NAWA: Network of Actuarial Women and Allies

NAWA's 2024 Annual Meeting is only a few days away! Join us this Thursday, November 21 for several sessions, including a leadership panel with Kathy Garrigan, Lynn Dong, Valerie Smeshko, and Cherie Dill and moderated by Aree Bly. Learn more about our panelists and moderator below and register (for free) by visiting: https://lnkd.in/e3HY7gny. We hope to see you there! Kathy Garrigan (FCAS) currently serves as SVP and Head of Everest’s Group Actuarial Practice. She joined Everest six years ago as Chief Actuary of Mt.?Logan Re, Everest’s third-party capital vehicle. Prior to that, Kathy spent four years in Bermuda, initially worked on a project with a hedge fund and after that, leading the actuarial arm of fund administrative firm on the island. Much of her career has been in Reinsurance – both actuarial and underwriting, although she has held senior actuarial and underwriting in Insurance as well. Lynn Dong (FSA), Principal and Consulting Actuary at Milliman's Seattle office, has been with the firm since 1994. She chairs Milliman’s Health Research Board, which provides oversight and strategic direction for Milliman’s health data, tools, and products. Lynn has extensive experience working with provider health systems, Accountable Care Organizations, and various health plans, including commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid. She has also led the research and development of key components of Milliman Health Cost Guidelines. Valerie Smeshko, FSA is the Vice President, Life Inforce Modeling Actuary at Fortitude Re and is responsible for leading the Traditional Life and Annuity Modeling team in BMA, CFT and LRT projections, reserve calculations and model development. Valerie has 10 years of experience in US Life Insurance after transitioning from pension consulting. Prior to joining Fortitude Re, Valerie served as the Term and Traditional Life Model Steward and System Conversion Leader for Allstate Life and Retirement. Cherie Dill (FCAS) currently serves as the Head of Actuarial Pricing - International for Everest Reinsurance, a role she assumed in September 2022. Cherie has over 20 years of P&C industry experience and has held various roles in actuarial pricing, reserving, and reporting.?She has been with Everest for nearly?12 years?and prior?to her current role,?Cherie served as the lead actuary for Everest Reinsurance?Bermuda?where?she was responsible for managing the actuarial function for the Bermuda office. Aree Bly brings 25 years of actuarial expertise in healthcare and consulting to her work helping actuaries and organizations build sustainable, fulfilling careers. As a former corporate leader and consultant, Aree now partners with teams and organizations to develop essential leadership, soft skills, and resilience needed for long-term success in the actuarial field. Passionate about advancing women in actuarial roles, Aree is also part of the NAWA team as a board member.

The Actuarial Foundation is excited to introduce you to two special characters—One and Zero—who are joining the All for Math Campaign. Sometimes, we can feel like Zero—uncertain of how much we can contribute. But we all have the potential to be the One who steps up to make a difference. As part of the campaign, we’re asking you to Be the One to help students achieve their full potential. Find out how at: https://lnkd.in/gT8DC3xd. #AllForMath

NAWA isn’t the only group with an upcoming annual meeting! Check out details below to join the SANA meeting next week!

The 2024 NAWA Annual Meeting is on November 21! Our second session of the day is “Actuarial Dilemma: Professionalism in Question,” presented by Margo MacKenzie, Janie Brink, and Alaina Jerguson. Attendance counts towards Professionalism CE credit. Register for free today by visiting https://lnkd.in/e3HY7gny. Margo MacKenzie is a Senior Manager in EY's Insurance and Actuarial Advisory Services practice based in the firm's Philadelphia, PA office. She has 10 years of experience as a reserving actuary estimating unpaid claims for insurance and reinsurance companies as well as corporate self-insureds. Her experience spans multiple P&C lines of business, including general liability, professional liability, workers’ compensation, and personal/commercial auto liability. Margo is a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries. Janie Brink is a Manager in EY’s Insurance and Actuarial Advisory Services practice based in Nashville, TN. She has seven years of experience as a life actuary and focuses on actuarial audits and financial reporting. Her experience includes working with various life insurance and annuity products on both Statutory and GAAP bases, and she has helped multiple insurance clients implement GAAP LDTI over the past few years. Janie is also largely involved in EY’s annual Key Issues Survey which covers key financial reporting and general business topics facing the U.S. life insurance industry. Janie is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries. Alaina Jerguson is a Senior Analyst based in New York City. After graduating from TCU, she joined EY's Insurance and Actuarial Advisory Services practice with their Actuarial Services Consulting Program. Her three years of experience as a reserving actuary has spanned both insurance and reinsurance companies and several P&C lines of business.

The 2024 NAWA Annual Meeting is around the corner! We're excited to announce details on our keynote session with Laura Hay, and hope you follow along for information on our other two sessions of the day. Register at https://lnkd.in/e3HY7gny Please join us for a lively discussion as we explore several topics: - Confidence – What is it? What does it look like? Why is it important? How does it vary by person? - Imposter Syndrome – How do we think about it? When have we experienced it most? How to overcome it? - Risk-Taking – How is it linked to confidence? What are some of the impediments? Why is it an important part of our personal and professional journeys? - Breaking the Cycle – How do we move forward? What is our personal commitment to ourselves? This discussion will be led by Laura Hay. She has delivered this workshop over 120 times to 20,000+ women and male allies in 10+ countries at Client sites, KPMG and Universities.??Laura recently retired from KPMG where she had a 30-year career in insurance including leading the global insurance practice for her last 6 years. She also served on the KPMG US/Americas Board of Directors as well as the KPMG Foundation Board. where Laura interviewed 60+ female executives from the global financial services industry in 6 continents. She now serves on the Board of Directors for MetLife [NYSE: MET], a Fortune 100 company and the Girl Scouts of Greater New York, a non-profit Board. Until 2024, she served on the Board of Trustees for St. John’s University Greenberg School of Risk Management, Insurance & Actuarial Science and the New Jersey Theatre Alliance Board. She was named an “Elite Woman” Leader by Insurance Business America in 2023, to Girl Scouts “Women of Distinction” in 2022, The Consulting Report “Top 25 Financial Services Consulting Leaders” in 2022, Intelligent Insurer’s “One of the Most Influential Women in Insurance” in 2017. She was an active participant in multiple diversity networks at KPMG including “KNOW” (KPMG National Organization for Women) and the Pride/LGBT network as an active straight ally. Her blog called “Mind the Gap” has amassed nearly 3 million views and covers interviews with and advice from C-suite and Board-level women in Financial Services from 6 continents. She is a passionate leader devoting time and energy to mentoring and sponsoring girls, women and other diverse professionals as they advance in their careers and their lives.

NAWA is co-hosting an in person Happy Hour in Hartford CT following our Annual Meeting. No registration required. Two of NAWA's board members, Amber Rohde, FCAS and Rae Warner, will be in attendance along with many from our partner diversity networks.

*Update* Registration is LIVE! Register at https://lnkd.in/e3HY7gny Save the date! The 2024 NAWA Annual Meeting is November 21 from 12-4 PM EST. We have four sessions, including a keynote session with Laura Hay titled "Building Confidence, Taking Risks and Conquering Imposter Syndrome", an actuarial professionalism session, and a leadership and career advancement panel. We also have some exciting updates from the NAWA Board of Directors, so we hope to see you there! Stay tuned for details on how to register.

You're invited to a Reception Celebrating our Diverse & Global Community, hosted by the Casualty Actuarial Society. The reception will be held on Monday, November 4, 5:30-6:30pm MST at the Arizona Grand Resort & Spa in Phoenix (Grand Veranda, Conference Center 2nd Floor). This event is held in conjunction with the 2024 CAS Annual Meeting, but non-meeting attendees are welcome to attend. This is a great opportunity to connect with CAS members, volunteers, advocates, and affinity group members working to build a global and diverse actuarial community.?Email?[email protected]?to RSVP.

The 25th Jornadas Actuariales event at Universidad de Buenos Aires is happening next week. NAWA Member Carolina C. Castro is on the committee for this hybrid event. Consider attending if you are located in Buenos Aires or can attend the virtual session! These events are primarily hosted in Spanish; information is provided below in both English and Spanish, thanks to Carolina C. Castro. XXV LatinAmerican and Actuarial Meeting: jointly organized by the Universidad de Buenos Aires and the Consejo Profesional de Ciencias Económicas de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (CPCECABA), to take place on October 22nd (https://lnkd.in/eSZYZkEV) and 23rd (https://lnkd.in/ejtSViun). It will take place in a hybrid mode, at the CPCECABA on October 22nd and at the School of Economic Sciences of Universidad de Buenos Aires on October 23rd, from 9am to 1pm (GMT-3) on both days, covering topics such as AI, reinsurance, survival models and growth analytics, with participation of speakers both from Argentina and from the Instituto de Actuarios Espa?oles (Spain).?And it comprises two optional short courses, one about Interest Rate Risk Economic Capital and Expected Credit Loss under IFRS 9 on the afternoon of the 23rd. Any interested actuary or actuarial student can register. XXV Jornadas Nacionales y Latinoamericanas Actuariales: organizadas conjuntamente por la Universidad de Buenos Aires y el Consejo Profesional de Ciencias Económicas de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires (CPCECABA) los días 22 (https://lnkd.in/eSZYZkEV) y 23 (https://lnkd.in/ejtSViun) de octubre de 2024. Se llevará a cabo de forma híbrida, con locaciones presenciales el 22 de octubre en el CPCECABA y el 23 de octubre en la Facultad de Ciencias Económicas de la Universidad de Buenos Aires, en ambos casos de 9 a 13 hs. (hora local), cubriendo temas tales como Inteligencia Artificial, reaseguros, modelos de supervivencia, y growth analytics, con expositores de Argentina y del Instituto de Actuarios Espa?oles.?E Incluye dos microcursos opcionales, y el otro sobre Pérdida Esperada Crediticia bajo NIIF 9, que se llevarán a cabo en la tarde del 23 de octubre. Cualquier actuario o estudiante de actuario que esté interesado puede registrarse. If you are a member of NAWA and you're speaking at any upcoming conferences or events, please email us at [email protected]. We'd love to help support or market things our NAWA members are doing in the industry.

Thinking about becoming a sponsor for NAWA? Find information in the flyer below and on our website: https://lnkd.in/g6B2UGQk