. Prior to Clearspeed, he spent a decade working in various product development and innovation roles at Liberty Mutual Insurance. Nate began his professional career as an officer in the U.S. Navy after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Clearspeed focuses on risk assessment and clearance through innovation in AI-driven voice-based technology.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Commissioner McClain began his career in state government in 1992 at AID, spending eight years in its Public Employee Claims Division. Prior to joining AID, he served as a Claims Manager for self-insured workers’ compensation plans at the Little Rock offices of Sedgwick James Insurance.

McClain served thirteen years with the Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission (AWCC), where he spent almost nine years as its Chief Executive Officer.  While at the AWCC, he also served as the regulator for companies and groups seeking to self-insure workers’ compensation risks. In 2013 McClain left the AWCC to join the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he worked alongside numerous state workers’ compensation agencies as they utilized the work of WCRI in making data-driven policy decisions.

McClain served as President of the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation between 2019-20, as well as President of the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards & Commissions (IAIABC) in 2011, where he was named Co-Chair of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)/IAIABC Joint Working Group. During his time as Commissioner of Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, Governor Hutchinson also appointed McClain to serve on the Arkansas Workforce Development Board, and the Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities.

In addition to membership on a number of other NAIC task forces and working groups, McClain currently serves as Chair of the NAIC Property and Casualty (C) Committee, as well as Chair of the Workers’ Compensation Task Force, a subgroup of the Property and Casualty (C) Committee. He also serves on the Financial Standards and Accreditation (F) Committee, which reviews insurance department ability to analyze company solvency.

McClain is a native Arkansan. He holds an undergraduate degree from Hendrix College in Conway, as well as a Master of Public Administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Share your favorite Season 5 episode in our Facebook Group and join the conversation with fellow listeners. Whether it’s a memorable interview, a hilarious moment, or a valuable insight, let us know what resonated with you the most! Your feedback helps us create even more content you’ll love.

Join the Discussion!

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Our guests (in order) are:

• Kristopher Lundberg, CEO of Insurance Tech Insights, discusses the value of independent agents engaging with tech start-ups. 
• Jacob Galecki, Managing Principal of Galecki Search Associates, highlights the disconnect between Insurtech developers and the insurance industry. 
• Valkyrie Holmes, founder of Faura, explores the future of risk management through data utilization. 
• Scott Harrison, Co-founder of the American Insurtech Council, addresses regulatory challenges as technology evolves. 
• Joseph Zaarour, co-founder of iSolvRisk, envisions a gamified approach to risk management education, making professional development more engaging.
• Laurissa Berk from the University of Connecticut shares how UCON is preparing students to shape the future of insurance technology.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Colleen O'Hara is an accomplished executive leader whose two decades in the insurance industry have transformed the way businesses achieve growth and engagement. Beginning her journey on the front lines of the retail agency world, Colleen has carved a niche for herself by applying her unique insights to foster deep engagement, adoption, and, most importantly, advocacy within the insurance distribution channel. 

At Fideles Advisors, Colleen has been instrumental in leveraging her unparalleled grasp of insurance industry nuances to deliver strategies that drive value and set a new standard for what it means to be truly engaged in the business of insurance. Her approach, characterized by a rigorous alignment of business goals with operational processes and marketing strategies, has consistently produced measurable and scalable growth.

Colleen’s commitment to data-driven and strategic marketing has yielded remarkable results, including a dramatic restructuring of marketing teams that led to a significant revenue spike and positioning a top 100 broker brand at the forefront of the insurance industry. 

Under her leadership, Colleen's strategic initiatives in brand management, value creation, and organic growth have not just reshaped businesses but have also set them on a path of sustained success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

• Appalachian State University | USA
• Durban University of Technology | South Africa
• Institute of Insurance and Risk Management (IIRM) Hyderabad | India (First Place Finalist)
• Illinois State University | USA (Second Place Finalist)
• Milpark Education | South Africa
• Peking University | China (Third Place Finalist)
• St. Mary’s University | USA
• University of Wisconsin-Madison | USA

Special mention, Corporate Grant Sponsor: FM Global https://newsroom.fmglobal.com/releases/releases-20240424

To Discover More about the 2025 Spencer-RIMS Risk Management Challenge visit: https://www.spencered.org/2025-risk-management-challenge

To Learn More about Spencer Education Foundation: https://www.spencered.org/

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

• Jerrie Price, H.I.R.E.D Project Coordinator at Arkansas Public School Resource Center, Inc. (Special Guest)
• Colton Johnson, James Green & Associates (Arkansas) (YIP Board Member)
• Victor Werley, Pinnacle Advisors (Speaker)
• Casey Nelson, StakWise Data Automation (Speaker)
• Matthew Gleason, UA CIC, Gleason Insurance, LLC (First Time/New Professional Attendee Insight)
• Ben Burleson, CIC, Progressive Insurance (Company Representative Attendee Insight)
• Mary Katherine Henderson, CIC, Cross Pointe Insurance Advisors, LLC (PIA AR YIP Board President Insight)

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Use discount code AWKWARDNYC to get 50% off individual registration at https://www.insurtechinsights.com/america/register/

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

PPIB: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ppib-insurance/

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Learn more about the coaching program:https://www.scic.com/dynamics-producer-coaching/

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

• Learn to navigate and strengthen your connections with marketing representatives.
• Discover actionable strategies to boost your or your agency's process efficiency.
• Mike's insights on the questions and requests that can make a significant impact.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Born2Lead, LLC

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Laurie Dawson is the principal of Treaster, Dawson and Associates, Inc., a Full-Service Group Insurance Consulting and Employee Benefits Brokerage Firm.

With more than 30 years of experience in employee benefits and human resource administration, Laurie provides a wealth of knowledge and expertise.

She and her staff strive to provide concierge-level service, empowering their clients to be savvy healthcare consumers.

For more tips and insights, check out Laurie’s mini-blog at https://www.treasterdawson.com/news-updates

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Interested in Shaping the Future of Risk Management & Insurance Education? Become a Faculty Member!

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Chelsea  Adler is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society (FCAS) currently working as an actuary at Root Inc., an InsurTech start-up based in Columbus, OH. Prior to joining Root in October 2019, she spent 5 years working as an actuary at State Farm. Chelsea specializes in evaluating risk and developing rating plans for personal auto and home insurance.  

Chelsea is passionate about changing the narrative around insurance and spreading awareness of the actuarial profession. To support aspiring actuaries and encourage them on their professional journeys, she launched a blog at InspiringActuaries.com. 

Website: InspiringActuaries.com 
Instagram: https://instagram.com/inspiring_actuaries?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y= 
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@inspiring_actuaries?

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Listen to even more exclusive Insurtech interviews in our Day 2 coverage of the 2023 Insurtech Insights Conference! 

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Optimist, self-proclaimed IA hype-man, and insurance nerd, Seth Marana fell into the insurance industry and has been running full steam ahead to make his dent within the independent agency channel.

Having served as both a Personal and Commercial Lines agent for nearly 6 years and while earning his CIC, CRM, and TRA designations, he gained real-life experience and knowledge to serve in his new role as the Member Experience Manager with the Ohio Insurance Agents Association (OIA).

In 2022, Seth transitioned to the OIA to serve the broader agents’ community by coaching and mentoring agents, while equipping them with the tools for everyday agency life.

Aside from insurance nerding, Seth's main passion is business experience and coaching others about it. He helps others elevate their existing model and understanding of how to delight their clients or customers in fresh and meaningful ways. This helps strengthen relationships, increases client satisfaction, grows referability, and makes doing business a lot of fun!

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Need advice on professional development for your job role?  Download a FREE Account Manager, Producer, Underwriter, or Risk Manager Learning Path, and review a curated learning journey specific to your job role!  Learn More!

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Garrett Droege serves as Senior Vice President and Director of Innovation and Digital Risk Practice Leader at IMA Financial. His role oversees IMA’s national focus in the technology, and digital risk verticals (collectively called the Advanced Industries Specialty). He also co-manages IMA Labs, IMA’s insurtech innovation, investment, and strategy with BrokerTech Ventures. Additionally, he is part of the founding team of IMA’s web3Labs initiative and helped IMA become the first broker to build an insurance and risk management facility in the metaverse and issue the industry’s first “proof of coverage” via blockchain/NFT. He serves on the Crypto.Chicks NFT Advisory Board and consults with several other NFT projects.

Prior to his current role, he served as CEO/Executive Director of TechAssure Association, Inc., an international consortium of insurance agents/brokers specializing in technology-related risks.  Garrett’s expertise includes Errors & Omissions, Cyber, and Technology Risk Management. Additionally, he is a brokerage technology specialist – focused on InsurTech, AMS/BMS/CRM platforms, data mining, and client journey tech stack development. 

Garrett has designed complex insurance and risk management programs for some of the most sophisticated and diverse tech businesses in the country.  These include firms in info tech, medical technology, telecommunications, new media and all types of digital risk and blockchain. 

Garrett is an alumnus of University of North Carolina at Wilmington and The Hartford School of Insurance.  He was named to the Charlotte Business Journal’s 40 Under Forty list and Insurance Business America’s Young Guns of Insurance list. Garrett is routinely featured in national publications and media productions, including NPR’s All Things Considered. 

He holds the esteemed Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) and Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) industry designations, among others. He has been a featured keynote speaker for numerous organizations, including: Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Public Radio, CIO Magazine, Society of CPCU, Insurance Innovators, FinTech Association of Hong Kong, Net Diligence, Healthcare Information & Management Systems Society (HIMSS), Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA), North Carolina Technology Association, Texas Blockchain Council and many more.

Droege has been named three times to the Hot 100 List – a group of the top 100 insurance professionals that have “moved the industry forward” over the past 12 months. Garrett also serves as an advisor and mentor to several technology startup companies and has extensive relationships with global accelerator programs and investors.  He is a frequent guest on business podcasts including: “The Insurance Guys”, Lowenstein Sandler’s “Don’t Take No For An Answer,” “InsurTech Geek Podcast,” “Beyond Insurance,” “A.I. Wisdom,” “The Insurance Coffeehouse,” and more.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Taking an Ethics course is a great way to protect yourself from E&O and the court system.​

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

The Dynamics Series is renowned with agencies, companies, and carriers for its career-elevating sales techniques, sales management strategies, and motivational power.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Realize your full producing potential with our Dynamics Producer Coaching program. Learn more: https://www.scic.com/dynamics-producer-coaching/

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

CEO/Co-Founder of Insure Equality

Elisa “fell” into insurance over a decade ago. She spent most of her time on the carrier side with regional and national carriers; she was an underwriter for commercial lines and a marketing rep for the Chicagoland area. Throughout her insurance career, Elisa was a sales leader, a trainer, and an advocate for giving campaigns within her companies. She earned six designations and an MBA and has an insatiable appetite for learning and growing. After a brief visit to the agency side, her exit propelled her to co-found a community that pushes everyone forward and welcomes everyone in: Insure Equality.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

• Josh Paskewicz, Talent Acquisition Manager at Hylant
• Allison Garcia, Talent Acquisition Leader at Hylant
• Kevin Ray, Vice President of Learning & Development at Erie Insurance Group
• Meaghen Paterson, District Sales Manager at Erie Insurance Group
• Will Kegg, Insurance & Risk Management Student at University of Cincinnati, GIS Chapter President
• Benjamin J. Kegg, Information Technology Student at University of Cincinnati, Executive GIS Member
• Mary Jo Zimmer, User Experience Manager at Erie Insurance Group
• Lee’a Thigpen, Information Technology Supervisor & IT Intern Program Lead at Erie Insurance Group

Learn More!

• https://www.gammaiotasigma.org/
• https://www.gammaiotasigma.org/sustaining-partners

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

• Marguerite Tortorello, Managing Director of Insurance Careers Movement and President of Tortorello Communications Company
• Kyle Steele, PL Product Management Supervisor at COUNTRY Financial®
• Scott Fleming, MBA, CPCU, Multiline Claims Manager at Erie Insurance Group
• Y’llon Harron, Small Business Underwriter Leader at Westfield
• Nonya McNiel, CIC, CPIA, District Sales Manager at Erie Insurance Group

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

My Member Insurance: https://www.mymemberinsurance.com

Speakers In this episode (in order):

• Dustyne Bryant, CIC, CISR, Personal Lines Academic Director at The National Alliance For Insurance Education & Research
• Mac Leberman, Media Producer for The National Alliance For Insurance Education & Research
• Leah Robinson, AINS, CAWC, CIC, CRM Producer at My Member Insurance Agency; Former Chairperson of Michigan Young Agents Association
• Paul Martin, CPCU Director of Academy Content at The National Alliance For Insurance Education & Research
• Tom Humphreys, CPCU, CLU, ChFC, CIC Director of Risk Management and Insurance Center at Olivet College
• Ethan Gross, CEO of Globe Midwest Adjusters International
• Alec Richmond, CIC, Account Executive at The Richmond Agency; current Chairperson for Michigan Young Agents Association
• Joanna Dresden, CISR Elite, Hartland Insurance Agency
• Caryn Bedford, SPHR, CPC, Chief Learning and Talend Officer at Big I Michigan
• Cathy Baldwin, CIC, Director of Marking and Communication at J.M. Wilson
• Jordan Burns, Owner/CEO of Beyond Insurance Group

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

• Tabitha  Richardson is the National Learning & Development Manager for Business Insurance at Marsh & McLennan Agency. As an L&D Manager, Tabitha is responsible for supporting national initiatives through colleague and carrier/vendor training with a focus on the Business Insurance division. She helps to develop and instruct continuous training on key risk management and technology solutions including introductory, intermediate, and advanced topics throughout the enterprise. 
  She started her insurance career as a Liability & Personal Injury Protection Adjuster. Tabitha’s commercial experience includes working in non-profit institutions, entertainment, healthcare staffing, and construction industries on the middle market to large size accounts. 
  Tabitha recently earned a Master of Science in Risk & Insurance from Butler University. She also holds a B.A. in Psychology from The University of North Texas in Denton Texas. Tabitha has the CIC, CRM, CRIS, CISR & ACSR designations as well as several insurance licenses. 
  Tabitha is very involved in various insurance associations and strongly supports advancing her local school system; she has been instrumental in promoting the Invest Program where she partnered with local high schools and insurance associations to encourage future careers in the insurance profession. She currently serves as an Advisory Board Member at H. Grady Spruce High School in Dallas.
• Noelle Codispoti has been deeply committed to the diversification of the insurance industry talent pipeline, bringing the Global Dive In Festival to North America in 2016 at the GIS Annual Conference and pioneering ground-breaking initiatives like the GammaSAID Council, a student-led group fostering understanding and solutions around DEI. Prior to joining The National Alliance, Codispoti spent 10 years at the helm of Gamma Iota Sigma. There, she conceived and led a successful growth strategy resulting in a 400+% increase in student membership and double the active chapters. An accomplished leader in the early talent space, Codispoti will develop and implement the national growth strategy and comprehensive program supports to ensure student success. In pursuing key goals of expanding program reach and engaging an under-represented demographic to bolster a richly diverse talent pipeline, particular focus will be placed on the student experience to improve delivery; and developing meaningful partnerships to further support students with early industry networks and career opportunities.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Insurance Town Podcast

Nifty 

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

• Jonnie Anderson loves spending her days helping to protect people against the unknown. She brings her experience and insurance background together to help families get the coverage they need for their home and autos. She began her career as an independent insurance agent and has now started her own legacy as one of the owners of Legacy Insurance Partners. When Jonnie is not getting competitive rates for her clients, she is cooking, decorating, or being mommy to her two little boys.
• Olivia Hein Wouldn’t it be great if you understood the ins and outs of your home, auto, and life insurance coverage? As co-owner of Legacy Insurance Partners Olivia is passionate about helping her clients fully understand their insurance coverage. With the best policy for them and their families and adequate coverage, she provides peace of mind should anything happen. A Midwestern girl at heart, Olivia loves life here in the Rockies! When she’s not educating and helping her clients, you can find her spending time with friends, enjoying the Colorado outdoors, or planning her next destination trip!
• Natasha Pearl Hansen is a comedian as well as a tech and branding nerd. Her love of technology, partnerships and helping other business owners, led her to join the team at GloveBox a year ago where she works to help agents use new technology to fuel and grow their businesses.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

A relentless marketer, Kim has worked in various sales and marketing occupations for over 30 years. The large majority of her career was spent in the television industry and, more recently, the insurance industry. She started Village Insurance in 2018 (from scratch) and currently supports more than 300 clients. Village Insurance is where her passion for empowering women in the insurance buying process all began.

Kim launched InsureWomen on March 8, 2021 (International Women’s Day) to fill a need for female insurance buyers who did not feel comfortable with the insurance buying process.  The mission of InsureWomen is to empower women in the insurance buying process to feel confident, educated, and treated with the respect and attention they deserve.  She is also creating a network of female agents across the country who have a passion for serving these female buyers.  She launched the InsureWomen “Founding Member” Campaign on March 8, 2022 and currently has 50 members.

Locally, Kim provides leadership to several groups including the Mariemont Area Chamber of Commerce, Mariemont Preservation Foundation and Route 50 LINK.  She recently ran for and won the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Man/Woman of the Year for Greater Cincinnati (2020).

As a competitive athlete, Kim has participated in three marathons and three triathlons.  She also enjoys teaching Spinning and riding outside.  As a major fan of rhyming, she is also a published poet in “Voices of Michigan”, Volumes II and III, with “The Maidens Voyage” and “The Mother Ship”.  Kim also captains a virtual sailboat, The Chit Chat, on a summer voyage to Mackinac Island each year with a crew of women.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Do you or someone you know need mental health support? SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.
 

Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Amy MacDonald has worked for Nationwide Insurance almost 20 years and moved over to the pet team 6+ years ago. Being able to tie her personal passion of pets and professional career of insurance has been a dream. The peace of mind that insurance brings when things go wrong is why she loves her job. 

Nationwide Pet Insurance

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https://www.youtube.com/NationwidePet

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Ted Kinney is the owner/President of Kinney Training and Consulting, LLC, which specializes in providing quality insurance training programs to agencies and companies throughout the United States. 

Ted also serves as the Director of Education and Technical Affairs for the Alabama Independent Insurance Agents in Birmingham, Alabama.  In this position, he is responsible for developing agent education programs and providing technical assistance to association members.

Ted has been in the insurance business since his graduation from the Ohio State University in 1973.  During his career, he has worked as an underwriter, field sales manager, department supervisor, marketing specialist, trainer, and insurance agent.  From 1994 to 2003, Ted was the Director of Curriculum and Faculty Development for PIA of Ohio & Indiana.  

He is a member of the national faculty of the Society of Certified Insurance Counselors, the American Insurance Marketing Society (CPIA), and the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America’s “ask the expert” service.  In addition, Ted is a member of the Society of Certified Insurance Counselors and the National Academy of Producer Insurance Studies.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Katlyn is the Director of Education at Quantum Assurance, a national insurance agency with main hubs in Texas and Virginia. She has owned both captive and independent startup agencies and now gets to help other insurance professionals and agency owners launch their insurance careers.

The Age of Independence Podcast

Quantum Assurance

Learn more about how The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research is empowering the next generation of RMI professionals with the CISR High School Program!

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Jeff Shi launched his insurance career as a top-performing captive agent at Allstate. Along the way, he found the grass really was greener on the independent side. He co-founded Quantum Assurance International and is the CEO of Quotehound - both companies envisioned as a new compass for guiding agencies to digital growth. As Chief Vision Officer and CEO, he helped pioneer features like immediate vesting and the digital entrepreneur model that helps agents build over the next 3 years what took agents of the past 20. In their spare time, Jeff and his Jiu-Jitsu-warrior wife Priscilla parent their toddler cuties Zoe & Cloe and pursue their foodie passions with all things noodles & dumplings.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

In the face of lacking industry training, earning anyone of our designations demonstrates dedication to professional excellence. Promotability and advancement will follow.  Learn more about RMI Job Roles and Download a FREE Learning Path! 

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Learn more about recent efforts to change Insurance Education for a new generation.

Monica Adwani, CPIA 

I was born and raised in Puerto Rico and moved to Massachusetts in 2007. I graduated with multiple degrees in Information Management, Medical Coding, and Business Management from the InterAmerican University of P.R. and then Fisher College, Boston. 

My education and curious mind were the catalysts that opened the doors to the Insurance Industry. By supporting a group of researchers, consultants, trainers, and experts in the areas of Commercial Transportation, Ergonomics, Innovation, and Human Factors; I fell in love with insurance and knew very early this was going to be my forever career. The opportunity to work with this group of Doctors, Researchers and Field Experts allowed me to learn, build confidence, polish my language skills, creating the environment and experience for me to find something I could be and feel passionate about. So, unlike most people, I didn't start in Sales, Service, or Management. I was just a medical nerd with a passion for Organizational Phycology.

Now, fifteen years later I have experienced many realms of the Industry from Fortune 500 to Independently Own Agencies. I am passionate about Sales, Service, Claims, and especially Operational Excellence. I have a keen eye for behaviors, process, accountability, and efficiency. I hope that my skills and expertise can help many entrepreneurs out there reach new heights by learning new and more efficient ways of leading, learning, and operating their businesses. 

TranscendwithM Podcast

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

The CISR Life & Health Essentials and CIC Life & Health courses expand on the important topic.

Kelly Augspurger, CLTC®

Kelly is the Co-founder of Steadfast Insurance, alongside her husband, Adam. They’re an independent insurance agency in Westerville, OH. Kelly is a Certified Long-Term Care (LTC) Insurance Specialist working nationwide to help clients and financial advisors plan ahead for LTC. Her goal is to reduce the physical, mental, emotional, and financial consequences of a LTC situation. She’s able to do this by having “planning for care conversations” and through LTC insurance. Kelly is passionate about planning for care because life is unexpected and she’s personally experienced multiple situations in her family where loved ones needed care and no one had a plan or insurance ... it was devastating!  She LOVES helping families and businesses put meaningful protection in place to protect the people and possessions most important to them.

Kelly was recently named a HOT 100 insurance professional by Insurance Business. She’s an instructor for the CLTC program teaching advisors how to talk to their clients about LTC. She’s on the board of the Central Ohio Elder Care Planning Council, founded the Senior Resource Group, and is on Westerville Chamber’s Women in Business Committee.

Outside of work, Kelly and Adam have 2 active kids, ages 11 and 9, and a big doodle named Eddie. They enjoy playing tennis, renovating their historic home, participating in church and community activities, and enjoying the outdoors.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Kieran has over 30 years of commercial underwriting, product, and program development experience in the insurance industry. Kieran’s career experience spans P&C underwriting, MGA underwriting for alternative energy products and alternative market product development, oversight of research and product development, and directing regional commercial insurance sales for a Fortune 500 carrier. Kieran is a talented and respected leader. His disciplined underwriting approach and business fundamentals consistently yield sustainable growth and profits relative to proprietary program development. At Cannasure, Kieran manages the firm’s Program division and guides the company’s development of future cannabis and hemp programs. Kieran’s expertise keeps him busy and is well sought after by leading media outlets and speaks at insurance and cannabis industry events. Kieran has a unique perspective and thought-leadership of underwriting relative to the emerging trends and risk transfer solutions in the cannabis and hemp arena. A graduate of The University of Akron, Kieran holds the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation, as well as the Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) and Certified Risk Manager (CRM) designations. Now retired from his civic duties, Kieran held elected office for over 20 years as a Trustee on the Village of Seville’s (Ohio) utility board.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

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Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

David has degrees in Management and Marketing from Birmingham Southern College. He has spent nearly two decades in the Insurance and Risk Management space. David started his career with a multi-million dollar commercial risk management firm, where he was repeatedly recognized for exemplary achievement. 

In 2016, David followed his entrepreneurial spirit and launched Florida Risk Partners, an insurance and risk management firm focusing on middle-market commercial accounts. Florida Risk Partners has multiple office locations in the five counties surrounding the Tampa Bay region.

Because of his success at Florida Risk Partners, David often gets tapped to be a keynote speaker and breakout session presenter at industry conferences and associations, speaking on sales, prospecting, marketing, appointment setting, and closing accounts. 

While David is busy, it is important to note that his priority is his family. David and his wife Andrea live in Valrico, FL, with their children Grayson, Landon, Ethan, Caroline, and their faithful Golden Retrievers, Tanner, and Tucker.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

• Meg McKeen, CIC: A believer that there is a story within every story, Meg's career journey took a sharp left turn in 2017 when she exchanged her corporate j-o-b for a year of self-discovery. The following year, she launched Adjunct Advisors LLC with the simple belief that the people that buy, and those that sell, insurance deserve a better experience. Meg now leverages more than 20 years of industry experience and studies in the social sciences to change the way we interact with insurance. Her journey is not unique - but her ability to make insurance - and entrepreneurship - approachable and relatable, with humility, humor, and heart, is a gift. 

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

• Oliva Schmitt, CIC, CISR  brings her insurance agency experience and vast industry knowledge, strong leadership track record, and small business expertise to the b atomic team.  Olivia started her insurance career in 2004 when she joined TRICOR Insurance as a customer service representative.  In 2013 she was selected to lead the company’s development of a division geared towards small business growth.  The role allowed Olivia to hone her skills by creating a strategic development plan for the department, overseeing operations, and hiring a team— experiences she continually draws on today. Olivia also hosts the “Liv Louder” podcast where she highlights women in insurance and leadership with the goal of creating space for others to share their struggles and insight, seek advice, encouragement, and growth opportunities in their careers. Olivia Schmitt is a proud mom of three children who keep her busy!  Olivia enjoys downtime with her kids, quiet evenings with a good movie, cooking delicious food, and playing and singing along to great music way too loud (according to her kids)!

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

• Natalie Russel, CIC joined the Central Region Team as a Senior Territory Manager for Northwestern Arkansas.  Natalie is a familiar face to many of us as she had an 8-year tenure as a Senior Territory Manager before leaving to own and operate an independent agency in Hot Springs, AR. Natalie resides in Hot Springs with her husband, Andy, and are proud parents to twins, Cazzie and Josie, and son, Van, and the lovable Boxer, Moonpie. She has always been around the industry having started working as a teen in her family’s agency. Outside of work, Natalie loves traveling, working out, and attending kids’ sporting events.  

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Dustyne Bryant, CIC, CISR, MBA:

Dustyne Bryant, is the Personal Lines Academic Director at The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research, is a self-professed and colleague–backed wholehearted Personal Lines Insurance geek. Supported by multiple degrees and designations over the course of a decade and rising, her thirst for knowledge is never-ending and ever-growing. Her passion for educating others in Personal Insurance is even greater. She is an advocate of permanency for children in foster care and relishes all the joys of being a soccer mom, minus the minivan.

Cat Ferris, CIC, CRM, CPCU, CLCS, AU:

Cat Ferris, is the Commercial Lines Academic Director at the National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research. In her twenty years of experience within the industry, Cat has focused most of her career in commercial underwriting, and independent agency training. Based out of Gainesville, Florida her hobbies include bodybuilding, gardening, and spoiling her dogs more than her kids.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

• Cat Ferris, CIC, CRM, CPCU, CLCS, AU  is the Commercial Lines Academic Director with the National Alliance. In her twenty years of experience within the industry, Cat has focused most of her career in commercial underwriting, and independent agency training. Based out of Gainesville, Florida her hobbies include bodybuilding, gardening, and spoiling her dogs more than her kids.
• Mac Leberman is the Podcast Producer for The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research and oversees the conception, creation, and production of Awkward Insurance, Nat Alliance NOW, and Risk & Reward podcast series’. 

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

About our guests:

• Cat Ferris, CIC, CRM, CPCU, CLCS, AU- is the Commercial Lines Academic Director with the National Alliance. In her twenty years of experience within the industry, Cat has focused most of her career in commercial underwriting, and independent agency training. Based out of Gainesville, Florida her hobbies include bodybuilding, gardening, and spoiling her dogs more than her kids.
• Paul Martin, CPCU- is the Director of Academic Content and Academic Director Team Lead for the National Alliance for Insurance Education &Research. Paul works with Alliance faculty, agents, and other industry professionals to deliver high-quality insurance content and education. During his career, Paul worked as an adjuster, underwriter, special agent, company manager, and independent agent. Paul has been an insurance educator in Texas for over twenty years.
• Sarah Warhaftig, CRM, JD- is the Academic Director of Risk Management programs for The National Alliance where she is responsible for the Certified Risk Manager, the Certified School Risk Manager, and the Certified Personal Risk Manager designation programs.
• Jay Williams, CIC, CRM, CRIS, MLIS, AIP, AAI, ACSR- started his insurance career in 1979. He spent 21 years in the agency business, 9 years at the Florida Association of Insurance Agents, and 7 years on the insurance company side of the industry.  Jay was the interim CEO for Applied Client Network and CEO of a construction risk wholesale operation.  Prior to coming to The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research, he was an insurance educator, a consultant to agencies, companies, and industry partners, and an expert witness for both technical insurance and agent E&O cases. In addition to being an Educational Consultant, Jay is a member of the National Faculty, teaching CISR, CIC, Ruble Graduate Seminars, and PROFocus topics across the country.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Need more inspiration? Find your own path to success with a National Alliance Learning Path!

About Our Guest: 

Cat Ferris, CIC, CRM, CPCU, CLCS, AU is the Commercial Lines Academic Director with the National Alliance. In her twenty years of experience within the industry, Cat has focused most of her career in commercial underwriting, and independent agency training. Based out of Gainesville, Florida her hobbies include bodybuilding, gardening, and spoiling her dogs more than her kids.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Tracy Cotton, CIC, CISR has been an underwriter, CSR, consultant, producer, marketer, and instructor in her more than 25-year career in insurance. Now she is putting it all to work in a new role as Executive Client Manager for Starr-Mathews Agency in Chattanooga, Tennessee. While she didn’t create this job, she feels as if it were created just for her. She gets to work closely with middle-market to large commercial clients to offer a more concierge level of service than either a typical CSR or producer can balance. Every day is different and she loves getting to help onboard new clients and grease the wheels for more value-added renewal reviews. She enjoys connecting with industry peers and is a founding member of the #5amclubins on Twitter. When she isn’t evaluating work comp audits and creating service plans, her passion is to get outdoors with her dog, Jasper. Although she still loves the mountains of western North Carolina, where she lived for many years, she currently enjoys finding places to hike, backpack, and paddle in southeastern TN.

Ashley Fitzsimmons, CISR, serves as the Director of Professional Development for the Ohio Insurance Agents Association, Inc., Ashley has grown up in insurance and has nearly a decade of real-life experience on the agency side. She has had to overcome the same daily struggles and has personally researched and implemented many tools and programs to help her family agency run more efficiently. Her nine years spent as the fourth generation in a family agency located near Scranton, Pennsylvania, obtaining her CISR designation, holding multiple speaking engagements across the country, and being nominated for the 2018 National CSR of the year have given her the knowledge and experience to help other agents thrive instead of just survive.

Reuben Hall has been in the insurance industry for more than five years with experience on the agency side as well as on the carrier side. For the last three years, Reuben as worked at Oswald Companies in Cleveland, Ohio as an Associate Client Manager in the Specialty Risk industry. He is also a member of Oswald’s Young Professionals Leadership Council, which recruits young talent to the insurance industry and participates in various volunteer opportunities in the community. Reuben is the 2020 CSR of the year for Ohio.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Build your selling and service skills with our Dynamics of Selling Course and see how your agency measures up with The Pulse of Customer Service publication!

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

To learn more about TNC Exposures register for the CISR Insuring Personal Auto course or the CIC Personal Lines course!

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Heath Shearon

Insurance Town

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

No one likes hard conversations. Especially ones about breaking up with your insurance provider. When cancellation requests come across your desk, you may ask yourself “why didn’t they call?” Maybe, there was no hint. They just up and went with somebody else. Why is it so hard for some clients to let us know they aren’t happy? Are they embarrassed? What other conversations are they hesitant to have?

Before you start doubting yourself, understand that this is sometimes what people do. They talk to their friends, or they search on Google, or sometimes they are just misinformed. If  a customer is too embarrassed to ask you about something, they may get some bad advice from a neighbor. 

Learn More! 

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.

Insurance professionals helping folks with this kind of trouble must ensure that they understand the coverage they're selling. Many insurance companies have started segmenting endorsements to help tailor coverage as much as possible. Are you sure you’ve got the right replacement costs for your clients? Do you just skim through replacement cost estimators?

We all know there's not one policy that's covers everything. So when writing the right limits for your client, remember it's not just for the claim, it's also for retention and relationships. But most importantly, it’s for peace of mind, the whole reason they're buying the coverage from you in the first place.

Tune into this lively discussion to learn how you can provide better coverage and support for you clients and agency.

About our Host: Dustyne Bryant, CIC, CISR, MBA

Dustyne Bryant, Personal Lines Academic Director at The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research, is a self-professed and colleague–backed wholehearted Personal Lines Insurance geek. Supported by multiple degrees and designations over the course of a decade and rising, her thirst for knowledge is never ending and ever growing. Her passion for educating others in Personal Insurance, is even greater. She is an advocate of permanency for children in foster care and relishes all the joys of being a soccer mom, minus the minivan.  Learn More!

Focusing exclusively on risk management and insurance professional development, the Risk & Insurance Education Alliance provides a practical advantage at every career stage, positioning our participants and their clients for confidence and success.