ALTAWORLD
2025
DATE
NOVEMBER 12, 13 & 14
2025
DOUBLETREE SUITES BY HILTON
BOSTON - CAMBRIDGE , USA
VENUE
EMAIL US ON
FOR MORE INFO
marketing@altaworld.tech
events.altaworld.tech
Women In Insurance Tech
Nov 12 & 13, 2025
Conference
Insurance Transformation
#ITS2025
Summit
Nov 13 & 14, 2025
#ITS2025
#WITC2025
AND
Trailblazing Leadership Discussions –
Roundtables on shaping the future of
insurance technology, building diverse tech
teams, and navigating leadership challenges.
Mentorship & Allyship – Fireside chats on
empowering women in the digital age.
Work-Life Balance & Wellbeing – Sessions on
retention in remote-first teams and harmony
in high-growth roles
Inclusion & Identity – Panel on LGBTQ &
Women in Insurance leadership journeys
Technology Focus – Talks on GenAI
applications in insurance and automation in
claims
Thank you for joining us for the 6th Annual
— the flagship event celebrating women’s leadership, innovation, and impact in the
insurance and insurtech space. Over the next three days, Altaworld’s Boston Insuretech
Experience will bring together female leaders, entrepreneurs, and technology visionaries
driving digital transformation across the insurance industry.
WITC 2025 offers inspiring keynotes, interactive sessions, and real-world success stories
focused on empowering women to lead change through innovation, collaboration, and
technology. Attendees will gain insights into emerging tools such as AI, automation, and
no-code platforms, while exploring strategies for CX transformation, data trust, and
digital modernization.
Running alongside WITC 2025, the
provides
a broader platform for industry-wide innovation. Covering topics like touchless claims,
embedded insurance, and infrastructure modernization, ITC brings insurers, innovators,
and tech enablers together to define the next era of digital insurance.
Together, #WITC2025 and #ITS2025 deliver an unparalleled experience — blending
leadership empowerment and technological transformation to shape the future of
insurance.
Join us this November for two dynamic days of connection, innovation, and
transformation — where women lead and technology inspires.
inspires.
Women in Insurance Tech Conference (WITC
2025)
Insurance Transformation Summit (ITS 2025)
Event Overview
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
ALTAWORLD
2025
AI-Powered Innovation – Sessions exploring
the rise of Generative AI, automation, and
augmented intelligence in reshaping
underwriting, claims, and risk management.
Human + Machine Synergy – Panels
highlighting how AI and human expertise
combine to deliver smarter, faster, and more
empathetic customer experiences.
Sustainability & Purpose-Driven Innovation –
Conversations on creating value through
sustainable business practices, ethical AI, and
purpose-led transformation.
Future-Ready Strategy – Executive
roundtables on balancing modernization,
customer-centricity, and long-term digital
strategy in a rapidly evolving landscape.
ALTAWORLD
2025
Day 1: 12 November 2025
8:00 AM - Registration
9:00 AM - Opening Remarks & Welcome Note by Altaworld
9:05 AM - Chairperson’s Welcome Address
Vinita Jajware-Beatty, President, Toronto Insurance Women's Association (TIWA)
9:10 AM - Leaders’ Dialogue: Trailblazing Women: Shaping the Future of Insurance Technology
Leadership
Moderator: Bobbie Srivastav, Co-founder & CEO, Solvrays
Panelists:
Julianna Muir, Founder & CEO, Vellum Insurance
Georgette Loizou, Chief Executive Officer, PCIS
Mireia Rojo Arribas, Vice President Advanced Analytics, MAPFRE Insurance
9:55 AM - Fireside Chat: Mentorship in the Digital Age
Moderator: Kim Morton, Founder & President, First Division Marketing
Panelist
Xu Cheng, Group Head of Data Strategy & Insights, Ascot Group
Megan Bell, SVP Marketing, Falvey Insurance Group
Kerry Macca, Founder, GTMCollective
Bhamini Patel, Innovation Strategist / Risk Mitigation Professional, The Hartford
10:45 AM - Morning Refreshments & Networking
11:30 AM - Executive Conversation: Becoming a Woman CIO: Leading with Strategy, Presence, and
Vision in the AI Era
Moderator: Deb Smallwood, Founder & Creator, Selfpowerment
Panelists:
Juliette Peguero, AVP, IT Solutions & Delivery, The Hanover Insurance Group
Kimberly Foss, Head of IT Strategy & Delivery, Talcott Financial Group
12:10 PM - Asking the Right Questions - Validating Property Data and Finding More Resilient Policies
Valkyrie Holmes, CEO & Co-Founder, Faura
12:40PM - Panel discussion: Wellbeing & Retention in Remote-First Teams
Moderator: Meredith Barnes-Cook, Senior Principal, Insurance Practice, Datos Insights
Panellist:
Kate Terry, President, Kate Terry & Company
Sarah Moore, Chief Financial Officer, NCJUA
April Willers, Chief Operating Officer, ClaimDeck
Women in Insurance Tech Conference
Room: Charles River Ballroom
ALTAWORLD
2025
Day 1: 12 November 2025
1:25 PM - Lunch & Networking
2:15 PM - Executive Conversation: Authenticity as a leadership advantage: How intersectional
leaders are changing insurance technology
Moderator: Vinita Jajware-Beatty, President & Board Chair, TIWA
Panelists:
Nikki Fischer-Quittmeyer, Chief Revenue Officer, LBee Health
Lauren Howard, Chief Executive Officer, LBee Health
2:55 PM - PE Trends Shaping the Insurance Distribution Landscape
Delanea Davis, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Experience Design International
Susan Winkler, Vice President & Executive Director, Connecticut Insurance and Financial
Services (CT IFS)
3:25PM Workshop: Strategic Storytelling for Influence
Janet Moylan, SVP, Chief Operations Officer, North American Underwriting Group, Allied World
3:55 PM - Afternoon break & Networking
4:35 PM - GenAI applications in insurance
Jamie Warner, Managing Director, Data Science & Pricing, Plymouth Rock Insurance
5:05 PM - Fireside Chat: Driving Digital Distribution: Strategies for Insurtech Growth and Customer
Experience
Moderator: Priya Raghunathan, Vice President, Digital Strategy, LPL Financial
Panelists:
Melissa Sullivan, Managing Director, JP Morgan Private Bank
Melissa Gardner, Head of Fidelity Insurance Agency, Fidelity Investments
Cathy Borgman, Head of Adoption & Platform Growth, Ensight Cloud
Hilani Kerr, Head of Wealth & Distribution, Zinnia
5:55 PM Closing remarks
6:00 PM Networking Hour & End of Day 1
Women in Insurance Tech Conference
Room: Charles River Ballroom
ALTAWORLD
2025
Speakers - Day 1 - November 12, 2025
Vinita Jajware-Beatty
President & Board Chair, Toronto Insurance Women's Association
Vinita Jajware-Beatty, is the President of the Toronto Insurance Women's Association
(TIWA), a not-for-profit trade association. Elected President in 2016, she has modernized
the organization's goals and reinvigorated it as a celebrated staple of the insurance
industry. As President, Vinita acts as a resource for the entire insurance community,
including brokers, underwriters, claims, and risk management professionals.
She has been involved with TIWA since its launch in 2020 and is also a speaker and moderator at various
insurance and technology conferences.
Bobbie Srivastav
Co-founder & CEO, Solvrays
Known for tackling complex, legacy, or messy problems, she focuses on delivering real outcomes and bringing
people along in the process. Her journey began with Docsmore, a workflow-driven document automation
platform, inspired by a personal experience with maternity benefits paperwork. She is also a co-author of
"Momentum: Makers & Builders" and co-hosts "Insurance Sync." A fierce advocate for women in Insurance and
Insurtech, she has initiated numerous groups to foster community among women in the industry.
Bobbie Shrivastav is the Co-Founder & CEO of Solvrays, an AI-driven workflow platform
designed to eliminate over 70% of manual work in insurance back-office operations. She
previously co-founded Benekiva, where she led operations, security, and product as COO
and acting CISO, growing the company from 3 to over 110 people and serving more than 20
insurers.
Julianna Muir
Founder & CEO, Vellum Insurance
With decades of experience in the industry, Julianna’s seen the archaic data and analytics
infrastructure that underpins the insurance/reinsurance market. Today, she leads the
evolution to drive transparency and efficiency across the insurance value chain.
Georgette Loizzou
Chief Executive Officer, PCIS
Georgette is a member of NYC Association of Insurance Women and New York Claim Association.
Georgette Loizou was appointed CEO of PCIS in February 2022. An experienced business
leader, Georgette will lead PCIS’ anticipated growth phase. Georgette Loizou has worked in
the business for more than 20 years. Her roles have included Vice President of PCIS and
President of P&C Claims. As Executive Vice President of PCIS, she oversaw strategic
planning, client relationships and project management for the company.
ALTAWORLD
2025
Speakers - Day 1 - November 12, 2025
Mireia Rojo Arribas
Vice President Advanced Analytics, MAPFRE
Mireia Rojo Arribas is the Vice President of Advanced Analytics at MAPFRE Insurance, a
leading global insurance company. She is responsible for leading data-driven strategies
and initiatives. Her career began in Spain, where she gained extensive experience in data
science and Artificial Intelligence within the data sector.
Before moving to the United States two years ago, she led the Corporate Advanced Analytics strategy from a
technical perspective for MAPFRE Group. Mireia's strategic vision and analytical skills have been crucial in using
data to optimize business processes, improve customer experiences, and drive innovation. She is committed to
shaping the future of data-driven solutions in the insurance industry.
Kim Morton
Founder & President, First Division Marketing
Accomplished marketing professional with analyst relations, demand generation, product
marketing and strategic planning expertise. Results-driven team player with exceptional
work ethic and proven track record in driving the adoption of technology into the insurance
industry. High-energy with superior relationship building skills and an extensive network in
the insurance industry.
Xu Cheng
Group Head of Data Strategy & Insights, Ascot Group
Recognized as a Global Top 100 Innovator in Data & Analytics by Corinium for two
consecutive years (2023 & 2024), and awarded Data Culture Champion of the Year (2024),
Xu is dedicated to facilitating access to valuable data and insights for improved decision-
making. Known for high energy and passion for data, insurance, and tennis, they excel at
fostering trusting relationships between business and technology teams.
Megan Bell
SVP Marketing , Falvey Insurance Group
A 2025 RISE LEAD Award finalist and recipient of the 2024 ACORD Women’s Insurance Advancement Award, Megan
is a recognized industry leader committed to equity, mentorship, and inclusion. She volunteers for multiple
associations including ISC Group (US Ambassador), The Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (Northeast
Board Member), Women In Insurance Initiative, Insurance Marketing & Communications Association, and
Rising Insurance Star Executives, and holds a B.A. in English Communications and Spanish from Emmanuel
College.
Megan Bell leads marketing, communications, and customer experience at Falvey
Insurance Group, bringing over eight years of insurance industry expertise and a dynamic
background in consumer-packaged goods. She is the creator and host of the women in
insurance podcast, InsHER, a two-time winner of the 2025 Insurance Insider US Honors.
Their mission is to ensure technology delivers business-useful tools and drives their adoption. They empower
business teams to become more data-savvy and tech-savvy by designing and executing strategic roadmaps
for data, analytics, and business intelligence, building robust infrastructure, and promoting self-service data
analytics.
ALTAWORLD
2025
Speakers - Day 1 - November 12, 2025
Kerry Macca
Founder, GTMCollective
With over 30 years in insurance, SaaS technology, and data analytics, this individual is a
catalyst for growth, transformation, and innovation. Their expertise spans both business
and technology, delivering strategic excellence and measurable results. They have a
proven track record of scaling businesses organically by over 120%, enhancing customer
retention, and building high-performing teams, achieving over 300% organic growth and
driving over 500% growth at a technology market leader.
Passionate about redefining what's possible, they blend visionary leadership with hands-on execution,
developing tailored sales strategies and leveraging data-driven insights. Guided by core values of relationships,
purpose, empowerment, and continuous learning, they partner with organizations to unlock new opportunities
and achieve sustained, measurable results in the insurance industry.
Bhamini R. Patel
Innovation Strategist & Program Manager | Risk Mitigation Professional,
The Hartford's Innovation & Y-Risk Labs
Bhamini R. Patel is a visionary leader in P & C Strategy and Innovation Lab at The Hartford,
with over 25 years of experience in healthcare, telecom, and insurance. She brings a
unique blend of strategic insight and executional excellence to innovation, product
development, and inclusive growth.
Deb Smallwood
Founder & Creator, Selfpowerment
Deb M. Smallwood is a retired insurance executive and thought leader, and the Creator
and Founder of SelfPowerment. She is also the author of a book project on SelfPowerment,
which explores her journey and shares four steps for high-performing women to achieve
liberation by embracing their inner power. Her work includes insights and research from
interviews with 50 women, mostly in the insurance industry. She was also the Founder and
CEO of Strategy Meets Action (SMA) before its acquisition by ReSource Pro.
Bhamini is a recognized voice on culture and leadership, having spoken at global forums such as Dive In Festival
and Insurtech Hartford. Bhamini serves on the Insurtech Hartford Board, holds an elected position within the State
of CT in a city comprising of approximately 15,000 constituents, and founded the Asian American Insurance
Network’s Hartford, CT Chapter which promotes networking, mentorship, and advocacy. Passionate about
creating equitable spaces and empowering underrepresented voices, Bhamini's journey also spans public
health, policy, technology, and community leadership. Guided by her Indian philosophy Vasudhaiva
Kutumbakam, “the world is one family”, Bhamini believes we rise higher when we uplift each other.
Juliette Peguero
AVP, IT Solutions Delivery, The Hanover Insurance Group
She leads high-performing teams in delivering innovative technology solutions across multiple Specialty Lines
portfolios at The Hanover Insurance Group, enabling organizations to align IT capabilities with business strategy,
accelerate outcomes, and foster long-term growth. Juliette is passionate about building strong partnerships and
empowering teams to thrive in dynamic environments.
Juliette M. Peguero is AVP, IT Solutions and Delivery, Hanover. She brings over a decade of
leadership experience in Property & Casualty insurance and Information Technology,
specializing in driving strategic change through complex program delivery, cross-
functional collaboration, and a relentless focus on business value.
ALTAWORLD
2025
Speakers - Day 1 - November 12, 2025
Kimberly Foss
Head of IT Strategy & Delivery, Talcott Financial Group
Kimberly Foss is the Head of IT Strategy & Delivery at Talcott Financial Group. She is an
accomplished technology executive with over two decades of experience in the insurance
industry. In her role, she oversees portfolio management, investment planning, and
governance to ensure initiatives deliver on strategic priorities. Kimberly has led major
transformations including digital modernization, cloud adoption, and enterprise Agile at
scale. She is also a committed advocate for developing young professionals, mentoring
future leaders, and creating forums that foster growth and inclusion.
Valkyrie Holmes
CEO/Cofounder, Faura
Valkyrie Holmes is the CEO and Cofounder of Faura, an insurtech startup that provides loss
control solutions to insurers with high-risk books of business. She began her work as a data
analyst and engineering intern at SpaceX before being awarded the 776 Fellowship to work
in sustainability. Since then, Faura has performed hundreds of thousands of assessments
to add climate resilience data to the insurance market and is now operational across the
country. She has previously been recognized by Reuters, State Farm, Urban Future Lab and
more, having spoken with SXSW, Gartner, Aspen Ideas, and more.
Meredith Barnes-Cook
Senior Principal, Insurance Practice, Datos Insights
She was also the industry GTM strategist at an AI customer experience SaaS startup, where she focused on growth
and brand awareness, leveraging data-driven strategies to achieve success.
Meredith Barnes-Cook is a Senior Principal Insurance Practice at Datos Insights. With four
decades of experience in insurance operations and technology, she helps carriers and
solution providers navigate the digital landscape. Her expertise spans the entire insurance
value chain, including claims, product, and underwriting. Previously, she spent 33 years at
Liberty Mutual, driving digital and organizational transformations.
Kate Terry
President, Kate Terry & Company
Passionate about redefining what's possible, they blend visionary leadership with hands-on execution, developing
tailored sales strategies and leveraging data-driven insights. Guided by core values of relationships, purpose,
empowerment, and continuous learning, they partner with organizations to unlock new opportunities and achieve
sustained, measurable results in the insurance industry.
With over 30 years in insurance, SaaS technology, and data analytics, this individual is a
catalyst for growth, transformation, and innovation. Their expertise spans both business
and technology, delivering strategic excellence and measurable results. They have a
proven track record of scaling businesses organically by over 120%, enhancing customer
retention, and building high-performing teams, achieving over 300% organic growth and
driving over 500% growth at a technology market leader.
ALTAWORLD
2025
Speakers - Day 1 - November 12, 2025
Sarah Moore
Chief Financial Officer, NCJUA
Sarah Moore is the Chief Financial Officer of the North Carolina Joint Underwriting
Association (NCJUA) and the North Carolina Insurance Underwriting Association (NCIUA).
She began her career in public accounting at Johnson Lambert & Co., auditing insurance
companies. Later, she served as Assistant Controller at Medical Mutual Insurance
Company. In 2020, Sarah joined NCJUA/NCIUA as Accounting Manager and now, as CFO,
she oversees all accounting, finance, mail, and print operations. She holds a Bachelor of
Science in Accounting and a Master of Accounting, and is a Certified Public Accountant
(CPA).
April Willers
Chief Operating Officer, ClaimDeck
For the last 20 years April has been infusing innovation into operations and delivering on
customer experience, optimization, and growth. She has always focused on building and
inspiring a collaborative team culture by rolling up her sleeves and jumping into every
aspect of the business, from customer service to insights & analytics, where every decision
and process is directly linked to the customer and scalable growth.
Nikki Fischer-Quittmeyer
Chief Revenue Officer, LBee Health
With over 25 years in sales and sales leadership roles at Aetna and most recently leading New England for
Highmark repeatedly breaking sales records, growing dormant markets and new product launch initiatives. She
has worked with top academic institutions, Fortune 500 companies, national brokerage firms, health-plans and
third-party administrators in crafting responsive benefit programs to serve their unique population health needs.
Nikki has deep experience in customizing benefits and clinical solutions for the diverse needs of employees to
improve recruitment, retention, access, performance and manage employer healthcare spend. She also serves on
the boards of both the New England Medical Association and Gems@TheArts locally here in Massachusetts.
Nikki is the Chief Revenue Officer of LBee Health, a national telemedicine neuro-affirming
mental health care, assessment and support healthcare company that has redesigned
and built the leading integrated support for neurodiverse employees to improve their
workplace success, faster access to specialized affirming care and new innovations in this
space not available anywhere else globally. In addition, she is the Founder and Managing
Consultant of Bentonwood Consulting. She has deep national healthcare and employee
benefit expertise.
Throughout her executive operations career - at the intersection of servant leadership, innovation, strategy,
operations optimization, and customer obsession - she has helped multi-billion dollar companies grow
strategically and financially, across diverse industries, and has propelled startups into high-growth businesses
attracting equity investment.
Lauren Howard
Chief Executive Officer, LBee Health
With over a decade of experience in clinical operations and digital health strategy, Lauren empowers others to
prioritize their mental well-being. Through her work, she aims to foster open conversations about mental health
and create accessible resources for those in need.
Lauren, aka L2, is a passionate mental health advocate and the founder of LBee Health, a
neuro-affirming mental health clinic dedicated to creating safe and accessible mental
health solutions and care for every identity. She is also the host of the Different, Not Broken
Podcast, which has 50k downloads in only seven months and is charting on the Health and
Fitness charts in the U.S. and Japan.
ALTAWORLD
2025
Speakers - Day 1 - November 12, 2025
Delanea Davis
Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Experience Design International
Delanea Davis brings more than 25 years of experience in market research and IO
psychology with vertical expertise in P&C insurance and healthcare. She is a co-founder of
four companies spanning health & wellness, SaaS, management consulting, and retail
product. In addition to consulting for Fortune 100 companies, Delanea provides fractional
C-Suite strategic support for InsurTech and HealthTech Startups, Scale Ups, and those
seeking an exit.
Susan Winkler
Executive Director, Connecticut Insurance and Financial Services
Her work recently led to an international partnership between Connecticut and the U.K. to build Insurtech solutions
for the insurance industry. Ms. Winkler resides on numerous Boards and acts as an advisor for many local
academic institutions. She is especially fond of her work as the co-founder and current Board member of
Northside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance (NINA) in Hartford, CT. For 20 years, this non-profit has renovated
blighted properties in Hartford’s historic Asylum Hill neighborhood providing beautifully restored Victoria-era
homes and homeownership opportunities to many Hartford residents.
Susan represents the workforce and business interests of 25 major insurance and
financial services [IFS] companies in Connecticut, including P&C, life/retirement, and
health insurers, financial services companies and service providers. Ms. Winkler provides
strategic direction to a Board of Directors including public-private, high-priority projects of
workforce development and business recruitment to bring net new jobs to the Insurance
Capital of the U.S.
She is on the Board of InsurTech Hartford and is a keynote speaker for the National Youth Leadership Forum hosted
at Yale University. Previously, she co-founded the enterprise market research team for a top 10 carrier.
Janet Moylan
SVP, Chief Operations Officer, North American Underwriting Group, Allied
World
Savvy in engaging stakeholders and influencing buy-in for new initiatives. History of revitalizing large, cross-
functional, and geographically dispersed teams.
Transformational operations expert, conference speaker, and published author with over
20+ years of experience. Known for making bold, calculated moves to achieve growth
agendas and pioneering outside-the-box solutions to translate vision and strategy into
reality. Excel amid ambiguity – track record of building operating infrastructures from
scratch and effectively navigating organizations through changing marketplace
conditions.
Jamie Warner
Managing Director, Data Science & Pricing, Plymouth Rock Insurance
She has served in a range of data science and analytics-focused insurance roles throughout her tenure. Prior to
insurance, Jamie led consulting projects for technology vendors at Forrester Research. She holds an M.S. in
Business Analytics from Bentley University, a B.A. in Mathematics and Economics from Colby College, and earned
CPCU and AIDA designations. Jamie also teaches as an adjunct professor for Northeastern University’s Master’s of
Analytics program and is the vice chair of the ethics committee and a past president for the Boston Chapter
of the CPCU.
Jamie Warner is an analytics and data science leader with a passion for revolutionizing
how heavily regulated industries understand and adopt data science and AI. She is
currently a managing director at Plymouth Rock Assurance in Boston. Prior to Plymouth, she
launched and led data science organizations at multiple Fortune 200 insurers and drove
the creation of large-scale pricing and reserving models.
ALTAWORLD
2025
Speakers - Day 1 - November 12, 2025
Priya Raghunatha
Vice President, Digital Strategy Insurance & Annuities, LPL Financial
Priya is a Vice President-Digital Strategy for Life and Annuities solutions team at LPL
Financial. Priya’s professional mission is simple: Enable solutions that provides financial
protection to people and their families. A transformative leader at the intersection of
technology, strategy, and deep industry expertise, Priya drives strategy in the life insurance
and annuity sectors, dedicated to making financial security accessible.
Melissa Sullivan
Managing Director, JP Morgan Private Bank
Product Development team managing a team of professionals responsible for driving product development and
product management of investment solutions. Melissa joined J.P. Morgan in 2010 and brings expertise in the RIA
managed account and broker dealer space. Prior to joining J.P. Morgan, Melissa worked in product development
and management at Morgan Stanley (legacy Smith Barney). Melissa holds a B.S. in Industrial & Labor Relations
from Cornell University and an MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University. She resides with her
husband and children in Armonk, NY.
Melissa H. Sullivan is a Managing Director leading the product organization for Life
Insurance & Annuities, based in New York. In this capacity her team is responsible for both
client and advisor experience as well as product transformation and strategy for life
insurance and annuities distributed in J.P. Morgan’s Wealth Management channels (USPB,
CWM and JPMA). Prior to her current role, Melissa was the Head of Core and Advisory
At LPL, Priya and her team is expanding on this mission by innovating across the broader digital distribution,
investment management, and wealth technology landscape to incorporate life and annuities as part of the holistic
financial planning ecosystem. Prior to LPL, Priya’s career provides a 360-degree perspective on the insurance
industry, spanning the entire insurance life cycle with carriers, insurtechs, major financial institutions and risk
management organizations.
Melissa Gardner
Head of Fidelity Insurance Agency, Fidelity Investments
Melissa joined Fidelity in 1999 and started as a Developer in Defined Benefit. She later served as a Technical Leader
in roles that spanned Wealth Management. Melissa previously worked for John Hancock in Actuarial Product
Development and for Milliman within the Property and Casualty practice. Melissa has her bachelor’s degrees in
Actuarial Mathematics and Computer Science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and her MBA from Southern
New Hampshire University.
Melissa Gardner is the Head of Fidelity Insurance Agency Experience, leading multiple
teams developing the customer and advisor experience for Fidelity’s protection portfolio. In
this role, she is responsible and accountable for the strategy, technology and experience
associated with all carrier and industry programs, the digitization and scale for customer
onboarding, account opening, post-issue online/mobile capabilities as well as automating
ongoing operations.
ALTAWORLD
2025
Speakers - Day 1 - November 12, 2025
Cathy Borgman
Head of Adoption & Platform Growth, Ensight Cloud
Cathy Borgman is a seasoned sales leader with more than 20 years of experience driving
growth and transformation across the insurance and financial services industries. During
her tenure at Pacific Life, she led internal sales teams and partnered on key sales
enablement initiatives that enhanced field performance and strengthened distribution
relationships.
Hilani Kerr
Head of Wealth & Distribution, Zinnia
Services, Fund Administration, Alternative Investments, Prime Brokerage, Lending/Financing, and Deposits. Hilani
Kerr leads the wealth and distribution platforms at Zinnia, applying 20 years of leadership across Wells Fargo, Bank
of America Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank and Porticoes Capital to embed insurance and wealth solutions into
unified financial strategies and broaden access to those products to all clients.
Hilani is international leader with extensive financial services experience gained in
Australia, London, Dublin, Jersey (Channel Islands), Mauritius, Hong Kong, and the USA.
Expertise spans Retail Banking, Institutional, Corporate, and Commercial Banking, as well as
Digital and Technology led Transformations. Key areas of focus include Private Equity,
Private Credit, Payments, Corporate Banking, Treasury/Transaction Services, Custody &
Trust
She later joined LPL Financial, where she led the BGA sales and case design teams and collaborated across all
channels—including independent advisors and institutions—to expand distributor success and field engagement.
Now as Head of Adoption & Platform Growth at Ensight, Cathy combines her deep carrier and distributor experience
with her passion for innovation in financial technology. She leads initiatives that help carriers and advisors embrace
AI-powered sales enablement tools and digital Agents, driving adoption, engagement, and measurable growth
across the Ensight platform.
ALTAWORLD
2025
Day 2 - 13 November 2025
Women in Insurance Tech Conference
Room: Charles River Ballroom
Insurance Transformation Summit
Room: Roosevelt Ballroom
8:45 AM - Registration
9:20 AM - Opening Remarks by Chairperson
Vinita Jajware-Beatty, President & Board Chair,
Toronto Insurance Women's Association
(TIWA)
9:30 AM - Panel Discussion: Leadership Expeditions
in Insurance Technology: Navigating Challenges
Moderator: Katherine M. Clark, Vice President,
Cyber Client Advisor, Marsh
Panelists:
Dipali Trivedi, Co-Founder & CTO, Everyday
Insurance
Kelly Kapla, VP Product & Engineering, Munichre
Speciality Insurance
Caitlin Alpern, Team Lead Complex & Large
Commercial, AXA XL
Nithila Jeyakumar, Assistant Vice President,
Berkshire Hathaway Speciality Insurance
10:20 AM - Modern Prospecting: Leveraging LinkedIn
and AI to Attract and Convert Quality Clients: How
insurance and financial professionals can use
technology and AI to grow their business with
intention?
Bruno Nicoletti, Chief Executive Officer,
Hummingbird
10:50 AM - Morning Refreshments & Networking
11:25 AM - In conversation: Female-Led Innovation
in MGAs
Marissa Buckley, Founder, RevUp
Dawn Zoppa, Co-Founder and Head of
Technology, Ascendex MGU
Deb Smallwood, Founder & Creator,
Selfpowerment
9:00 AM - Registration
9:40 AM - Opening Remarks by Altaworld
9:45 AM - Chairperson’s Welcome Address
Donna Pobiner, Founder & CEO, Offscript LLC
9:50 AM - Keynote Presentation: Beyond
Automation: The Rise of Augmented Humanity
(Shifting the narrative from replacement to
empowerment)
Awais Farooq, Senior Vice President of
Strategy and Transformation, Crawford &
Company
10:20 AM - View from the Top How senior leaders
at carriers and brokers are ACTUALLY using AI to
drive business results
Nirav Dagli, President & CEO, Spinnaker
Analytics
Manish Gupta, Managing Director, Spinnaker
Analytics
10:50 AM - Morning Refreshments & Networking
11:30 AM - Panel discussion: Data & Trust in
Customer Experience
Moderator: Julianna Muir, CEO and Founder,
Vellum Insurance
Panelist:
Lael Chappell, VP, Strategic Growth, Mission
US
Nicole Mitchell, Chief Architect & Head of
Delivery, SiriusPoint
Amin Touahri, Chief Commercial & Capital
Officer, Northern Re
ALTAWORLD
2025
Day 2: 13 November 2025
Women in Insurance Tech Conference
Room: Charles River Ballroom
Insurance Transformation Summit
Room: Roosevelt Ballroom
11:55 PM - Panel Discussion: Upskilling for the AI-
Powered Workplace
Moderator: Sarah Bogan, Founder, Maverick
Advisory Services
Panelists:
Jennifer Wilson, Cyber Practice Leader,
Newfront
Sudha Pininti, Director of Data Platform
Management, John Hancock
Laura Dinan Haber, Innovation Brand Director,
Nassau Financial Group
Emily Clark, Managing Principal, Capco
12:45 PM - Panel discussion: Automation in Claims:
Enhancing Efficiency and Customer Experience
Moderator: Laurel Jordan, TPA Officer & Insurance
Lead, Sutherland
Panelists:
Marni Mayer, VP, Senior Principal Product Owner,
Global IT Group, Allied World
Kimberly Duke, CMO & SVP, LIDP
Johanna Dunlap, Vice President Life & Annuity
Claims, National Life Group
1:30 PM - Closing remarks by Chairperson
1:35 PM - Lunch & Networking
2:00 PM End of WITC —------>> Move to
Insurance Transformation Summit
(Roosevelt Ballroom)
12:15PM - Panel Discussion: AI + Human Touch –
Redefining Engagement Models
Moderator: Meredith Barnes-Cook, Senior
Principal, Insurance Practice, Datos Insights
Panelist:
Jascha Prosiegel, Head of Insurtech
Programs, Munich Re
Sam McElhinney, Head of AI Products &
Platform, Unum
Arun Panneerselvam, Chief Data Officer,
Allied World
1:05 PM - Mastering the art of negotiating:
Strategies for claims professionals and beyond
Kabir Lawal, Director of Claims Services and
Claims Advocate, Marsh & McLennan Agency
1:30 PM - Lunch & Networking
2:25 PM - Using AI to Strengthen Fraud Detection
and Reduce Fraudulent Insurance Payouts
Vadim Belski, Head of AI and a Principal
Architect, ScienceSoft
2:55 PM - Panel discussion: Building Agile
Insurance Ecosystems
Moderator: Mark Roth, Volunteer, Insurance
Nerds
Panelists:
Penny Peterson, Product Manager,
ClaimDeck
Ankit Kumar, Head of Operations, Product &
Transformation, Hudson Insurance Group
Angeliki McCann, Director of Information
Technology, MAPFRE
3:40 PM - Afternoon break & Networking
CLICK TO PRE-REGISTER
FOR WITC 2026 TODAY
ALTAWORLD
2025
Day 2: 13 November 2025
4:25 PM - Why trust is your competitive advantage in a fast-changing world?
Sarah Terrelonge, Chief Marketing Officer, Clearspeed
4:55 PM - Panel discussion: Navigating the AI Frontier: Strategic Decision-Making and Engagement
Models
Moderator: Donna Pobiner, Founder & CEO, Offscript LLC
Panelists:
Georgette Loizou, Chief Executive Officer, PCIS
Bruno Nicoletti, Chief Executive Officer, HUMMINGBIRD
Jay Bell, Head of UW Design & Innovation, Specialties, Zurich North America
Jonathan Chen, Managing Director, AI Strategy, Board of Innovation
5:40PM - Choosing the Path Forward: Manual, Systematic or AI-Driven?
Michelle Shaver, SVP of Small Commercial, Encova Insurance
6:10 PM - Closing remarks
6:15 PM - Networking reception
6:45 PM - End of Day 1
Insurance Transformation Summit
Room: Charles River Ballroom
Katherine M. Clark
Vice President, Cyber Client Advisor, Marsh
Vice President and Cyber Client Advisor within Marsh’s Cyber Practice, based in the Boston
office. She joined Marsh in 2022 and is involved in executing the firm’s cyber strategy,
helping clients identify risks and develop tailored solutions for professional liability and
cyber-related challenges. Katherine collaborates with clients to develop customized risk
management solutions and has over 7 years of experience managing complex client
relationships across various industries, including Healthcare, Life Sciences, Financial Institutions, Technology, Retail,
and Manufacturing. Her experience in global client servicing allows her to craft innovative risk transfer solutions that
align with client objectives, and her comprehensive understanding of the current marketplace helps her effectively
address evolving client needs.
Speakers: Day 2 - November 13, 2025
(Women in Insurance Tech Conference)
ALTAWORLD
2025
Speakers: Day 2 - November 13, 2025
Kelly Kapla
VP Product & Engineering, Munich Re Specialty Insurance
Kelly currently focuses on how underwriting is done, blending data, design, and judgment to ensure automation
and AI enhance performance without losing human expertise.
VP of Product and Underwriting at Munich Re Specialty North America. She connects real-
world underwriting experience with the tools and technology reshaping the industry. With
over a decade in underwriting, product, and program management roles, she has worked
across MGAs, carriers, and reinsurers. Her work focuses on bringing new ideas to market
and refining strategies that bridge traditional insurance and digital transformation.
Dipali Trivedi
Co-Founder & CTO, Everyday Insurance
Dipali Trivedi is Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Everyday Life Insurance and a
serial entrepreneur with a strong background in data, AI and product engineering. An MIT
graduate, she previously founded CloudFountain, a big-data and CRM consultancy, and
has led technology innovations that make insurance and financial planning more
accessible. A frequent speaker and mentor, Dipali champions women in tech and brings
hands-on experience building ML-driven digital platforms for the insurance industry.
Caitlin Alpern
Team Lead Complex & Large Commercial, AXA XL
Mellon, Registered Professional Liability Underwriter, and Certified Cyber Insurance Specialist. Caitlin is a board
member on the Women in Cyber Insurance network spearheaded by Willis and an AXA Ambassador.
Caitlin Alpern is a Team Lead of Complex and Large Commercial accounts at AXA XL.
Caitlin has been underwriting cyber for 9 years and has experienced the ebbs and flows of
the evolving cyber marketplace. She has experience working on Middle Market sized
accounts and currently works on large accounts with over $1B in revenues. Caitlin holds the
following designations: Cyber COPE Insurance Program (CCIC) by Chubb and Carnegie
Nithila Jeyakumar
Assistant Vice President, Berkshire Hathaway Speciality Insurance
Her core competencies include portfolio management, product delivery, system design, advanced analytics/AI,
and IT leadership. She holds a Master of Science (SM) in System Design and Management from the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology (MIT), with domain certifications such as AINS towards CPCU designation. She is passionate
about innovation, collaboration, and customer satisfaction, creating value and impact through technology.
Nithila Jeyakumar: AVP of IT at Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI). She leads
strategic Enterprise Business Solutions initiatives and the CoE of Architecture for the global
property and casualty insurance business. Nithila has over 20 years of proficiency in
delivering business solutions while maximizing software resources and operational
efficiencies.
(Women in Insurance Tech Conference)
ALTAWORLD
2025
Speakers: Day 2 - November 13, 2025
Marissa Buckley
Founder, RevUp
executives that redefines marketing excellence and offers marketing strategy and execution to carriers and
startups worldwide. RevUp specializes in delivering unparalleled strategy and execution to insurance carriers and
insurtech startup companies, with an executive team possessing deep industry knowledge from working with
major insurance companies like AIG, Liberty Mutual, Allstate, Farmers, USAA, and GEICO. They also have extensive
experience securing partnerships with successful InsurTech startups such as Cape Analytics, Map Risk, Lender
Dock, Hosta AI, Zesty AI, and Precisely, driving award-winning, industry-first innovations.
Marissa Buckley has over 15 years of experience overseeing innovation, brand experience,
growth marketing, automation, and analytics for innovative startups and carriers. Her
background in computer science and marketing has enabled her to co-create several
industry-first innovations and earn Celent’s Model Insurer of the Year award. She is the
Founder of RevUp, a fractional growth firm with a team of top industry c-level carrier
Bruno Nicoletti
Chief Executive Officer, Hummingbird
Bruno Nicoletti, Founder and CEO of Hummingbird, helps over 2,500 financial and insurance
professionals connect with clients through his LinkedIn automation platform. A former top-
ranked financial advisor, Bruno leveraged LinkedIn to build his own business before
launching Hummingbird, which now utilizes 40 million data points for digital prospecting
success.
Hummingbird has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list and as a Wealth Management Industry Award Finalist.
Bruno also advises large broker-dealers on implementing data-driven software solutions to improve efficiency
and client acquisition. His mission is to help professionals embrace technology while maintaining human
connection, balancing entrepreneurship, faith, and family in Colorado. His family is an important part of his life,
providing a foundation for his work and personal well-being.
Dawn Zoppa
Co-Founder and Head of Technology, Ascendex MGU
Dawn is co-founder and head of technology & digital solutions at Ascendex, an AI-native
MGU that launched just a few months ago. She brings more than 20 years of leadership in
insurance technology, operations, and digital transformation, having shaped enterprise
platforms across complex insurance environments. At Ascendex, an AI-native MGU, Dawn
sets the vision for technology enablement and platform evolution to support underwriting
excellence.
Sarah Bogan
Founder, Maverick Advisory Services
positioning, and go-to-market execution. Sarah brings deep expertise in partner strategy, policy administration
modernization, and operational enablement—built on hands-on leadership of complex initiatives at firms such as
PwC, Allstate, Novarica, Risk Control Technologies, FAST, Majesco, and Vitech.
Sarah Bogan has 20 years of insurance technology experience spanning carriers,
consulting firms, and solution providers. Across her career, she has served as a connector,
advisor, and catalyst for growth across the property/casualty and life insurance sectors.
Bogan is the Founder of Maverick Advisory Services, a consultancy focused on helping
insurance companies and InsurTechs scale through high-impact partnerships, strategic
(Women in Insurance Tech Conference)
ALTAWORLD
2025
Speakers: Day 2 - November 13, 2025
Jennifer Wilson
Cyber Practice Leader, Newfront
Jennifer Wilson is an SVP and Cyber Practice Leader at Newfront. She has experience in
negotiation and placement of cyber risk insurance. She can speak on topics such as the
state of the cyber market, the pros and cons of artificial intelligence in the insurance sector,
supply chain cyber attacks, the importance of creating work-life balance, and paving your
own career path.
Sudha Pininti
Director of Data Platform Management, John Hancock
Sudha's deep-rooted passion for classical dance brings discipline, creativity, and
dedication from my artistic pursuits into my professional life. Additionally, she considers
herself a farmer at heart, cherishing the values of sustainability, hard work, and nurturing
growth. In her role as a Director of Data platforms at JohnHancock Inc, she leverages her
expertise in modern data platforms to empower teams and enhance data-driven
decision-making.
Her leadership is characterized by a strategic vision on automation and a commitment to fostering an inclusive
and dynamic workplace. Beyond her professional and artistic endeavors, she is passionate about supporting
women in technology. She actively participates in mentoring and advocacy efforts to inspire future generations of
female leaders in the field.
Laura Haber
Innovation Brand Director, Nassau Financial Group
Strategic innovation and brand leader with 15+ years of experience driving growth at the
intersection of insurance, technology, and community. Currently serving as Innovation
Brand Director at Nassau Financial Group, where I’ve built nationally recognized programs,
launched cross-functional AI initiatives, secured $800K+ in funding, and played a role in
positioning Hartford as a rising hub for Insurtech and Retiretech.
She specialises in connecting vision to execution—leading external partnerships, startup ecosystems, thought
leadership content, and enterprise-wide innovation pilots. Known for building programs from scratch, convening
diverse stakeholders, and turning complex ideas into measurable outcomes.
(Women in Insurance Tech Conference)
Emily Clark
Managing Principal, Capco
Emily Clark is a Managing Principal at Capco. She has extensive experience in both the
industry and in advisory, having worked at Capco and Prudential. Emily has a strong
actuarial background and can translate the needs of that area into modern capabilities
such as AI.
ALTAWORLD
2025
Speakers: Day 2 - November 13, 2025
Marni Mayer
VP, Senior Principal Product Owner, Global IT Group, Allied World
of solutions that have streamlined business processes resulting in more efficient and productive work
environments. Savvy at engaging stakeholders and influencing buy-in and adoption of the agile methodology
and a product-driven approach to delivery. Currently a senior team member of the Global IT Group at Allied World
as the Global Head of IT Product for Claims as well as being responsible for Portfolio Management across the
whole of IT.
Passionate IT executive with over 15+ years of experience at successfully transforming
business processes & operations through the use of technology. Dedicated leader and
team motivator that is focused on results achieved through creative vision and insight,
teamwork, communication, and proper execution. An innovative and insightful manager
that has a proven reputation of hard work and dedication that has led to implementation
Laurel Jordan
TPA Officer & Solution Lead, Sutherland
Laurel Jordan has joined the Sutherland Global team as Insurance TPA Officer & Solutions
Lead. She joins us from EXL Services where she was the Assistant Vice President of TPA
Operations and Claims Center of Excellence Lead. Prior to that she spent over 23 years at
DXC Technologies supporting multiple L & A Insurers across Technology platforms, Business
Operations and Customer Experience domain as well as leading Client transitions and
Conversions.
Her early career was focused primarily on the Claims function, and she has continued to be a strong advocate for
Claims Transformation and Digitalization. At Sutherland, Laurel focus on developing the Insurance TPA offering and
building out capabilities in partnership with our various Horizontals and Product and Platform teams. She is based
in Somerset, KY and her passions include cooking and baking, traveling, camping, reading, and her four grown
children and one grandchild.
Kimberly Duke
CMO & SVP, LIDP
Kimberly Duke is the CMO and SVP of Growth at LIDP, where she’s redefining what digital
transformation means for life insurers. With 15+ years in the industry, she blends strategy,
innovation, and tech-savvy vision to help carriers modernize and lead the future of
insurance.
(Women in Insurance Tech Conference)
ALTAWORLD
2025
Speakers: Day 2 - November 13, 2025
Awais Farooq
Senior Vice President of Strategy and Transformation, Crawford &
Company
He currently serves as Senior Vice President of Strategy and Transformation at Crawford, driving innovation and people-
first leadership in claims. Awais is also a published author and keynote speaker, recognized for his insights on AI and
technology. His upcoming book, The Future Isn’t Fully Automated, challenges the notion of machines replacing humans,
advocating for adaptation and empathetic leadership. His strategic vision has earned him accolades like Mentor of the
Year and R.I.S.E.'s '35 Under 35'. Awais is passionate about empowering the next generation to find meaning, embrace
change, and unlock their potential, sharing actionable wisdom with energy and humility.
Awais is a senior executive and industry thought leader renowned for transforming large
insurance companies. With extensive experience in operations, claims, strategy, and technology,
he has held leadership roles at State Farm, Chubb, Berkshire Hathaway, and Crawford &
Company.
Donna Pobiner
Founder & CEO, Offscript LLC
Donna Pobiner is a transformation and innovation leader dedicated to empowering
individuals and organizations. As the founder of Offscript, LLC, she helps companies
navigate beyond the status quo by combining strategic insight with practical execution.
With decades of leadership experience in operations, risk management, and innovation,
including as a former insurance executive at Fortune 500 companies, Donna excels at
translating strategic vision into tangible results. Her diverse client portfolio spans various industries, and she holds
an AI for Business Certificate from the University of Pennsylvania, an MBA from St. John’s University, and a
bachelor’s degree from Brandeis University.
Julianna Muir
CEO and Founder, Vellum Insurance
With decades of experience in the industry, Julianna’s seen the archaic data and analytics
infrastructure that underpins the insurance/reinsurance market. Today, she leads the
evolution to drive transparency and efficiency across the insurance value chain.
(Insurance Transformation Summit)
Manish Gupta,
Managing Director, Spinnaker Analytics
Manish is the Managing Director of Spinnaker Labs and is responsible for research, development
and deploy-ready solutions. He is an economist by training and has over 3 decades of experience
in econometrics and data science. Manish started his career as an economic analyst at Wharton
Econometrics in 1993 where he worked on several large scale macro-economic models as well as
forecasting trends across multiple industries. He joined Oliver-Wyman in 1995 as a strategy
consultant where he consulted clients in telecommunications, technology and private equity. In 2001 he was appointed
Microsoft’s country manager for the telecommunications market in India where he grew sales by over 3X in 2 years.
Nirav Dagli
President & CEO, Spinnaker Analytics
Nirav Dagli is the founder and CEO of Spinnaker Analytics LLC – a Boston based company that
combines AI algorithms with pragmatic business advice for global clients in insurance, financial
services, and e-commerce. With over 30 years of industry experience, he has taught university
courses in signal processing and regularly contributes to podcasts and publications to demystify
AI. Nirav also serves on the boards of companies across the financial services, technology, and
energy sectors.