Becoming an Winner
Each year, the Business Insurance Women to Watch Awards showcase an outstanding group of female executives in the insurance and risk management sector. When the publication began the program in 2006, many women were carving out impressive careers in insurance, but few were making it to the highest levels of management.
Frustratingly for many, that is still the case today, but progress is being made. Our 2019 Inspiration Award winner, Jane Tutoki, held numerous senior positions at some of the biggest companies in the industry before making it to the CEO ranks in 2014.
Female insurance professionals from Australia to Arizona and Paris to Puerto Rico are advancing their teams, units and organizations, and changing the face of the industry. We now honor 50 women annually from around the globe as Women to Watch and all have achieved exceptional levels of success and many of the winners are actively involved in programs that promote diversity in the insurance business.
All the winners are selected through a rigorous nomination process. Beginning in June, we seek nominations detailing information on nominees’ expertise, leadership qualities and achievements. The hundreds of nominations are then reviewed by Business Insurance editorial staff, and finalists are selected after multiple rounds of judging. After speaking with references, we then name 20 winners from Europe, the Middle East and Africa and 30 from North America and the rest of the world. All the winners have unique and compelling stories. We hope you enjoy reading about them.
Gavin Souter, editor
2020 W2W Honorees
2020 Inspiration Award Recipient
Dame Inga Beale, Non-Executive Board Director, Crawford & Company
Women to Watch EMEA
Lisa Bartlett, Crawford & Company
Andrea Best, McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP
Hande Bilgisu, Marsh LLC
Melissa Boyars, Generali Group
Elizabeth Carbonaro, Willis Towers Watson PLC
Ana Franco De Sarabia, Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc.
Sophia Dunér, Aon Reinsurance Solutions
Nina Duft, American International Group Inc.
Jackie Hyde, Stanmore Insurance Brokers Ltd.
Victoria Jewell, McLarens Global Ltd.
Tracy-Lee Kus, Aon PLC
Vered Lobel, American International Group UK Ltd.
Kera McDonald, Swiss Re Corporate Solutions
Melanie O’Neill, Liberty Specialty Markets
Nilay Ozden, Marsh Ltd.
Petra Riga, Zurich Insurance Group
Linda Ryan, Everest Re Group Ltd.
Kay Smith, THB Group, a unit of AmWINS Group Inc.
Connie Tregidga, QBE Insurance Group Ltd.
Beatriz Valenti Barbat, Zurich Insurance Group
Women to Watch
Virna Alexander Rhodes, Liberty Mutual Insurance Co.
Johnte’ Archer, J. Archer Insurance Group
Preeti Asthana, Aon PLC
Martha Bane, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
Danette Beck, USI Insurance Services LLC
Ashleigh Cashman, International Catastrophe Insurance Managers LLC, a unit of Victor Insurance Holdings
Elaine Coffman, Lockton Cos. LLC
Ingrid Cook, SHzoom It LLC
Courtney Davis Curtis, University of Chicago
Amy Evans, Intercare Insurance Services, a unit of Intercare Holdings LLC
Erin Fry, Munich Re Specialty Insurance, a unit of Munich Reinsurance Group
Catrina Gilbert, DFW International Airport
Donna Glenn, National Council on Compensation Insurance
Susan Gonzales, American International Group Inc.
Reema Hammoud, Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc.
Heidi Hull, FM Global
Dana Lodge, Everest Insurance, a unit of Everest Re Group Ltd.
Megan Miller, Spencer Educational Foundation
Diane Mittenzwei, Risk Strategies Co. Inc.
Lan Nguyen, BioMed Realty
Vasantha Prammagnanam, Corvel Corp.
Kim Riley, Hylant Group Inc.
Shannon Stefanski, R-T Specialty LLC
Sharon Robinson, Zurich Insurance Group
Christina Terplan, Atheria Law P.C.
Rhonda Tobin, Robinson + Cole LLP
Michele Twyman, Chubb Ltd.
Juliet White, Axa XL, a unit of Axa SA
Christina Welch, FCCI Insurance Group
Julie Wood, Marsh LLC
2019 W2W Winners
2019 Inspiration Award Recipient
Jane Tutoki, Board Member of Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc.
Read the announcement.
2019 Icon Award
Christine LaSala, Senior Independant Director, Beazley Ltd.
Read the announcement.
Women to Watch EMEA 2019
Read the announcement.
Read the winner profiles.
Rawan Alsulaiman, International General Insurance Co. Ltd.
Elaine Casaprima, Marsh AG
Claudia Cordioli, Swiss Re Ltd.
Benedetta Cossarini, American International Group Inc.
Anna Ekstrom, StartPoint Executive Risks, a unit of Ryan Specialty Group LLC
Silvia Herms, the Association of Mutual Insurers Co-operatives in Europe
Emma Karhan, Aon PLC
Loredana La Pace, Goldman Sachs Asset Management
Ruth Leggett, Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc.
Silvia Martinez, Aspen Insurance Holdings Ltd.
Vanessa Maxwell, Berkshire Hathaway Special Insurance Co.
Alexandra Paton, Liberty Specialty Markets, a unit of Liberty Mutual Insurance Co.
Sarah Reynolds, Global Risk Solutions Inc.
Tammy Richardson, Willis Towers Watson PLC
Holly Shepherd, Shepherd Compello Ltd.
Sierra Signorelli, Zurich Insurance Co. Ltd.
Sabine VanderLinden, Startupbootcamp Insurtech
Corinne Vitrac, Axa SA
Charlotte von Krogh, Crawford & Co.
Abiba Zakariah, WAICA Reinsurance Corporation PLC
Women to Watch 2019
Read the announcement.
Read the winner profiles.
Nicole Abdallah, JND Healthcare Management Inc.
Michelle Bennett, Cable One Inc.
Nicole Bennett, Crum & Forster Holdings Corp.
Melissa Cerny, Arthur J. Gallagher Co.
Chris Chang Dumortier, Alliant Insurance Services Inc.
Olga Collins, Beecher Carlson, a unit of Brown & Brown Inc.
Josephine Copeland, PMA Cos.
Yosha DeLong, Zurich North America
Randi Ellias, Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP
Tracey Gibbons, Third Point Re Co. Ltd.
Krista Glenn, IAT Insurance Group Inc.
Kris Hill, QBE North America
Lisa Humphrey, Chubb Ltd.
Wesley Hyatt, Liberty Mutual Insurance Co.
Michele Jacobson, Stroock & Strook & Lavan LLP
Jodi Kaufman Davis, H.W. Kaufman Group
Nancy Korcinsky, Willis Towers Watson PLC
Heather Matthews, Crawford & Co.
Stephanie McCloud, Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation
Mary McIvor, American International Group Inc.
Lisa Melillo, Travelers Cos. Inc.
Courtney Osborne, El-Ad Holdings Inc.
Sarah Robson, Marsh Canada Ltd., a unit of Marsh LLC
Rosa Royo, Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Marijo Storment, Paradigm Management Services LLC
Arleen Taveras, Spot On Insurance
Jennifer Torneden, Aon PLC
Anne Marie Towle, Hylant Group Inc.
Grace Vandecruze, Grace Global Capital LLC
Stacy Williams, Gallagher Bassett Services Inc.
2018 W2W Winners
2018 Inaugural Inspiration Award Recipient
Pamela J. Newman, The Newman Group at Aon
Read the announcement.
Women to Watch EMEA 2018
Read the winner profiles.
Read the announcement.
Olivia Cooper, Willis Towers Watson PLC
Sarah De Rocco, Marsh SpA
Kirsten Early, Broadspire UK, a unit of Crawford & Co.
Catherine French, Marsh Ltd.
Debbie Hobbs, EmergIn Risk, a unit of Ryan Specialty Group LLC
Gladys Karuri, Britam Holdings Ltd.
Jane Kielty, Aon PLC
Jacqueline Legrand, Brokerslink
Ewa Machlarz, Travelers Insurance Co. Ltd., a unit of Travelers Cos. Inc.
Delphine Traore Maidou, Allianz Africa, a unit of Allianz SE
Jennifer Martin, Pen Underwriting Ltd., a unit of Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
Sima Ruparelia, AIG Europe Ltd., a unit of American International Group Inc.
Leonora Siccardi, Aon Benfield
Kadidja Sinz, Liberty Special Markets, a unit of Liberty Mutual Insurance Co.
Hélène Stanway, Axa XL, a division of Axa SA
Women to Watch 2018
Read the winner profiles.
Read the announcement.
Mahshameen Ahmad, Crum & Forster Holdings Corp., a unit of Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd.
Meg Allwein, Assurex Global Corp.
Allison Barrett, Willis Towers Watson PLC
Kelley Bernal, SIU Managers, a unit of Alliant Insurance Services Inc.
Nancy Bewlay, Axa XL, a division of Axa SA
Sandra Bigglestone, Vermont Department of Financial Regulation
Nina Boone, Aon PLC
Crystal Brown, The Doctor’s Co.
Andrea Buhl, Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc.
Rebecca Cady, Children’s National Medical Center
Ellen Charnley, Marsh Captive Solutions
Laura Coppola, Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty, a unit of Allianz SE
Nora Deveau, Arch Insurance Group Inc., a unit of Arch Capital Group Ltd.
Lainie Dorneker, Ironshore Inc., a unit of Liberty Mutual Insurance Co.
Jessica Getman, Brown & Brown Northwest Insurance
Susan Gildea, Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Co.
Mona Hanna, Michelman & Robinson LLP
Kathy Kranz, Pinnacol Assurance
Aquanda Lewis, One Call
Deirdre Martin, American International Group Inc.
Carolyn Polikoff, Woodruff Sawyer & Co.
Risa Ryan, Munich Re America, a unit of Munich Reinsurance Co.
Rekha Schipper, Tangram Insurance Services
Sarah Sherman, JLT Specialty USA, a unit of Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group PLC
Mary Beth Smykowski, Masco Corp.
Sonja Teague, ESIS Inc., a unit of Chubb Ltd.
Liz Walker, Groupon Inc.
Jeanette Ward, Texas Mutual Insurance Co.
Catherine Whiddon, Westchester, a unit of Chubb Ltd.
Karen Williams, Krauter & Co.
2017 W2W Winners
Women to Watch EMEA 2017
Read the winner profiles.
Read the announcement.
Amy Barnes, Marsh Ltd.
Gillian Barnes, Ironshore Inc.
Heather Batchelor, Travelers Co. Inc.
Catherine Bourland, Aon Benfield
Rachel Cope, FM Global
Andrea Fregona, Crawford & Co.
Simona Fumagalli, XL Catlin
Janice Hamilton, Amtrust International
Tracy Harrington Cloud, Axis Capital Holdings Ltd.
Patty Karuiahe-Martin, Namibia Reinsurance Corp.
Mary O'Connor, Willis Towers Watson P.L.C.
Romaney O’Malley, American International Group Inc.
Julie Page, Aon Risk Solutions
Kerry Rainer, Xchanging P.L.C.
Carol Richmond, Arthur J. Gallagher
Women to Watch 2017
Read the winner profiles.
Read the announcement.
Pamela Anthony, Restore Rehabilitation, L.L.C.
Lori Bailey, Zurich North America, a unit of Zurich Insurance Group Ltd.
Meredith Bullock, Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Co.
Lisa Corless, AF Group
Constance A. Endelicato, Wood Smith Henning & Berman L.L.P.
Gayle Falvey, Hanover Insurance Group Inc.
Erica Fichter, Broadspire Services Inc., a unit of Crawford & Co.
Elizabeth Fitch, Righi Fitch Law Group
Shannon Groeber, JLT Specialty USA, a unit of Jardine Lloyd Thompson P.L.C.
LaKeysha Greer Isaac, Cosmich Simmons & Brown P.L.L.C.
Christy Kaufman, Marsh & McLennan Cos. Inc.
Kim Kramer, American International Group Inc.
Lisa Kerr, Henry Schein Inc.
Debra Livingston, ReEmployAbility Inc.
Barbara Luck, XL Group Ltd.
Erin Lynch, Beecher Carlson Holdings Inc.
Brenna Melvin, Alliant Insurance Services Inc.
Debbie Michel, Liberty Mutual Insurance Co.
Penni L. Nelson, Hillwood Co. L.L.C.
Carolyn O'Connor, Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker L.L.P.
Kendra Schropp, On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina
Veronica Scotti, Swiss Re Ltd.
Leigh Anne Sherman, Chubb Ltd.
Teresa Snider, Butler Rubin Saltarelli & Boyd L.L.P.
Jillian Slyfield, Aon Risk Solutions
Julie Stephenson, CNA Financial Corp.
Lynn Tu, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
Alice Underwood, Willis Towers Watson P.L.C.
Dawn Watkins, Los Angeles Unified School District
Kathleen Zortman, QBE North America, a unit of QBE Insurance Group Ltd.