Please join us in welcoming the newest members of the Candidate Advocate Working Group (CAWG), including three candidate representatives and six credentialed CAS members. These volunteers work together to bring candidate perspectives forward and help strengthen the overall candidate experience. Candidate representatives are actively progressing through the CAS exam pathway, while credentialed members contribute their experience and insight to support candidates at every stage. Candidates can apply to join CAWG each summer, and CAS members can indicate interest through the Volunteering section of the CAS Portal. We also welcome feedback and ideas at CAWG@casact.org. 

New Candidate Representatives 

Bren Hutchinson 

Bren Hutchinson graduated from Louisiana State University in 2025 with dual degrees in mathematics and interdisciplinary studies and minors in applied statistics, computer science, and business administration. They recently began working as a participant in Liberty Mutual’s Actuarial Development program, with their first rotation in home countrywide indications. They are working toward completing the final ACAS exam requirement, Exam 6, this spring. Looking to get more involved with the CAS, they joined the CAWG to help strengthen the candidate experience. Hutchinson brings firsthand experience of the challenges faced while balancing exams, academics, and early professional responsibilities. They are also an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusivity within the actuarial profession. Outside of studying, Hutchinson enjoys baking, reading, learning piano, hiking, and spending time with their cat. 

Jake Liu 

Jake Liu is excited to join the CAWG, his first volunteering experience with the CAS. He graduated from New York University in 2020 with degrees in mathematics and international relations. In 2024, he also earned a master’s degree in international relations from Johns Hopkins University. After spending two years in Taiwan as an English teacher, Liu found his way into the actuarial profession after reigniting his passion for mathematics and statistics. Having passed four exams to date, he is planning to take Exam MAS-II this upcoming spring. Liu is motivated to help his peers through the exam process and help make the CAS credentialing process more accessible to all! Liu is an analyst with Allstate and is working on specialty lines products, including trailer and condo. When he is not working or studying, Liu likes to travel, try new restaurants, backpack through national parks, and watch his favorite baseball team probably lose. 

Bella Thiel 

Bella Thiel is excited to continue volunteering in the actuarial community by joining CAWG this year. As an avid reader of Future Fellows, she looks forward to contributing articles. Thiel has previously volunteered with The Actuarial Foundation, Piece of the Pi, and Network of Actuarial Women and Allies (NAWA), and she is eager to bring those experiences and perspectives to her work in CAWG.  

Thiel works as an actuarial analyst at Allstate Insurance in Phoenix, Arizona. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2024 with degrees in actuarial science and risk management and insurance. In her free time, she enjoys being outdoors, staying active, making music, and creating social media content. As an ACAS candidate herself, Thiel hopes to provide valuable feedback through her role in CAWG to help make the actuarial exam process more efficient and accessible. 

New CAWG Members 

Mike Astarita 

Mike Astarita, ACAS, is joining the CAWG as his first experience volunteering with the CAS. In this role, he is excited to advocate for candidates, help improve transparency and communication around exams, and provide practical guidance to support others navigating the CAS exam process. Having experienced the challenges of the CAS exam system firsthand, Michael hopes to bring a new member perspective to the group and contribute ideas that make the process clearer, more predictable, and more supportive for future candidates. 

Astarita graduated in 2020 from Villanova University with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and a minor in statistics. He is currently working on passing Exam 9 to achieve his FCAS credential. He is a manager at Oliver Wyman Actuarial Consulting in Princeton, New Jersey, where he works with captive insurance companies to provide reserving analysis and capital modeling for large multinational insurers. 

Outside of work and studying, Astarita enjoys fitness, including lifting and running, cooking, traveling, and playing guitar. He also enjoys experimenting with new hobbies and finding ways to challenge himself outside the office and the study schedule. 

Jordyn Bruce 

Jordyn Bruce, ACAS, is joining the CAWG as her first experience volunteering with the CAS. She looks forward to helping advocate for “Future Fellows” as they navigate the exam process and communicate enhancements to the actuarial community. A 2021 graduate of Illinois State University, Bruce majored in actuarial science, with minors in business administration, economics, insurance, athletic coaching, and psychology. While at ISU, Bruce competed in the NCAA on the track and field team. She has completed rotations in various pricing and reserving roles at USAA and serves as the educational officer on the Southwest Actuarial Forum (SWAF) advisory board. Outside of work, she volunteers as a track and field coach at Trinity University and continues to pursue her athletic goals as a heptathlete and decathlete, competing in national and world competitions. 

Sarah Johnson 

Sarah Johnson, ACAS, is excited to join the CAWG as her first volunteer role with the CAS. After earning her associateship in 2026, she was eager to give back to the actuarial community. She knows firsthand how challenging the exam process can be (especially with children who don’t seem to sleep!) and is determined to help improve the experience for other candidates navigating their own actuarial journeys. 

Johnson graduated from the University of St. Thomas in 2017 with a degree in actuarial science. She has been at Travelers Insurance since graduation, where she currently works in corporate actuarial and focuses on reserving and statutory reporting. 

Based in St. Paul, Minnesota, Johnson balances her professional life with a busy home life alongside her husband, two young boys, and their two dogs. This year, she’s relishing no longer looking at study materials and instead is spending time reading, embroidering, gardening, and continually cleaning up the monster trucks that litter her floor.  

Erik Millstine 

Erik Millstine, FCAS, has been looking forward to helping improve the exam experience and advocating for candidates since taking his first CAS exam, and volunteering with the CAWG is the perfect opportunity to do so. He grew up in Pittsburgh and graduated from Penn State University in 2016 with a degree in risk management–actuarial science. Millstine has lived in New Jersey and worked at Chubb for almost 10 years on the personal lines homeowners pricing team, and he achieved FCAS in 2023. He likes to spend his free time playing sports and spending time with his wife (also a CAS member) and pet cockatiel. Erik and his wife are expecting their first child in March! 

Brett Tarnopol 

Brett Tarnopol, ACAS, is a dedicated actuarial professional and a newly appointed member of the CAWG. With a strong academic foundation in actuarial science from the University of Texas, Tarnopol has built a diverse professional portfolio, currently serving as an actuary at USAA. In this role, Tarnopol specializes in auto pricing, developing processes, defining indications for new business, and teaching the next generation of actuarial analysts. 

Tarnopol is driven by a commitment to the actuarial community and joined the CAWG to advocate for a more transparent and supportive candidate experience. Having attained ACAS designation and continuing through exams, Tarnopol understands the rigors of the CAS educational journey and is passionate about providing feedback that shapes the future of the exam process. This volunteer role marks an important milestone in Tarnopol’s career, reflecting a desire to mentor others and support the next generation of “Future Fellows.” 

Outside of professional and volunteer commitments, Tarnopol enjoys a balanced lifestyle through hobbies such as cooking and cheering on his sports teams. Whether exploring Houston or spending time with family and friends, Tarnopol brings the same energy and curiosity to his personal life as to the actuarial profession. 

Sebastian Wyman 

Sebastian Wyman, ACAS, switched to the actuarial career path in 2023 after teaching mathematics at Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois, since receiving his PhD in mathematics from the University of Florida in 2013. He is currently an actuary at RLI Insurance and is working toward completing Exam 9 and attaining his FCAS. He has always been passionate about education and hopes to use his time on the CAWG to help improve the exam-taking experience. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family, retirement planning, and hopefully playing his Switch again, once exams are completed. 

Thank you to our former CAWG volunteers for helping to advocate for candidate viewpoints across the CAS: Celeste Breman, FCAS; Curt Glatz, ACAS; John Varnas, ACAS; and Liping Yang, ACAS.