Candidates Respond

Kathleen C. Odomirok

The process of internationalization should be viewed as a way to strengthen our organization by embracing diverse perspectives and sharing best practices to spark creativity and innovative solutions to property-casualty insurance problems.

My experience working for a global firm, which has included traveling internationally to meet and work with internal and external teams, learning different cultures and sharing different actuarial methodologies and approaches, has expanded my perspective and enhanced the value I bring to my local teams and broader engagements.

Regarding China, while the third largest country in terms of CAS membership, it currently represents approximately 2% of our total members - over ten percentage points behind Canada (#2) and approximately eighty points being the US (#1). Yet, China accounts for 8% of global non-life direct written premium (DWP), compared to 58% in the US. According to Swiss Re Institute’s Insurance Market Outlook 2025-26. China’s premium growth rate is expected to outpace that of the US, driven by economic stimulus and increased exposure, while the US market experiences moderation in pricing. While the current growth rate will keep China in a relatively consistent position to the US in terms of global market share, the growth signals significant potential to further expand our presence and diversity of thought. CAS membership in China grew by 6% in 2022, 5% in 2023, and 10% in 2024, reaching 172 members.

The CAS continues to deepen its engagement in China, most recently hosting the 3^rd Annual CAS China Insurance Summit in September 2024, which welcomed over 150 attendees. The East Asia Student Summer Program engaged 158 aspiring actuaries across the region, introducing university students to property-casualty actuarial topics and helping build a pipeline of talent for the future.

Shane Barnes

One of the distinguishing strengths of the CAS is its dedicated focus on property and casualty risks, along with its role as the gold standard in educating actuaries. As our global presence continues to expand, internationalization and diversification remain integral to our strategy, as highlighted in the CAS 2025 Strategic Plan.

Sustained growth in international regions—including China—requires a continued emphasis on education, employer engagement, and regulatory outreach. The China region presents opportunity, and the CAS has made meaningful progress there. However, ongoing investment in resources and partnerships will be essential to fully realize this potential and strengthen our impact.

As a board member, I am committed to advancing opportunities for both current and future actuaries in Southeast Asia and beyond. Supporting international development efforts is not just a strategic priority—it’s a necessary step to ensure the long-term relevance and influence of the CAS globally.

Isaac Espinoza

Although most CAS members reside in North America (>90%), the organization has made substantial strides in globalizing its reach as the premier property & casualty actuarial body. In an increasingly interconnected financial world, I believe it is vital for the CAS to play an expanded role. I advocate for continued internationalization and diversification, guided by a data-driven approach, to ensure these efforts are accretive in strategically benefiting our members and society.

Growth in new regions, including China, will involve navigating challenges but also create opportunities if accompanied with a thoughtful approach. Having worked with many talented actuaries from around the world, I have seen firsthand the benefits of our diverse membership. CAS members, as well-rounded professionals with portable skills, are uniquely positioned to be ambassadors, demonstrating their competencies to attract future actuaries and promote the organization on a global scale.

Kim Guerriero

One of the pillars of the 2020 CAS Strategic Plan was Expanding Globally. Under this pillar, the CAS sought to identify and target certain international markets. As a result, the CAS has experienced approximately 6% average annual growth in international candidates and members over the last four years. Under the 2025 Strategic Plan, the CAS looks to continue these efforts and expand them under the Fostering Strategic Expansion pillar. Also included in this pillar is the recognition of the benefits of the diversity of thought, background, and experience.

I agree with the newly envisioned Strategic Plan. The CAS should view internationalization and diversification as both a strategic necessity and an opportunity for long-term growth. As the demand for risk and insurance expertise increases worldwide, the CAS’s active engagement in international regions, like China, can significantly enhance its relevance and reach. We also need to recognize that the CAS does not have unlimited resources and cannot be everywhere at once. International success, such as in China, requires a long-term, culturally sensitive, and partnership-driven approach. Therefore, the CAS needs to be strategic and intentional about the international and diversification efforts it undertakes. Specifically, the CAS should look to expand content in local languages and local instructor support, continue to build a local CAS community by hosting continuing education and networking events, and leverage our members to promote the CAS.

One great example of this is the CAS University Recognition Program that launched in the fall of 2023 and has since grown to include colleges and universities all over the world. The CAS University Recognition Program provides several benefits to universities, students, and faculty involved in actuarial science education while also providing the CAS with opportunities to build connections and build a strong pipeline.

Bo Huang

Global expansion is essential for the CAS’ growth and for being recognized as the premier actuarial organization focusing on property and casualty field. While we have seen some success with exam participation and academic partnerships, as well as the appointment of an FCAS as the part-time China representative, the CAS still lacks strong visibility and support compared to other major actuarial organizations like the SOA or IFoA.

To improve, we should consider putting more resources to regional markets, strengthen partnerships with local universities and employers, and collaborate more with local actuarial organizations. Specifically, more frequent visit by CAS leaders, translation of key publications to local languages, and substantial progress on exam mutual recognition programs should become priorities. We also need to include more international voices in leadership, committees, and publications to truly diversify.

Jamie Mills

International growth is a great opportunity for the CAS to expand its reach and support more actuaries around the world. But it is not just about increasing numbers. It is about building relationships, offering content that fits local needs, and showing the long-term value of a CAS credential in different markets.

We are starting to see positive momentum. In 2024, CAS membership outside North America grew by roughly 10 percent. The CAS hosted events like the China Insurance Summit and the East Asia Summer Program, which brought professionals together to learn and connect. We also added universities in China and Malaysia to the University Recognition Program, helping to build awareness of the CAS path among future actuaries.

This kind of engagement matters. The CAS credential offers strong technical training, international relevance, and a foundation for meaningful career growth. As a Board member, I would focus on continuing this progress by strengthening connections with universities and employers, listening to members in each region, and making sure we are collaborating to deliver value in a way that fits their local needs. Success will come from being present, being adaptable, and continuing to show why the CAS is a powerful choice for actuaries around the world.

Dale Porfilio

The CAS is the global leader for casualty actuaries, including credentialling. professional education, and research. Expanding our reach beyond the U.S. has been a part of our mission for many years. The core tenets of actuarial science and the evaluation of risk are nearly universal, but the application and practice can and should be customized to how risk is evaluated and transferred by country.

As China has grown to be a leading global economy, its insurance industry and need for casualty actuaries has similarly grown. The CAS has successfully attracted an increasing stream of candidates and new members. If elected to the CAS Board, I commit to learning how effectively the CAS expansion in China is progressing, including from candidates and new members practicing in the region.

Sharon K. Robinson

I view the global diversification of the CAS as an important long-term commitment for the profession. I believe international growth further elevates the integrity of the profession by applying a consistently high level of standards for qualification and professionalism across geographies. The CAS is uniquely advantaged to meet that need for exposures to property/casualty risk in the US and in the global marketplace. We desire a membership body that is rich in diversity of thought, backgrounds, and experiences.

Please refer to my response to question #2 for my thoughts on the existing CAS Regional Working Groups as I believe these are bringing excellent strategies for global expansion. In addition to the Asia Regional Working Group, the CAS has brought specific focus to China by placing a staff actuary in-country to focus on the opportunities within this expansive marketplace. China is a fast-growing economy with a high demand/low supply of P&C actuaries, and a strong foundation of universities offering studies in actuarial science. These elements create an opportune environment for CAS growth. Employing local staff is proving to be valuable for cultivating relationships with universities, employers, and the existing community of P&C actuaries.

However, also within China, we face the challenge of other credentialling organizations that are also seeking to maintain or extend their reach; namely the IFoA, SOA, and the China Association of Actuaries. We must continue to press our case for the CAS brand. Again, I emphasize that this must be viewed as a long-term commitment to begin to see CAS numbers increase.

Alisa Havens Walch

The actuarial profession growing around the world is an opportunity for the CAS to grow, as well. There is an appetite for property & casualty/general insurance education, and the CAS has the expertise to address it. Internationalization presents avenues for the CAS to explore and expand.

Kathleen C. Odomirok

We have a tremendous opportunity to strengthen our organization by embracing diversity of thought and continuing to expand membership beyond North America. Growth requires more than interest, it requires energy. presence and investment.

In alignment with the 2025 CAS Strategic Plan, we are committed to increasing our presence in in both mature and emerging markets outside the US, particularly those countries particularly where the demand for property-casualty insurance is growing. As President, I will champion this effort by supporting sustained and expanded engagement in these regions collaborating with our dedicated staff, Board and members to communicate the value of the profession globally.

This commitment not only includes outreach at the university level, but also with candidates, employers and regulators, mirroring successful initiatives we have undertaken in China, as noted above.

Shane Barnes

As a board member, I will fully support the international initiatives outlined in the CAS Strategic Plan, including targeted growth in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. A key part of board service is to evaluate and support our global strategy, ensuring it is aligned with our mission and equipped for execution.

I will collaborate closely with the Vice President, International, currently Keith Berman, to ensure he has the board’s full support and the necessary resources to implement these strategies effectively. In addition, I will contribute strategic oversight not only to our international growth efforts but across all focus areas of the 2025 Strategic Plan.

My approach will be grounded in thoughtful governance, cross-regional engagement, and a long-term vision for how the CAS can elevate actuarial practice around the world.

Isaac Espinoza

As mentioned in my previous response, continuing our global growth of CAS candidates and members, including in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, yields significant benefits for the CAS. I believe our highly engaged CAS members are our most powerful supporters in expanding the candidate pool internationally. Their direct involvement, especially with those within or connected to these regions, is crucial. My experience in the Caribbean and Latin America confirms this approach’s effectiveness, and I advocate for strong continued support from the CAS for these member- ambassadors.

Kim Guerriero

I believe the CAS must take a proactive, long-term approach that aligns with the needs and realities of each region. This involves a mix of increasing accessibility, local engagement, and strategic partnerships. The CAS University Recognition Program is a way for the CAS to build strong connections internationally while also adding to the pipeline of CAS members. Just recently, the program added five new schools, four of which are outside of the United States and one of which is the first university in Latin America to join the program.

Bo Huang

To support international growth, I would focus on tailoring our content and services (exams, webinars, and professional resources) to meet the practical needs of candidates and members in these regions. For examples, I would advocate for making available key CAS publications in local languages and sponsoring research on regional hot topics such as electric vehicle insurance pricing and weather index products.

I would also strengthen our visibility by partnering more with local universities, regulators, and actuarial organizations to promote the CAS and show its relevance in local markets. Last but not least, we can bring more international members into CAS leadership, volunteer roles, and research efforts.

Jamie Mills

To truly grow in regions like Asia, Africa, and Latin America, we need to make sure the CAS is both visible and valuable to candidates and members. That means understanding what is happening on the ground and adapting our approach to support their success.

In 2024, the CAS added 18 new Asian universities to the University Recognition Program, which shows our commitment to reaching students earlier and strengthening our academic partnerships. We also launched more regionally timed webinars and brought back in-person events in Asia, which are essential for building connections and community. These are important steps, and I believe we can build on them.

One of the biggest things I want to focus on is creating clear educational pathways that meet the needs of local markets. That includes offering content that reflects regional regulations and tools, improving support during the exam process, and making our learning experiences more accessible across time zones and languages. Candidates have told us they want earlier communication about events, stronger mentorship, and a clearer sense of how to grow their careers through the CAS.

We also need forward-looking strategies that match the pace of change. I bring a background that blends CAS education leadership with real-world innovation in AI and automation. That gives me insight into the skills actuaries need today and how to help them grow. As a Board member, I will work to deepen university relationships, support technical and leadership development, and help position the CAS as the global destination for top actuarial talent. The goal is to grow with purpose and to serve members in ways that are locally meaningful and globally connected.

Dale Porfilio

While most of my career has been focused on practicing in the U.S., I worked globally during my time at Genworth. This included being responsible for the actuarial practice in Genworth’s mortgage insurance platforms in Canada, Australia, Mexico, and India.

In working with mortgage insurance internationally, I experienced first-hand how insurance products needed to be customized for differences in each county’s culture and financial markets. Our American version of mortgage insurance struggled to achieve market adoption in Europe, India, and Mexico due to different mortgage lending practices. Other Property and Casualty insurance is no different. We need to understand societal perception of risk and desire for risk transfer to determine the country’s insurance needs.

I have been and will continue to be supportive of the international expansion of the CAS. If elected to the CAS Board, I commit to learning how effectively the CAS expansion has been outside in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. This should include obtaining feedback directly from casualty actuaries practicing in these regions to ensure all efforts are data-driven toward effective and efficient solutions.

Sharon K. Robinson

I would like to commend the good work taking place within the various CAS Regional Working Groups. I believe this approach is an effective strategy to focus resources on selected territories around the world and capitalize on opportunities for CAS growth.

These regional working groups are employing some excellent strategies to build local relationships, support existing CAS members in the region with continuing education, and raise awareness for the CAS with new audiences. We should listen closely to their collective feedback, ensure they are properly resourced/staffed/funded, and give them time to continue to develop and see the impact of their actions. We should consider country specific working groups and/or staff where the local marketplace appears to warrant it, as is the case for China. It is necessary to promote organic growth from within individual countries, while also supporting existing CAS members working outside the US.

Within many countries we face the challenge of raising awareness, not just for the profession itself, but for the CAS credential as we are faced with other credentialling organizations also looking to extend their reach (IFoA, SOA, and in many cases country specific credentialling organizations). We are confident in our stance that the CAS offers a uniquely advantaged education track for actuaries working with property and casualty exposures. Reaching target audiences with that message early and often is important.

I support actions such as the following…

• Form strategic relationships with universities and employers.
• Support funding for a CAS sponsored actuarial educator with CAS credentials within selected universities.
• Examine feasibility to achieve mutual recognition with country specific credentialling organizations that may want to work with the CAS to strengthen education for their non-life actuaries.
• Need to understand the unique requirements of local regulatory environment and ensure our educational track will satisfy local needs.

Alisa Havens Walch

Providing continuing education, like the CAS China Insurance Summit, and listening to the needs of international candidates and members is essential. The CAS should also address the start of the pipeline by continuing to opportunities for faculty and university students. The expansion of the CAS East Asian Summer Program is a great example of how the CAS is meeting a growing need.

I was fortunate enough to attend and speak at the CAS General Insurance Teaching Summit in Malaysia last fall, which was attended by faculty members from all over Asia. Conferences aimed at educators, as well as professionals, are a great way to spread awareness of the CAS.

Kathleen C. Odomirok

I am committed to increasing awareness of the property-casualty actuarial profession across all communities, particularly where the demand for our expertise is most needed. Meaningful progress begins with presence – being visible, engaged and intentional in our outreach.

With the support of our dedicated staff, Board and members, I will advocate for continued investment in initiatives that elevate the profession’s visibility and accessibility. This includes expanding our presence in professional organizations at universities to communicate the value and opportunities within the actuarial field.

As I mentioned in my response on international expansion, bringing diverse ideas and perspectives to the table enriches our profession and leads to better outcomes. By fostering a more inclusive pipeline of future actuaries, we not only strengthen our community but also ensure that our work reflects the diverse world we serve.

Shane Barnes

The CAS’s adoption of the new Career Encouragement and Community Building initiative earlier this year is a strong step forward in broadening our reach and impact. As a board member, I will continue to support and champion these efforts, ensuring that the strategy is not only successful in the short term but sustainable for the long term.

Throughout my career, I’ve consistently advocated for both people and the profession. Mentoring aspiring professionals, has been a meaningful and fulfilling part of my journey. I believe deeply in the power of the actuarial profession to open doors, and I see it as a responsibility to help the next generation discover those opportunities. Giving back in this way is one of the greatest contributions we can make to secure the future of our profession.

Isaac Espinoza

As someone who came from an underrepresented community where the actuarial profession was largely unknown and access to exam centers was limited, I understand that barriers exist for many. My vision for continuing the CAS’s DEI efforts is to actively increase awareness and accessibility while maintaining our meritocratic accreditation process to attract the best and brightest actuarial candidates to the organization.

This can be achieved by:

• Expanding outreach: Directly engaging with underrepresented communities in schools and universities, and educating counselors. Deepen partnerships with community organizations, non-profits, and affinity groups that serve underrepresented populations.
• Removing barriers: Improving exam center access, providing exam fee waivers and low-cost study materials, and other forms of financial aid before actuarial employment is attained.
• Showcasing success: Featuring diverse role models and emphasizing that DEI aims to broaden the talent pool while maintaining our rigorous, merit-based accreditation process.

Kim Guerriero

I believe the continued success of the CAS’s DEI efforts is closely tied to the impactful work of affinity actuarial organizations such as International Association of Black Actuaries (IABA), Organization of Latino Actuaries (OLA), and Network of Actuarial Women and Allies (NAWA), among others. These organizations are making significant strides in introducing the actuarial profession to communities that may not have previously been exposed to it. It is essential that we not only maintain our support for these groups but also look for opportunities to expand that support in the following ways:

1. Expand our outreach to colleges and universities and in high schools to build early awareness of actuarial science as a viable and rewarding career path
2. Expand the Student Central Summer Program to include high school students and students earlier in their college/university journey
3. Use social media to feature relatable role models and success stories
4. Expand the exam reimbursement program so that exam costs and study materials are not a barrier to entry into the actuarial profession

Bo Huang

CAS has made great strides in recent years on DEI initiatives, demonstrated by more diversified leadership team and publishing numerous research papers on related insurance topics.

To build upon these efforts, I would prioritize expanding outreach to underrepresented high school and college students to raise early awareness of the actuarial profession and insurance careers. I would also support increasing scholarships and mentorship opportunities to help reduce financial and access barriers. In addition, it is important that we continue creating more pathways for diverse members to take on leadership and volunteer roles within the CAS.

Jamie Mills

I believe growing our profession means widening the path into it. That starts by reaching students in underrepresented communities early in their journey, helping them understand what an actuarial career looks like, and giving them the support to thrive.

In 2024, the CAS participated in 24 outreach events focused on high school and college students, math educators, and guidance counselors. These efforts are helping more students from diverse backgrounds discover our profession. The CAS also expanded its Summer Program through Student Central to a positive response and launched the Actuarial Exam Support Program in partnership with the SOA, providing greater access to exams for students who need it most.

These are positive steps, and I would like to build on that progress. We need to deepen relationships with schools that serve underrepresented populations and support educators who are introducing students to the field. I also believe mentorship, exam support, and early career development are essential to helping students succeed once they begin their journey.

My leadership in CAS education has always focused on helping people grow and succeed, especially as the profession evolves. As technology transforms actuarial work, I’ve focused on equipping actuaries for emerging areas like AI and automation, ensuring they have the skills to thrive in a changing world. The same mindset drives my support of DEI efforts as it’s not just about who enters the profession but about making sure every actuary has the opportunity to flourish once they are here. If elected to the Board, I will support DEI efforts that are meaningful, measurable, and aligned with our long-term vision.

Dale Porfilio

As a white cis-gender male who has consistently benefited from privilege, I have long valued every aspect of diversity. I seek to understand experiences different from my own by engaging with others in underrepresented communities in my personal and professional life. Whenever I have the opportunity to recruit new staff to my workplace, I prioritize any candidate who will bring a different perspective from my own.

I am fully supportive of the CAS’s DEI efforts. The practice of amplifying marginalized voices is aligned with my own personal values and professional practice. The CAS is here to serve the casualty actuarial needs of all members of society. We can best achieve this mission if our membership represents and understands the needs of the full breadth of the diverse populations we serve. Progress toward a more diverse membership will be commensurate with our investment to engage underrepresented communities.

When I completed my FCAS in 1997, I joined the Joint CAS/SOA Committee on Career Encouragement and the CAS External Communications Committee given my passion for attracting diverse members to our profession. Two of our early initiatives were the creation of www.beanactuary.org and the University Liaison program to engage CAS members in reaching out to new sources of candidates.

Diversity is just as important in 2025 as it was in 1997. We did not yet have the language of Equity and Inclusion in 1997, but we now can understand that what is equal is not always fair. I am proud that we have organizations like IABA, OLA, NAWA, SAGAA, Abacus, and SANA to attract and support actuaries in underrepresented communities. If elected to the CAS Board, I will be supportive of DEI efforts to fully live into the CAS mission and our strategic plan.

Sharon K. Robinson

I support the CAS long-term and continued commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in our profession. I appreciate all of the staff and volunteers that have embraced the commitment and work every day to make our profession accessible and inclusive for people of all backgrounds.

My personal experiences in this area include past leadership roles with IABA and with The Actuarial Foundation, lending my voice for numerous public speaking events, and numerous individual mentoring relationships with students and actuaries.

As a CAS Board member, I will continue to be an advocate for the CAS to increase awareness within underrepresented communities. I support actions such as the following

• Seek new avenues for collaboration with the various actuarial affinity groups. These organizations are vitally important to our current and future membership. Continue commitments to support these organizations via cross promotion of events, volunteerism, research, and financial funding. Leverage their voices to reach diverse audiences.
• Employ strategic marketing to organizations influential with the audiences we want to reach (e.g., fraternities/sororities, parent/teacher educational networks with a diverse reach, college recruiting fairs drawing diverse student bodies)
• Bring high school counselors and teachers for special forums inside our Be An Actuary days or as follow-up to those events. Connect them with creative content to introduce their students to the profession.
• Bring actuarial science exposure to colleges and universities that don’t have an actuarial science degree program; e.g. offer as a one-semester independent study within a mathematics department.
• Support summer camps to introduce the actuarial profession, ensuring there is CAS representation in the introduction to the profession.

Alisa Havens Walch

The CAS currently sponsors several affinity organizations for underrepresented communities, which is a consistent priority in my practice. I’ve personally connected students with OLA, IABA, Abacus Actuaries, SANA, and NAWA, providing a pathway to their scholarships, exam support, professional development, mentoring, and networking opportunities. I’m supportive of the CAS’s continued involvement in these affinity groups, JCIED, and the Actuarial Exam Support Program, which has helped lower the financial barrier to entry into the actuarial profession. The CAS University Liaisons and sponsoring ‘Be An Actuary’ events are also great ways to extend the CAS’s reach to a broader audience of high school and university students.

Kathleen C. Odomirok

The credentialing experience is fundamental to our profession. It must be exceptional for candidates, built on trust, streamlined to eliminate unnecessary barriers, and designed to prepare them for an uncertain future. As such, enhancing the candidate experience is a responsibility I, as well as the CAS staff and Board, take seriously.

I am excited to collaborate with Jason Russ once again, this time in his role as Vice President of Admissions. Our volunteer experience for the CAS is rooted in serving on exam committees over the course of our careers. Our shared history gives us a deep appreciation for the rigor and importance of the credentialing process.

As an employer of candidates and someone who works closely with clients at various stages of their exam journey, I understand the challenges they face and concerns with some of the recent changes made. The transition to Computer Based Testing (CBT) during the pandemic was a remarkable achievement, made possible by the agility of the CAS staff and volunteers. While the shift enabled continuity in the exam progress for our candidates, it also introduced new challenges, particularly around technology. I fully empathize with candidates navigating these changes.

I know firsthand the sacrifices involved in pursuing our credentials. Like many of you, I sat for my final exam while raising two young children, and I vividly remember my husband bringing them to the library so I could see them during a study break. These experiences fuel my commitment to ensuring the exam process is smooth and supportive as possible.

Increasing exam frequency is a positive step, offering more flexibility and a faster path to credentials. But we must go further – ensuring that exam content remains relevant to emerging technology and methodologies. Our goal should be to ensure that technology enhances, rather than replaces, the actuarial expertise that defines our profession.

Finally, we must better prepare candidates for the exam process itself. Unlike traditional academic exams, CAS exams rely heavily on professional publications, most without sample questions. I believe we should explore balancing the build of a robust question bank with access to sample questions on the exam material to support learning. There is no better way to learn than through examples. This is something I am particularly passionate about.

Shane Barnes

Improving the candidate experience is a priority area for me. As technology evolves at an unprecedented pace, it’s essential that our educational approach keeps pace. We must ensure our system evolves to not only reflect technological advancements but also empower candidates with the practical skills they need for a dynamic future.

My vision is for a candidate journey that is flexible, modern, and skill driven. As a board member, I will work to promote creative, forward-thinking solutions that maintain our rigorous standards while embracing innovation. This includes supporting alternative pathways, enhancing content relevance, and ensuring our system fosters a deep understanding of the evolving tools and challenges actuaries will face.

Isaac Espinoza

My vision for advancing the candidate experience is to ensure it is fair, transparent, and relevant, ultimately creating a positive experience where candidates become net promoters of the CAS. It is about providing the best training to position candidates for success, not just in passing exams, but also in developing the essential business and leadership skills for their careers.

As a Board Director, I see my role furthering this pillar as:

• Strategic oversight & advocacy: I would ensure the candidate experience remains a top strategic priority, advocating for decisions and resources that guarantee a fair, transparent, and relevant path.
• Curriculum modernization: I would champion the evolution of teaching materials and exam content to reflect current industry trends, emerging technologies (including AI), and the business and leadership skills actuaries need to be successful in today’s world.
• Feedback & improvement: Collect candidate feedback frequently to identify pain points and drive continuous improvement.

By focusing on these areas, we can foster a pipeline of highly skilled and enthusiastic actuaries who are well-prepared for the future and proud to be CAS members.

Kim Guerriero

The candidates are the CAS’s lifeblood. We need to ensure they feel supported, and they want to continue with the CAS. I believe the CAS has an opportunity to enhance transparency and improve communication with the future generation of actuaries. A few ideas I would like to see the CAS explore include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Establish a formal oversight committee to audit and monitor vendors
• Have a clear and transparent contingency plan
• Work with vendors to hire external auditors to validate systems before high-volume exam windows
• Provide high-level summaries of common mistakes or areas where candidates struggled (while preserving exam security)
• Create feedback loops where after exams, the CAS surveys candidates and publishes anonymized insights to show how feedback is being used.

Bo Huang

CAS has made great strides in recent years on DEI initiatives, demonstrated by more diversified leadership team and publishing numerous research papers on related insurance topics.

To build upon these efforts, I would prioritize expanding outreach to underrepresented high school and college students to raise early awareness of the actuarial profession and insurance careers. I would also support increasing scholarships and mentorship opportunities to help reduce financial and access barriers. In addition, it is important that we continue creating more pathways for diverse members to take on leadership and volunteer roles within the CAS.

Jamie Mills

Supporting the candidate experience means meeting people where they are and helping them move forward with confidence. That includes how we communicate, how we structure the exam process, and how we support professional growth every step of the way.

The CAS has made encouraging progress. Exam registrations and new credentials awarded increased in 2024 over prior years. The introduction of the Property & Casualty Predictive Analytics requirement for ACAS and programs like the AI Bootcamp are expanding what our candidates can learn and apply. These programs reflect the kind of forward-thinking education we need to deliver.

At the same time, we need to keep listening. Candidates have told us they want clearer direction on their exam journey, better access to study tools, and more ways to connect with mentors and peers. They are not just asking how to pass exams, they want to understand how what they are learning connects to real work and how it helps them grow in their careers.

That is where I see the Board playing an important role. We can shape the strategic direction to ensure the candidate experience is modern, relevant, and responsive. From my work leading actuarial teams focused on pricing, automation and AI, I have seen how the role of the actuary is evolving. Candidates today need education that prepares them not just for exams, but for solving complex, forward-looking problems in the workplace. As employers look for professionals who can blend technical rigor with communication and innovation, our programs must reflect those needs as well.

With my background leading CAS education initiatives and my experience developing talent in the industry, I bring a deep understanding of both the technical and human sides of this journey. If elected, I would champion efforts that make our education system stronger, more inclusive, and better aligned to what candidates need to succeed now and in the future.

Dale Porfilio

From the beginning of the CAS, actuarial credentialing has been central to our mission. The CAS Board needs to ensure the exams effectively and efficiently test the knowledge base of candidates. We appropriately adopted electronic testing several years ago, so the CAS Board must be certain that our third-party testing partners have best practices within their industry.

Candidates need to have confidence in the CAS and its testing partners. Our vendors should be asked to present robust crisis management plans to respond when problems develop. There are few memories more vivid to me and my family than the stress of exams and the relief after an intense study season. It is simply unacceptable to have that stress-filled experience compounded by complications due to the practices of a third-party vendor.

The CAS 2025 Strategic Plan is an excellent guide for our society to become an even better version of ourselves. A steady pipeline of well-qualified candidates is essential for continued expansion of our society, and we need to ensure the qualification process appropriately balances the candidates’ efforts and maintaining the high standards of the CAS.

Sharon K. Robinson

It is important for the CAS Board to embrace and support all aspects of the strategic plan, this pillar included. While I have not been close to the Admissions Transformation Plan, I am very pleased with the breadth of the initiatives and impressed with the disciplined, step-by-step implementation. Advancing the candidate experience will never be once and done. It will always merit our attention as things such as technology and educational needs evolve.

At each step, we must carefully assess progress to date from the Admissions Transformation Plan. Are we achieving the benefits we anticipated? What was missing? What needs to be added? We must learn from the experiences, listen carefully to candidate, staff, and committee feedback, and identify further opportunities for refinement.

Candidate experience includes making sure we capture the relevant content for the job now and in the future. It’s not unreasonable to expect that the pace of necessary changes to examinations is likely to increase rather than stay the same in the future. The challenge is to balance smooth transitions with timeliness in getting new education criteria into the marketplace. I believe this is part of the challenge in competing with other disciplines that are not subject to the rigor of a credentialling process.  

Alisa Havens Walch

The point of the exams is to prepare candidates to be successful, ethical actuaries. To maintain the exam process efficacy, it is important that the exams continue to evolve as the actuarial profession evolves, so that they mimic what candidates will be doing on the job. Not only is it useful to regularly review which topics should be added but also to remove content that is no longer essential. CAS Admissions should continue to explore improvements to the incorporation of technology and statistical software into exams and have robust contingency plans in case of interruptions during an exam sitting. One thing I appreciate about the CAS is how it is a member-driven organization that listens and responds to feedback. Reviewing candidate feedback and responding in ways that simultaneously improve the candidate experience and uphold rigor and academic integrity is paramount.

Kathleen C. Odomirok

As I shared in my Meet the Candidates response, “the credentialing experience is fundamental to our profession; it must be exceptional for candidates, built on trust, streamlined to eliminate unnecessary barriers and inapplicable knowledge, and designed to prepare them for an uncertain future.”

Of course, one potential way to streamline the credentialing process is through University-Earned Credit (UEC). However, UEC raises important questions: Should we prioritize speed to credentials, or a broader, well-rounded university-education that enhances long-term career success? Is the knowledge gained through UEC, where there may be differences in grading across universities/professors, equivalent to that acquired through a rigorous, property-casualty-focused exam with a consistent grading process? And how do employers weigh credentials versus demonstrated actuarial wisdom?

As a leader in the industry and employer of actuarial students, I believe in striking a balance between exam progress and practical experience. While I encourage early focus on exams and the pursuit of fellowship, I also caution against overemphasis on speed. The ACAS and FCAS designations carry high expectations, and candidates must be prepared to meet them, not just in title but in capacity.

To encourage candidates to pursue the ACAS over the ASA, the CAS must continue to clearly communicate its unique value. As the only actuarial credentialing organization focused on property-casualty insurance, we are uniquely positioned to tailor our education to the needs of this dynamic industry. Our evolving curriculum must equip candidates with the technical skills, analytical acumen and communication abilities needed to thrive in a rapidly changing environment.

The 2025 CAS Strategic Plan reinforces this commitment through its five interconnected pillars, including Enhancing the Candidate Experience, Building (Property/Casualty Actuarial) Skills for the Future, and Reinforcing our Differentiated Brand.

A key part of this strategy is university engagement. As highlighted in the CAS 2024 Annual Report, the CAS continues to expand its outreach to students, faculty and universities through mentorship, networking, scholarships, and educational resources. These efforts are essential to building awareness of the profession and preparing the next generation of actuaries.

By continuing to invest in both the quality of our credentialing process and our outreach, we can ensure that the CAS remains the premier destination for aspiring property-casualty actuaries.

Shane Barnes

While the University-Earned Credit poses a real challenge, the CAS continues to demonstrate its strength in attracting candidates committed to the property and casualty career path. In fact, from 2023 to 2024, the CAS experienced a 6% year-over-year growth in membership—a testament to our leadership in P&C education, despite increasing competition from other professions like data science. We have grown by 67% in the last 10 years, while the SOA was not as strong.

Historically, the CAS has proven its ability to adapt. When the SOA withdrew from the joint preliminary exams, we responded by developing our own pathways for candidates. This same adaptability will be crucial as we address the ASA/ACAS dynamic. As a board member, I will push for thoughtful, strategic responses that maintain the integrity of our credential while ensuring it remains accessible and appealing to future actuaries.

My message to candidates remains consistent: the CAS offers a powerful and relevant education that equips you not only with actuarial expertise, but with broader data and analytical skills critical in today’s marketplace. Pursuing the designation opens the door to a rewarding, high-impact career.

Isaac Espinoza

The trend of candidates choosing ASA over ACAS, often due to University-Earned Credit (UEC), highlights a shift toward efficiency in early career decisions. While UEC is attractive, the CAS’s core strength lies in its unmatched focus on property and casualty risk.

To continue attracting top talent, I believe the CAS should respond in the following strategic ways:

• Clarify the P&C value proposition: Communicate early and clearly that the CAS pathway is the ideal fit for those interested in property & casualty, through university outreach, internships, market data (salary surveys, job openings), and employer advocacy.
• Welcome cross-over candidates: Acknowledge that many actuaries ‘cross over’ from other credentialling bodies and highlight that this is a viable option for those discovering a passion for P&C. 
• Innovate without compromise: Explore ways to reduce early exam friction but preserve the rigorous standards of CAS credentials. The CAS credentials’ value is built on its integrity and relevance.

Kim Guerriero

During my time as a Vice President for the CAS, the CAS Board continually discussed three key topics: how to improve the exams, how to improve the candidate experience outside of the exams, and attracting future members. I saw recently that the SOA announced enhancements to their exams including faster grading time and more exam offerings per year. The SOA also announced they are providing detailed score reports to those candidates that did not pass and the option to get personalized written feedback for those who were close to passing. Last Fall, the CAS announced additional offerings for most of the CAS exams, which are great steps in the right direction. The CAS needs to continue to seek out ways to improve and enhance the candidate experience to remain relevant and competitive, including providing real-time feedback for those who do not pass their exams.

In addition, the CAS needs to reassert the value, accessibility, and relevance of the FCAS and ACAS designations. Many students may not fully understand the difference between the ACAS and ASA tracks until later in their journey. The CAS must proactively market the career, the value of specialization in property and casualty, and global relevance of the CAS designations through updated outreach, testimonials from credentialed actuaries, and employer case studies. One area that I would like to see the CAS expand is their connection with employers. I believe this will benefit the CAS in many ways, including in advancing the CAS credentials. Earlier this year, the CAS announced the introduction of the CAS Employer Network, which I think is a great opportunity for the CAS to enhance employer relations.

Bo Huang

I think the CAS should take this challenge seriously and respond with both clarity and innovation. First of all, we need to clearly articulate CAS’ focus on property and casualty expertise and the unique value of ACAS credential for candidates’ long-term career.

Additionally, we must try to modernize our own candidate pathway, such as expanding partnerships with universities, offering more flexible learning options, or enhancing support for early-career candidates.

While maintaining our exam rigor, we also need to listen to candidate concerns about time and cost in pursuing CAS credentials, and provide more flexibility and convenience whenever possible.

Jamie Mills

This is a timely and important question. As candidates weigh their options, it is critical that the CAS clearly communicates the value of the ACAS credential and why it sets actuaries up for long-term success.

Candidates today are making decisions based on accessibility, recognition, and how aligned a credential feels with their career goals. The University-Earned Credit pathway has created new dynamics, especially early in the exam journey. But this is where the CAS can distinguish itself. The ACAS offers specialized knowledge in property and casualty insurance, strong technical training, and growing relevance in areas like AI and predictive analytics. In 2024, the CAS awarded over 700 new ACAS credentials and introduced the Property & Casualty Predictive Analytics requirement, both of which show our commitment to delivering forward-looking education.

To remain the destination of choice for analytical talent, we need to connect with students earlier, partner closely with universities, and ensure that candidates understand the practical and professional advantages of the CAS path. It is also important to support them along the way with mentorship, career guidance, and opportunities to apply what they are learning to real-world problems. Just as important, we need to make sure employers recognize the depth and relevance of the ACAS credential so they see it as a clear signal of readiness and potential.

If elected to the Board, I will champion clear messaging, strong university and employer relationships, and continued evolution of our education strategy. I want candidates to choose the ACAS not just because it is rigorous, but because it equips them with the skills employers are looking for and positions them for meaningful opportunities across the property and casualty industry.

Dale Porfilio

ACAS versus ASA credentialing can be distilled to the question of which is the greater value proposition to both the candidates and the industry we serve. If candidates are unable to see the benefits of an ACAS, there is work for all of us in educating candidates and industry leaders in the merit of the CAS credentialing path, with or without the University-Earned Credit.

The CAS already has a roadmap in the 2025 Strategic Plan, notably the Enhancing the Candidate Experience pillar. If we deliver a better value proposition than alternative casualty actuarial credentialling organizations, then we will successfully attract candidates. Competition should push us to work harder to be the best version of ourselves.

Sharon K. Robinson

I wonder if this is an observation of a widespread trend or if it is happening somewhat anecdotally. I also wonder whether the UAC program is successful in assessing student mastery of the content as demonstrated in students’ later employment. This is something that would be helpful to understand, however, the observation does not necessarily mean that action is required on the part of the CAS.

For the CAS, it is our responsibility to develop professionals equipped with the skills to meet the unique challenges of analyzing and quantifying property and casualty risks. This requires educational content and assessment of mastery of that content that is effective for our purposes. There will always be more than one way to do things, and we have demonstrated the ability to adapt both content and assessment methods as needed (including the ongoing Admissions Transformation Plan). Tools and resources for CAS exam preparation should be readily accessible and affordable. If there are unreasonable barriers, we should correct them. In conjunction with marketing the CAS brand, we must continue to make our case that the CAS credentialling process leads to long-term career value. In my opinion, the ability to replace one or two exams with earned college credit should not be the deciding factor in a long-term career decision.

Further, UEC is only available through Center of Actuarial Excellence schools that are approved to offer the UEC program. From a CAS perspective (and perhaps from an employer perspective) that immediately narrows the scope of a pipeline which we are actively trying to expand, not contract. It seems contrary to our diversification objectives which seek to attract talented candidates from a broad array of backgrounds and experiences. Logistically, it also seems like it complicates the ability to make even small adjustments to curriculum and relinquishes some level of control over assessment consistency and integrity.

I am not ruling out potential use of college credit to satisfy credentialling requirements, but it should be evaluated on the basis of what meets the needs of the CAS content rather than fear of losing some candidates to the SOA.

For students, we need to demonstrate the long-term professional value of the ACAS designation, leading to FCAS, in terms of employment opportunities, career satisfaction, and income potential.

Alisa Havens Walch

Right now, the University-Earned Credit (UEC) program is only open to SOA designated Centers of Actuarial Excellence (CAE) and 3 additional universities invited through the UEC Diversity Extension. Currently, not all CAE universities participate in UEC. In 2015, actuarial students enrolled in CAEs made up about 45% of Actuarial Science enrollment. The percentage of actuarial students in CAEs decreased to 37% in 2022. Assuming the current CAE percentage is somewhere between those two numbers means that 55-63% of actuarial students (i.e. the majority) aren’t eligible for UEC and are prime targets for going P&C.

The CAS Student Central Summer Program has been an effective tool in attracting students to P&C, because simply exposing students to P&C is enough to get them interested in our dynamic and challenging discipline. More than 150 students take part in the mentor-led Summer Program every year with an even larger number participating in the independent Summer Program. Getting students from universities with UEC into the Summer Program may be one way to convince them to pursue CAS credentials.

Faculty members can also be extremely influential in students’ career choices. The CAS University Recognition Program incentivizes actuarial programs to incorporate P&C topics into their curriculum with the criteria required to reach the silver and gold tiers. Increasing the number of universities in the Recognition Program will lead to more exposure to the P&C area. At the CAS Teaching Summit that was held in June, I demonstrated 2 CAS case studies built by volunteers in the Academic Working Group that can be used for a club presentation or one day in the classroom. Several faculty members at the summit recognized that implementing these case studies would be easy to do and would elevate their tier level in the Recognition Program. Increasing faculty knowledge and awareness of P&C will lead to increased student knowledge and awareness.

An SOA Prospective Candidate Survey from 2023 showed that for students who are interested in a math career, only 24% of them have heard of actuarial science. Of those 24% who had heard of actuarial science, 62.5% of them were considering the actuarial career! Increasing the visibility of the actuarial career so that it is a more well-known career choice for math majors has the potential to attract significantly more students to the field.

Students at universities participating in UEC could potentially get exam credit for FM, SRM, FAM, ASTAM, and ALTAM from their classes, leaving only P and PA that they need to take as traditional exams for ASA (note: there are also several VEEs and e-learning modules needed to achieve ASA). On the other hand, P&C candidates must take P, FM, MAS-I, MAS-II, 5, and 6 for their ACAS (I’m leaving PCPA out of this list, because the project nature of this exam is similar to the SOA’s ATPA e-learning). Convincing students to take four more exams to go P&C is a hard selling point. We may want to review the preliminary exams and consider making changes that would maintain rigor and academic integrity, while making the path to ACAS seem less daunting.

While there is a need to compete with UEC, I think we need to analyze candidate data in recent years to get a better understanding of how UEC is currently affecting the CAS pipeline and project the trend into the future. We also should recognize that there are additional ways to recruit students to P&C, examples of which I mentioned above.