Navigating the Generational Gap
Karen Caterino
Public Entity/Education Center of Excellence Leader-West, Willis Towers Watson
Mark Pew
Senior VP, Product Development & Marketing, Preferred Medical
This week's speakers, Karen Caterino and Mark Pew, explain how to navigate the professional generation gap.
Karen and Mark share the cause for the talent gap, and the risks and information loss as a product of baby boomers’ retirement. They also provide several effective solutions through mentoring and The Transitions Movement. They share many benefits of being a mentor and/or mentee and how to create a successful relationship that garners professional and personal growth.
*The views and opinions expressed in the Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) blogs/podcasts are those of each respective author/speaker. The views and opinions do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of PRIMA.*
Karen Caterino
Public Entity/Education Center of Excellence Leader-West, Willis Towers Watson
Summary of Qualifications
Karen has over 20 years of experience in risk and insurance. She has had a track record of success in the healthcare and managed care fields and now as an insurance consultant for Willis Towers Watson leading their Public Entity/Education Center of Excellence in the west. Her background includes serving as a public entity risk manager followed by leading complex sales and account management initiatives in workers' compensation. Karen serves as a member of The Transitions Advisory Council, “a movement to help the workers’ compensation industry, collectively and individually, think strategically about how to handle the influx and outflow of talent over the coming decade.”
Responsibilities
Karen leads new public entity and education business growth and development initiatives for the region. She ensures clients have access to expertise and thought leadership on issues that are of importance and brings forth unique, alternative risk financing solutions for clients interested in non-traditional placement services. Her background in risk and insurance management, consultative sales leadership, innovative award-winning program development and account team management are helping Willis Towers Watson to build deeper client relationships while delivering excellence to the client experience.
Business Experience
Karen’s previous experience includes serving as the State of Nevada risk manager and municipality risk manager from 2009-2012, as well as City of Sparks senior benefits/risk analyst, 2004-2009. She received the 2011 PRIMA Achievement Award for "Workforce Pandemic Flu Preparedness" and 2007 2nd place for "Public Safety Cardiac Wellness Program." She was a 2011 Teddy Award finalist for her innovative program approach to managing injured workers care and return to work, and received the 2010 Workers Compensation Most Notable People Award, LexisNexis(R) Workers' Compensation Law Community.
Prior to joining Willis Towers Watson, Karen was the vice president of client services for Mitchell ScriptAdvisor, a workers’ compensation PBM, where she managed a team of client service managers representing 140+ national clients.
Professional Affiliations
Arizona PRIMA, Oregon PRIMA, National PRIMA, Nevada RIMS and STRIMA
Education
Karen graduated with her bachelor’s degree in sociology from Roanoke College, Salem, VA and from University of Phoenix with her MBA, including honors. Karen has an Associate in Risk Management-Public Entities and is a Certified Public Manager and Certified Government Benefits Administrator and is currently a CPCU candidate.
Mark Pew
Senior VP, Product Development & Marketing, Preferred Medical
Summary of Qualifications
Mark is a passionate educator and agitator. Mark is a recognized thought leader in workers’ compensation and award-winning international speaker, blogger, author and jurisdictional advisor. Also known as the RxProfessor, he is focused on the intersection of chronic pain and appropriate treatment. In December 2020, he co-founded The Transitions, “a movement to help the workers’ compensation industry, collectively and individually, think strategically about how to handle the influx and outflow of talent over the coming decade.”
Responsibilities
Mark's goal is to raise awareness for how to find the most clinically appropriate treatment for injured workers with minimal risk and maximum benefits by speaking, writing and vlogging. He creates/advocates for products and services that meet that criteria. Mark oversees the efforts of The Transitions to help people and organizations create a plan for the ongoing generational shift. He also connects mentees to mentors to foster professional and personal growth.
Business Experience
Mark started in information technology in 1980, transitioned to utilization management in workers' compensation in 2000, focused on addressing the over-prescribing of painkillers since 2003, advocated for a biopsychosocial treatment model since 2012 and has been an industry expert on the evolution of medical cannabis since 2014. Mark is a frequent industry media source. He received the WorkCompCentral Magna Comp Laude award in 2016 and the IAIABC’s Samuel Gompers Award in 2017. Since 2013, he has served on the IAIABC’s Medical Issues Committee. Mark is an advisor to regulators and legislators in 20+ U.S. jurisdictions on subjects such as drug formularies, treatment guidelines, opioid task force initiatives, encouraging support of non-pharma treatment options and the medicinal use of cannabis. He was appointed to Advisory Board for SimpleTherapy in July 2019 and to the Advisory Board for Harvard MedTech in October 2019.
Education
Mark attended Georgia State University and Atlanta Christian College as a business major.
