One year ago today, the LA wildfires changed lives, neighborhoods, and the way many of us think about risk, resilience, and recovery.

In the first episode of season 3, I interview Shanna McIntyre, co-founder and Chief Data Officer at Delos. Shanna’s journey into the industry began far from it, with a background in physics, aerospace, and satellite data, before she and her co-founder recognized the urgent need to apply serious science to one of the most personal challenges facing homeowners today. We talk about why insurance is such a critical enabler of stability and recovery, how wildfires have exposed the limits of traditional risk models, and what the industry has learned in the year since communities were forced to rebuild.

Shanna shares how Delos’s wildfire hazard models performed during recent fires, and how better data, automation, and climate-aware science can actually expand insurability rather than restrict it. We discuss the role insurers played in recovery, the emotional weight these moments carry for homeowners, and why understanding the full insurance ecosystem is essential to creating equitable, sustainable solutions. What stayed with me most was Shanna’s belief that curiosity is a catalyst for progress: when we truly understand risk, we can price it more fairly, respond faster, and design coverage that meets people where they are, especially when they need it most.

In my final 2025 collaboration episode with ISC Group, I interviewed Alisa Grafton for a timely and intriguing conversation about Generation Z and how their digital-first upbringing is reshaping the workplace. Alisa breaks down what truly sets Gen Z apart, from being the first generation to never know an analog world, to growing up amid constant global crises and identity-driven conversations around diversity and authenticity. We talked about how this exposure has shaped a generation that is purpose-driven, entrepreneurial, and deeply values transparency, while also sometimes struggling to build offline connections in a hyper-connected world.

We also dug into the real challenges leaders are facing as Gen Z enters the workforce, especially after the pandemic disrupted traditional professional development. Alisa debunks common myths, reframing Gen Z as pragmatic, transactional, and intentional about where they invest their energy. Our conversation explores how this generation is rewriting workplace rules through flexibility, side hustles, and reverse mentorship, and what leaders can do to meet them where they are.

In this episode, I interview Carrie Conejo, Executive Vice President of Client Services at C3. Carrie shares her journey from claims into leadership, and how building systems, processes, and efficiencies became her way of supporting the people who serve clients every day. We also talk about the impact of a supportive company culture, leadership that models positive behavior, and colleagues who work passionately towards the company's goals and have fun while doing it.

My favorite part of my conversation with Carrie was her openness about life outside of work. As a remote professional long before it became common, she shares how that flexibility allowed her to show up fully for her youngest son, who has Down Syndrome, and how navigating therapy schedules, appointments, and milestones deepened her understanding of what real support looks like in the workplace. We talk about the power of finding “your people,” of getting into the room with others who understand your stage of life, and of leadership that lifts, not stifles, talent. Carrie is someone whose honesty, heart, and operational brilliance shine through in everything she does.

In this episode, I interview Dana Marie Applegate, and we discuss her destiny in claims. After participating in mock interviews while looking for her lifelong career path, every single evaluator told her that claims were for her. With her legal background, her ability to think critically, and her lifelong superpower of asking a million questions (a self-proclaimed five-year-old “but why?” kid), she stepped into a field where every claim is a puzzle, sometimes missing pieces, sometimes oddly shaped, always uniquely human. And that complexity is what made her fall in love with the work. Claims, she says, will always be home.

We also dive deep into the leadership lessons Dana has learned along the way, starting with some of the toughest and most transformative feedback she ever received. Dana is the opposite of a “yes woman.” She’s a truth-teller, someone who believes bad news is manageable when paired with solutions and honesty. She also opens up about navigating the hard moments with other women and how she actively restores her faith by reaching out to the women who lift her up. Dana has a grounding belief that you must always return to who you are at your core and carry yourself with integrity, even when others don’t deserve that kindness.

At the RISE Summit in Fort Lauderdale this June, I had the privilege of sitting down with six extraordinary young women who were recognized as part of the RISE 35 Under 35 Awards, and this conversation left me completely energized about the future of our industry. These women aren’t just rising talent; they’re already shaping what insurance will look like in the years ahead. I was joined by Alyssa Sanchez (RYZE Claim Solutions), Angel Song (Sunereum Labs), Emily Cameron (Gain Life), Mykaela Ionta (The Hartford), Peyton Rudolph (GradGuard), and Siena Pizzano (Sompo), a powerhouse group representing recruitment, innovation, underwriting, product, marketing, and then some.

If these six are any indication of what's ahead, our industry’s future is in exceptional hands. I’m deeply grateful to RISE Professionals for creating a platform that uplifts, celebrates, and invests in emerging talent, and honored to showcase the voices of the next generation of insurance leaders.

In this episode, I interview Caryn Siebert, Vice President, National Director of Carrier Engagement at Gallagher Bassett, and a respected leader, mentor, and advocate. Caryn’s career has spanned law, claims leadership, and executive roles across the industry, but an unchanging value is her lifelong commitment to developing people and leading with purpose.

We talk about her journey, from navigating complex claims and litigation to building inclusive, high-performing teams. Caryn shares how her work has always been about more than results, it’s about raising the bar for professionalism and creating a culture where people feel seen, supported, and challenged to grow.

Caryn also discusses the importance of effective communication, what it means to listen, to mentor with intention, and to make space for new voices at the table.

In this episode, I sit down with Heather Blevins, Content Programming Lead at JS Held, and a passionate leader and advocate who’s shining a much-needed light on the mental health challenges faced by claims professionals. Heather shares how her own experiences in the field inspired her to take action, to name what so many in the industry feel but rarely talk about: burnout, compassion fatigue, and the emotional toll of the work.

Heather discusses the important work of Project 55, a non-profit examining the mental well-being of insurance professionals, and a study she is working on, Heather is helping bring data and humanity together to drive meaningful change. Heather also talks about what it means to create psychological safety in an industry built around other people’s hardest moments.

In this episode, I interview two incredible women who turned connection into community impact: Maggie Potter, Managing Shareholder at Segal McCambridge’s Tampa office, and Misty Carson, Business Development Executive and Workforce Strategist at OneDigital. What began as a chance meeting at an APIW Tampa event quickly blossomed into a deep friendship and shared purpose. Together, Maggie and Misty founded the Florida chapter of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF), a vision born from their desire to create something lasting and meaningful in their state.

Throughout our conversation, Maggie and Misty reflect on how friendship, purpose, and community are all beautifully intertwined. Their work with organizations like the PACE Center for Girls has not only changed lives but also reshaped their own perspectives on leadership, opportunity, and self-belief. Misty shared, “Our mindset can get in our way so much… if we don’t believe that we deserve opportunity, it’s really difficult to take that opportunity and do something with it.” Together, they embody what it means to “build a longer table”, lifting others as they lead, challenging each other to grow, and reminding us that true impact starts when we combine passion with partnership.