ACAS - November 2018
Candidate Information
Education:
Bachelor of Science in Applied Statistics and Actuarial Science
Minor in Management
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN May 2014
Current Employment:
Liberty Mutual Insurance
Actuary, Manager
Global Risk Markets, US Personal Lines
CAS Activities and Publications:
Volunteer Work:
- 2022, Member of Soft Skills Task Force
- 2020, Exam grader
Interviewed, Actuarial Review, March-April 2023 Volume 50 No. 1: “The 2022 CAS Volunteer Awardees: In Their Own Words”
Interviewed, Future Fellows, September 2021 Volume 27 No. 3: “A Conversation with the Founders of the Network of Actuarial Women and Allies (NAWA)”
Panelist, CAS Annual Meetings 2021 / 2022: Celebrating Diversity Reception
Speaker, CAS Annual Meeting, November 2021, Developing Allies at All Levels - What Leaders and Individuals can do to Reap the Benefits
Panelist, CAS Leadership Summit, September 2021, Developing Diverse Leaders
Other Actuarial Organizations:
Panelist, SOA ImpACT Conference, October 2021, Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Perspective
Employment History - Prior Employers:
2014-2022: Allstate Insurance Company (Chicago, IL)
- Pricing Manager for US Personal Lines (Auto, Home, Specialty)
Membership and Activities in Other Organizations:
Co-founder, President-Elect, Treasurer, and Board Member of Network of Actuarial Women and Allies (NAWA), 2021 – Current
Additional NAWA Experience:
- Chair, NAWA Marketing and Events Committee, 2021 – 2023
- Chair, NAWA Candidate Outreach Committee, 2021 – 2023
- Presenter, NAWA Launch Event: Active Allyship - Why It’s Important for an Inclusive Workplace, https://www.nawaactuaries.org/the-nawa-narrative/launch-event-recap, October 2021
Board Member, Alabama Insurance Guaranty Association, 2021 – 2022
Member, Auto Committee, North Carolina Rate Bureau, 2021 - 2022
Mentor, The Actuarial Foundation, 2019 – 2020, 2021 – 2022
Awards and Recognitions:
Casualty Actuarial Society, New Member Award, 2022
As a newer Fellow, I am excited to bring a different perspective to the CAS Board and to promote a sense of ownership and engagement among the next generation of leaders within the profession. The Board of Directors is responsible for the strategic direction of the CAS, and I believe there is value in having actuaries of varying tenures and experiences represented and at the table as that direction is set. Feedback from younger actuaries has always been welcomed, but I think it is more effective and powerful to be included in the conversation, and can help to boost the long-term success of the organization.
As a proud actuary, I think there is more to be done to demonstrate our value more broadly. It is important for the CAS to continue to support the evolving analytical needs of the industry in a way that caters to both current and prospective members. I also believe that actuaries bring so much more to the table than just our analytical skills. As we compete with increased automation and AI, actuaries are uniquely positioned to maintain the driver’s seat through our powerful human ability to understand the intricacies of the insurance industry and make thoughtful decisions, to think outside of the box and run with new ideas, and to take insights and turn them into actions. It is crucial for the CAS to help equip actuaries with these necessary power skills, enabling a blend of technical strengths and business skills to glean insights and effectively drive solutions. I support the direction the CAS is headed in, and would be passionate about actioning this strategy as a CAS Board Member.
Lastly, as co-founder and President-Elect of the Network of Actuarial Women and Allies (NAWA), I have demonstrated a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and am eager to continue to support these efforts more broadly to drive increased awareness and diversification of the pipeline. The CAS has made great strides to increase awareness of our profession through the University Liaison Program and as a co-sponsor of Be An Actuary, but as we continue to compete with engineers, software developers, and the like, I believe more can be done to reach career changers, students studying non-traditional actuarial, mathematical or statistical majors, or even students before they reach high school. There is already amazing work being done by our actuarial diversity networks in this space, and it is vital that the CAS continues to partner and support these efforts. If given the opportunity to serve on the CAS Board, I would continue to advocate for greater progress towards a more diverse, equitable and inclusive profession for all.
When people think of actuaries, typically people think of job security, exams, and numbers. I believe the long-term key to our success as a profession, however, will be to expand our reputation and to stay relevant. Actuaries should be known for being technical and data-driven experts who influence and drive key business decisions and solutions. As outlined in the Strategic Plan, it is imperative that the CAS focus on helping actuaries Build Skills for the Future. Our current exam structure helps to prepare actuaries for the technical aspects of the field and needs to continue to evolve with the needs of the industry and profession. The recent announcement to update the credentialing pathway to be more reflective of the predictive modeling needs of the industry is a step in the right direction. However, the CAS has not yet shared how they are planning to strengthen these skills within current members. As predictive models are increasingly more common and growing in complexity, this should be an equally important component of the CAS strategy. If elected to the Board, I would prioritize ensuring effective and comprehensive education opportunities to strengthen skills of our current membership at varying levels as well (e.g. in-depth technical trainings, or effective and appropriate ways to utilize model results).
The CAS should not only support the technical development of actuaries, but also the development of our power skills – skills to help strengthen influence, problem solving, leadership, and more, as outlined in the new CAS Capability Model. The model is a great tool to help identify gaps or opportunities in an actuary’s development, but more should be done to help individuals take next steps. As a CAS Board Member, I would like to continue to drive conversations that were started within the Soft Skills Task Force and support the development of resources to help actuaries further sharpen these non-technical skills. This training and development should also be tailored to actuaries in a relevant and practical manner. Boosting the skill set of actuaries in this way can 1) create more opportunities and demand for actuaries in non-traditional spaces, 2) continue to attract technical talent as we offer a different value proposition and opportunity for skill development than other technical fields, 3) promote further progression of actuaries within their companies, and 4) attract more diverse members who are seeking careers valuing both technical and business skills.
This leads me to the next topic that I am passionate about, Diversifying the Pipeline. Diversity in our membership and profession drives increased diversity of thought, which benefits our profession, industry, and companies. When diversity is present, better ideas make it to the table, more discussion and debate occurs, we learn faster, and we are able to adapt and solve problems more quickly and effectively. I am passionate about pushing harder to diversify the pipeline of actuarial talent. We need to continue to prioritize understanding barriers (e.g. lack of awareness or cost) that are present and finding ways to address them, while still maintaining the integrity of our credentials. In my leadership roles within the Network of Actuarial Women and Allies (NAWA), I am actively engaged with the actuarial community in conversations on this topic. I also chaired the Candidate Outreach committee focused on this exact issue. I would like to continue to support these efforts more broadly to make greater progress towards diversity in the actuarial profession.
As the landscape surrounding our profession continues to propel, my aim is to drive the CAS forward in a way that is dynamic, inclusive and impactful.
