Profiles of the 2021 Women in Insurance Leadership

October 25, 2021 12:44 PM

Digital Insurance is proud to announce the 2021 honorees for Women in Insurance Leadership. This year's group represents companies of varied shapes and sizes. Each distinguishes themselves in setting visionary leadership for the post-pandemic digital transformation of the industry. Full profiles are now available for each honoree. They will be recognized at our upcoming DIGIN 2021 and Women in Insurance Leadership live event. Let's meet the group:

Laurie Branch

President and CEO, Iroquois Group

Longtime CEO of national agency network grew it from two to 48 states, then managed transition to remote work to retain staff during the pandemic. Branch also works as an adjunct professor at St. Bonaventure University. Read full profile

Patty Crawford

Head of platforms, Aon

In her decade with Aon, Crawford has led the way in executing multimillion-dollar digital transformation and innovation projects. A recently launched artificial intelligence program operationalizes data in a way that saves brokers valuable client-facing time. Read full profile

Debra Dunn

SVP, General Manager Property Products, USAA

Dunn has worked to transform USAA's coverages to more accurately reflect 21st-century risks, including a Personal Technology endorsement for renters' insurance and a cyber security partnership. She also launched the USAA P&C Women in Leadership program this year. Read full profile

Kathleen Ellis

Senior Vice President, International Solutions, CNA

Ellis joined CNA with the mandate to increase its international business, and is recognized for her enthusiasm in leading that charge. She was instrumental in the development of ComPass, the company's first globally focused technology platform. Read full profile

Emily Fink

Executive Vice President and Chief Experience Officer, Liberty Mutual

Fink has presided over an integrated, streamlined approach to Liberty Mutual's digital strategy, including integration of telematics into the company's main app. This has led to a 20% lift in customer and agent interaction with the company's digital properties in the past year. Read full profile

Gloria Guntinas

COO, Pouch Insurance Services

Guntinas helped build the tech backbone for Pouch, an insurtech offering commercial auto coverage heavily informed by telematics technology. Now, she's working with one of its major investors to expand the breadth of insurtech solutions in the market. Read full profile

Lindsay Hanson

Vice President, Head of Behavioral Insurance, Global Strategy and Delivery, John Hancock

Lindsay Hanson, Vice President, Head of Behavioral Insurance, Global Strategy and Delivery, John Hancock.

Hanson builds strategic business partnerships that transform the buying experience and expand on the John Hancock's new approach to life insurance, which started in her previous position as head of Vitality strategy and operations. Read full profile

Emily Hartman

Chief, Business Teams, Allianz Partners USA

Hartman is responsible for leading the teams that manage travel insurance, event ticket insurance, registration protection and tuition insurance, as well as assistance services and third party claims administration for credit card companies. The pandemic pressured these lines heavily, and she has navigated the business through the emergency whole. Read full profile

Nancy Newmister

President and CEO, Frederick Mutual Insurance Company

Since her appointment as CEO in 2016, Newmister has seen Frederick Mutual introduce a new business owner’s product, enter additional states, improve rate adequacy, and refine agent relationships. Read full profile

Jessica Rurka

VP, Distribution Sales Operations, Lincoln Financial Group

As the pandemic created new and evolving technology needs, Rurka helped her organization’s sales team embrace new ways of working. She played a key role in the transition to a virtual wholesaling model, setting up technology consultations, establishing pilots for new equipment, software and testing a team to help troubleshoot technology issues. Read full profile

Women in Insurance Leadership