PRIMA Institute (PI) is the premier educational program for new and seasoned risk professionals who seek to learn more about emerging trends, best practices and gain insight into current management techniques.

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Praise for PRIMA Institute

PI is an innovative educational symposium comprised of fundamental risk management curriculum, outstanding faculty and excellent networking opportunities. See what our past attendees said about PRIMA’s premier risk management education program, outstanding faculty and their plans to keep coming back.

“PRIMA Institute was very professional and extremely well run from beginning to end. We really are a family and that feels so very good.”

“I felt like I was in a hole in my position. The new information and networks I was able to build gave me a new fresher perspective that re-energized me.”

“PI not only provided a great education opportunity but also opportunities for networking with social functions included. I attended and not only benefitted from the program but also enjoyed meeting and interacting with my peers.”

“I have participated in prior Institutes and even the old GRMS, this was the best I’ve been involved with great speakers, facilitator and audience/participants!”

Take advantage of the education and networking opportunities available at PRIMA Institute!

Check Out the 2023 PRIMA Institute Curriculum!

Daily Themed Tracks:

Monday (Oct 16) - 100 Series

Monday (Oct 16) - 100 Series

ROCKETS AND EXPLODING BOMBS: A CAREER IN RISK MANAGEMENT

You are new to your entity or new to risk management. Learn, “in short form,” job tasks to focus on that will set the platform to launch your to success and what things will blow up in your face. This session will touch on areas of workers’ compensation, relationships and claims. You will know exactly what to focus your time on in order to achieve a lunar shot in your career while avoiding the meteors of disaster.

Speaker:

Dean Coughenour, ARM, Consultant

INSURANCE POLICY BASICS

This course will educate and inform you on how to read and interpret an insurance policy. An insurance policy is a contract that defines the obligations of both the insured and the insurer. Most insurance policies contain terms that can be hard to understand and policies are often written in a confusing manner. Taking the time to understand your policies is well worth the effort. Besides providing coverage, policies also assign certain responsibilities to the insured called conditions or claim reporting requirements.

Speaker:

Scott Thomason, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

CLAIMS MANAGEMENT 101: WHAT BATTLES TO FIGHT

Understanding where to focus your time and effort on the workers' compensation claim life cycle can be demanding. The goal of a smooth and collaborative process is often disrupted by instances where the injury, treatment and recovery become complex, raising questions that require in-depth investigation and strategies to successfully manage the claim. In this session, Patty and Bill will explore the integral path of a workers' compensation claims and discuss methods to appropriately maintain a collaborative spirit. When collaboration doesn't work, Patty and Bill will discuss pathways of disputes which can ensure that the claim moves forward towards stabilization and potential settlement.

Speakers:

Patty Reinecke, Midwest Employers Casualty

Bill Ahrens, Cannon Cochran Management Services, Inc. (CCMSI)

TOP 10 THINGS TO DO IN YOUR FIRST YEAR OF RISK MANAGEMENT

Moving into a risk management position can be daunting. There are so many different aspects and responsibilities that it is hard to know where to start. Amy and Terri will provide insight into the knowledge that will help you build a strong foundation for successfully assisting your entity and growing your career. This session is about actual takeaways that you can apply immediately.

Speakers:

Terri Evans, Employer Advisory Services

Amy Larson, Esq., City of Bloomington, MN

6 PERSONAL PRODUCTIVITY STRATEGIES TO PICK UP THE PACE WITHOUT INCREASING YOUR STRESS

Everyone feels like they are maxed out every waking hour…especially work hours. Yet, there is almost always a stack or a list or an inbox that still needs more time. This presentation delivers six practical strategies that will help you truly maximize your time and energy. From how you schedule your appointments and arrange your day/week, to a strategy that will help you tackle the “necessary evils” of your job in a proactive and productive way; incorporating these ideas into your daily routine will help you get more done without working more hours. You’ll also be able to reduce the stress often caused by unfinished tasks.

Speaker:

Randy Anderson, CSP, e3 Professional Trainers

WHAT INSURANCE DO YOU WANT IN YOUR CONTRACTS?

Effective transfer of risks associated with contracted work is an essential component of any risk management program. Failing to obtain the appropriate hold harmless agreement or insurance documentation can leave you paying the bill for someone else’s negligence or error, costs your agency could have avoided. Participants will learn a process for effective contractual risk transfer, including: how to identify good and bad hold harmless agreements; questions for identifying and prioritizing your risks; insurance specifications to get you the protection you need with the least hassle how to verify what you receive is what you asked for. Participants will receive sample specifications, forms and checklists to assist them in their efforts. Also included will be reference to a comprehensive manual for public entities that can be accessed on the Internet. 

Speaker:

Courtney Ramirez, Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.

BUILDING A ROBUST RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

Risk management isn't purchasing insurance. It isn't paying claims. It isn't doing site visits. It's all of this and MORE. This session will look at what makes a successful and robust risk management program and how you, as a risk professional, can move your program forward.

Speakers:

Lori Gray, County of Prince William, VA

Carleen Patterson, ARM, ARM-P, CIC, CRM, Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Special events can present special and unusual types of risks for your entities. They enrich the lives of a community, attract interest in local businesses, increase sales tax revenue and sometimes tax the patience of government as it serves and protects. In this interactive presentation, the speaker and attendees will provide examples of special events and will discuss risk transfer options, including the use of permits, risk transfer, insurance and the use of waivers, as well as discussing lessons learned in association with these special events.

Speaker:

Amy Larson, Esq., City of Bloomington, MN

EMPLOYMENT LAW UPDATE

This session will provide an overview of recent labor and employment cases, trends and traps for employers. The presenters will use real scenarios to highlight areas of risk and work through how employers can mitigate them.

Speakers:

Jess Osborne, Bullard Law

Amy Robinson, Miller Nash

GOING THE DISTANCE: FLEET MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC ENTITIES

Public entities provide uninterrupted services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and an entity’s fleet contains a variety of motor vehicles, many of which create unique liability exposures requiring special controls and driver training. Claims involving vehicle accidents may be directly impacted by how you manage your fleet operations. This presentation will walk through many of the key elements of a fleet risk management program and provide practical examples to help solve many of the most common causes of loss. Principals of fleet safety and risk management will be presented to position risk managers to go back to their entity equipped to help department heads and fleet administrators make better decisions, policies and procedures to control these identified exposures.

Speaker:

Tiffany Allen, ARM-P, PS-MESH, Travelers

BROKER RFP: WHAT YOUR BROKER SHOULD DO FOR YOU

This course will provide education and guidance on soliciting brokerage services that can produce the ideal results for your entity. From key elements of an RFP to how to best prompt broker responses that address the needs of your entity, we will focus on best practices in brokerage procurement and how to identify the right partner for you.

Speaker:

Matt Simmons, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

DO YOU HAVE THE TALENT FOR TOMORROW?

With the increasing number of “Boomers” (1946-1964) retiring combined with the “Great Resignation” and “Quiet Quitting” from COVID epiphanies, knowing who’s up next is an existential issue in 2023. If they are in-house already, have you invested in their professional growth enough for them to be prepared? If they’re not, do you have a compelling reason in your recruitment efforts for them to join you? Gen X (1965-1980), Millennials (1981-1996), and Gen Z (1997-2010) are your workforce for today and tomorrow but they all bring different expectations and experience. Are you prepared to continue your legacy AND accept new ideas? What might have been an academic exercise in the past has turned into survival mode now. This session will ask important questions and provide as many answers as 30 minutes will allow, but the real value will come as each audience member creates and then completes their own to-do list.

Speaker:

Mark Pew, WorkCompCollege.com

CREATING A CULTURE OF CIVILITY

One of the purest predictors of future claims experience is the morale of your organization today. While workplace harassment gets the headlines, many other claims have "improper behavior" as their foundational cause. This session highlights the relationship between the organization's work environment and its future claims. This session examines the roles that poor communication skills, personal insecurity and "the rumor mill" play in creating a toxic culture within your organization. Finally, this session will identify evaluation points and action steps designed to enhance the work environment toward a more productive, positive and safer culture.

Speaker:

Michael Fann, ARM-P, MBA, Public Entity Partners

SHOULD WE DO IT? ERM AND DECISION-MAKING

Risk managers are often asked to weigh in on the risks of workplace initiatives. Some proposals are ordinary, some innovative and others unusual. All of them usually involve the same decision: Should we do it? As a risk management practitioner, what is your approach to answering this question? How does your view of risk affect your advice? Do you use a process to arrive at your conclusion? This session will discuss risk from the perspective of the international standard on risk management (ISO 31000:2018). We will review the definition of risk and the risk management process contained in the standard, and then use the process to identify, analyze and evaluate the risks connected to a real-world initiative. We will also consider various methods to treat the risks that are identified. This enterprise risk management approach will ensure that you are providing your organization's managers and leaders with the tools they need to make risk-informed decisions.

Speaker:
Shannon Gunderman, CPCU, ARM, AIS, CWCP, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

MENTAL HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE

The COVID-19 epidemic and subsequent quarantine impacted and increased both mental health issues and claims. Many people experienced a slew of new stressors; the loss of patterns of life, the loss of in-person interaction and long-term isolation. Additionally, these stressors bore new stressors of their own, such as substitution of electronic media interaction, drug abuse and excessive drinking and eating. This tension felt around the world has culminated in a mental health decline for so many, and the subsequent re-opening of the world has created a strange “new normal” with many unsure how to get back to the way things were before – or ponder if things even should. This session will focus on the general contemplation of the definition of happiness within social structures, as well as how longevity and happiness should be the long-term goals moving forward in the post-COVID world.

Speakers:

Mark Morgan, Sherrill Morgan

Terri Evans, Employer Advisory Services

7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE RISK MANAGERS: WHAT ARE THEY?

Borrowing from the late Stephen R. Covey and his phenomenal book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, this session outlines seven fundamental practices & approaches designed to steer the public entity risk manager toward effective and desirable results. But as Covey suggests, success isn’t just about attaining desired results but also balancing that with “caring for that which produces” those results. These habits yield an ethical approach to leadership which encourages risk managers to proceed with timeless principles and values. While perspectives and even values may differ from person to person, the primary goal of effectiveness is achieved through interdependence.

Speaker:

Michael Fann, ARM-P, MBA, Public Entity Partners

EDUCATION & ALL THINGS RISK

In this session, we will review current and emerging risks in education. The topics will cover a broad array of educational organizations, including K-12 schools, higher education and organizations that provide learning environments for youth. In addition to reviewing environmental and claims trends, we will also discuss recommendations for improving your organization's risk profile.

Speakers:

Dorothy Gjerdrum, ARM-P, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

NARCAN: SHOULD ITS USE BE EXTENDED TO NON-FIRST RESPONDERS?

Narcan has been a staple for the treatment of opioid overdoses and historically, its use was exclusive to medical personnel and, in limited quantities, to first responders. As the epidemic evolved, there was a paradigm shift from prescription to non-prescription opioids. As a result, overdoses continue to be significant and Narcan utilization is now accessible to non-responders, such as family members, friends, institutions, etc. This session will cover the evolution of Narcan use and the pros and cons of access to Narcan for all.

Speaker:

Fernando Branco, MD, FAAPM&R, Midwest Employers Casualty

THE KEY COMPONENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL RETURN-TO-WORK PROGRAM

Many components are involved in the return-to-work process. This session will provide a focused review for risk management professionals to facilitate a successful and collaborative return-to-work (RTW) transition. Case studies will be used to review the factors that can influence or hinder the process.

Speakers:

Tina D’Andrea, RN, BSN, MBA, CCM, MSCC, Midwest Employers Casualty

Tracie Lemus, Midwest Employers Casualty

WORKERS' COMPENSATION/LIABILITY CLAIMS AND THE BENEFITS OF SURVEILLANCE

This session will discuss the benefits that surveillance has in workers' compensation and liability claims. The session will address different kinds of surveillance and how it can be used effectively in litigation and as a settlement tool. Also up for discussion are the pros and cons of surveillance and how even effective surveillance measures may not assist in misrepresentation/fraud defense.

Speaker:

Ya’Sheaka Williams, Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A.

PROACTIVE CRISIS COMMUNICATION

Crisis will occur when we least expect it. Internal and external communication during a crisis differs from normal communication. Organizations need to have a plan on how they will communication during a crisis. Best practices include "practice like you play” and establishing your everyday operating process to mirror what will happen during a crisis. We will discuss best practices to establish battle rhythms, organizational structure and leadership.

Speaker:

Jason Stoddard, Charles County Public Schools (MD)

TOTAL COST OF RISK: UNDERSTANDING AND APPLICATION

This presentation is designed to understand TCOR as a concept and also how to use it to achieve risk management short and long-term goals and objectives. Attendees will be able to identify the main TCOR elements, discuss how each element impacts overall TCOR, including claims and premiums, and apply TCOR in several scenarios, including retention analysis, choosing the right insurance renewal option, risk control strategy and vendor selection.

Speakers: 

Carleen Patterson, ARM, ARM-P, CIC, CRM, Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.

Sheri Swain, Maricopa Community Colleges (Ret.)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A CYBER POLICY

Talking points will touch on what's driving the current cyber market conditions. These factors include network controls, industry class and losses, which could also impact what coverages are available for purchase. Being that the vent is still nine months away, the market could take a different direction, but focus will be on the market conditions in Q4 and going into 2024. Insurers are increasing underwriting scrutiny related to privacy exposures and data collection including biometric information, pixel tracking and new privacy/consumer protection regulations.  Increased litigation based upon, and enforcement of, privacy and data protection regulations is expected in 2023.

Speaker:

Temo Garcia, Aon

CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE MANAGEMENT

Do you have certificates and endorsements piled up on your desk or cluttering up your email? Wouldn't you love to know which ones you can ignore, which ones require your detailed attention and which ones you should just reject?  This session will help you identify the most essential elements of contractual risk transfer compliance and provide you with a decision-making tool to improve how you tackle this important but never-ending task. 

Speaker:

Julie Waller, Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.

TELEMATICS

This session will provide an overview of how the City of Kansas City uses their telematics program. The program has been "live" in the city for the last 10 years and led to significant changes in driving behaviors, but it doesn't come without challenges. 

Speakers: 

Julie Waller, Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.

BUILD YOUR NETWORK, LEVERAGE RELATIONSHIPS AND CLIMB THE CAREER LADDER

In today's competitive job market, it's not just what you know but who you know that can make all the difference in your career growth. This session is an essential workshop for emerging risk managers. It will provided participants with valuable insights and strategies for building and leveraging a solid professional network to advance their careers in risk management.

The workshop will focus on the importance of networking and relationship-building in today's business environment. Participants will learn about the benefits of having a strong professional network, including access to new opportunities, industry insights and potential mentors or sponsors. The workshop will focus on hands-on strategies for building and expanding a professional network while creating a long-term vision for your career.

Speaker:

Margaret Spence, The Inclusion Learning Lab

LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPOSURES AND CONTROLS

Law enforcement provides a critical service but does so at a high level of individual physical and psychiatric risk. This course will explore the variety of historical exposures which prove challenging to remedy and emerging exposures including the continuing evolution of “presumption” laws. Those exposures present the potential for significant financial burdens. They also present challenges in the recruitment and retention of quality officers. With an emphasis on safety, both of the public and law enforcement officer, we will discuss options for reducing the emergence of those exposures and understanding various mitigation strategies to minimize long term risks.

Speaker: 

Geoff Jones, Esq., Midwest Employers Casualty

POLICE BODY-WORN CAMERAS AS A RISK MANAGEMENT TOOL

Police body-worn cameras (BWC) document police officers’ performance in real time. BWC videos give supervisors and agency leaders insight into officers’ performance and provide opportunities for improvement. In this session, we share actionable insights from a review of more than 5,000 officer BWC videos, including the top 10 officer performance errors. You’ll learn how to create a structured approach for using BWC videos to improve officer/agency safety and risk management performance. We’ll also discuss how risk managers can collaborate more effectively with your law enforcement agencies to support improved safety and risk management performance.

Speaker:

David Weightman, PMA Companies

STATE OF THE MARKET: EMERGING TOPICS FOR 2024 AND BEYOND

The level of uncertainty in today’s world is often heralded as unprecedented. Seemingly new risks are "discovered" by the risk management community on a monthly, if not weekly basis. Public agency risk managers are expected to be experts of these new hazards. This session will explore the “hows and whys” as to trends in risk for 2023 and beyond.

Speaker:

John Chino, ARM-P, ARM-E, CSRM, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

2022 PRIMA Institute Faculty

Intro to Faculty

Intro to Faculty

No other risk management training program can boast the outstanding faculty of PRIMA Institute.

PRIMA Institute’s faculty leads the public risk management profession. These industry leaders gather at PI to teach, share experiences, network and advise the careers of attendees.

Bill Ahrens, BSBA

Senior Account Manager, Cannon Cochran Management Services, Inc. (CCMSI)

Bill is a senior account manager with CCMSI and has 33 years of experience in the insurance industry. In his career, Bill has worked in technical claim roles as an adjuster, claim supervisor and claim manager. He was also a member of CCMSI's Corporate Claim Committee for 14 years. This select group is comprised of claim experts who are responsible for technical direction and development of CCMSI's corporate claim best practices as well as acting as a technical liaison to various levels of management. For the last seven years, Bill has served as an account manager. This position is ultimately responsible for all aspects of the relationship between CCMSI and its clients.

Tiffany Allen, ARM-P, PS-MESH

Senior Territory Manager, Travelers

Tiffany has worked in the risk and insurance field for 33 years. She credits her understanding of insurance and risk management to her early career experience as an underwriter and more recent 14 year adventure in risk management for multiple government agencies in North Carolina. In 2014, Tiffany left her county family and joined an insurance family. From 2014-2020, Tiffany served as a senior risk control consultant for public sector services. Tiffany now serves as the territory manager for public sector services in the mid-Atlantic region. During Tiffany’s public sector career, she’s seen firsthand what a difference a robust fleet safety program can have on an organization’s experience.

Randy Anderson, CSP

Independent Training Consultant, E3 Professional Trainers

Randy Anderson is co-founder of E3 Professional Trainers, a Texas-based training firm that provides customized training, keynote presentations and personal coaching. The goal of E3 is to help people become more engaged in their work, be better equipped to do their job and feel empowered to live a more fulfilling life that will count for something after they’re gone. Before starting E3 in 2005, Randy spent 20 years in sales and sales management. Most of that time was spent in media sales, which gave him the opportunity to work with virtually every type of business and in every industry. His clients included small businesses as well as large corporations, and were spread all across the United States. It is from that experience that he draws the ideas and strategies to help his clients improve their performance in the workplace and to achieve their maximum potential in life.

Fernando Branco, MD, FAAPM&R

Chief Medical Officer, Midwest Employers Casualty

Fernando is chief medical officer at Midwest Employers Casualty (MEC), a Berkley Company. He has over 30 years of experience in clinical practice and is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, pain and addiction medicine. He is the former medical director of a multi-disciplinary rehabilitation pain center for treatment of chronic pain cases – a center of excellence recognized by the American Pain Society. In his current role at MEC, Dr. Branco leads a team of medical management consultants handling complex workers’ compensation claims with the goal of helping employers and injured workers achieve better outcomes.

John Chino, ARM-P, ARM-E, CSRM

Area Senior Vice President, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

John is enjoyed 40 years in the industry, all with Gallagher and has spent nearly his entire career in the public sector. He currently serves self-insured pools and large sophisticated self-insured public agencies. In addition, he is on the advisory board for the USC Risk Management Minor Program and frequently serves as a guest lecturer. John is a member of the faculty of the National Alliance of Insurance Education and Research where he teaches the Certified Scholastic Risk Management Program (CSRM). He is a course instructor for The Institutes and helps students to pass ARM exams.

Dean Coughenour, ARM

Risk Manager, City of Flagstaff, AZ (Ret.)

Dean is the retired risk manager for the City of Flagstaff, AZ and directed their risk management department. He oversaw a comprehensive risk and safety program that included reducing risk factors and grass-root integration of the risk management decision matrix, safety, insurance, litigation management, workers' compensation, training and facility inspection programs. Dean has over 30 years' experience in proactive risk management and has served on various boards and associations, including Arizona Risk Retention Board and City of Scottsdale Loss Trust Fund Board. He is also a past board member of PERI (Public Entity Risk Institute), past lost trust fund board chair for the City of Scottsdale, AZ, past president of PRIMA National and has held various other community leadership positions. He is a frequent speaker on risk management topics both at national and local conferences. Dean serves on PRIMA's national speakers bureau and is a champion for risk management and the employment of the risk management decision matrix in day-to-day operations of public sector entities through effective consulting.

Tina D’Andrea, RN, BSN, MBA, CCM, MSCC

Medical Management Consultant, Midwest Employers Casualty

Tina is a certified case manager and Medicare set-aside certified consultant. She has over 25 years of experience in workers’ compensation case management, including experience providing telephonic case management for employers, physicians and attorneys. In her current role, Tina offers a unique perspective to the identification and management of high-risk workers’ compensation cases and helps develop ways to achieve the best resolution possible for both the injured worker and their employer.

Kristin Danner, CSP

Former Corporate Safety Manager, City of Kansas City, MO

Kristin is the former corporate safety manager for the City of Kansas City. She spear-headed
the implementation as well as the continued maintenance of the city's telematics program.

Terri Evans

Vice President, Employer Advisory Services

Terri spent most of her career with the City of Kingsport, starting in 1984 and joining the Risk Management department in 1986.  While with the city, Terri performed all risk functions within the department including benefits, self-funded health insurance, on-site wellness center installation/management, self-funded workers’ compensation, pooled liability with a large self-insured retention, and safety programs and training. Terri was promoted to risk manager in January, 2001. On June 1, 2020, Terri joined Employer Advisory Services (EAS) as vice president.

Terri proudly served as the 2016-17 President of Public Risk Management Association – PRIMA - and served as the national conference planning chairperson for PRIMA-Houston 2015. Terri served as co-Chair of PRIMA Institute in 2018 and 2019.  She has also been involved in the leadership of the Tennessee Chapter of PRIMA, serving as Vice-President, President, Director and conference planning committee member since 2006. Terri received the TN-PRIMA Risk Manager of the Year award in 2012 and the Abbie Hudgens Distinguished Service Award in 2016.

Michael Fann, ARM-P, MBA

President/CEO, Public Entity Partners

Michael has more than 30 years’ experience in providing risk management consulting and training for local governments, school systems, universities, state governments, and associations. He is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University (Finance & Political Science) and Ole Miss (MBA - Management).  He has participated in international public risk management exchanges with colleagues from the United Kingdom, China and Australia. Michael is a former two-time member of the board of directors of the PRIMA, and formerly served (2013-2016) on the board of directors of the Public Entity Risk Institute (PERI). In 2020, Fann was the inaugural recipient of PRIMA's Pioneer Excellence Award. Further, in 2019, he was conferred with the honor of "Fellow in Professional Practice" by the University of Tennessee's Master of Public Policy & Administration (MPPA) Program "to recognize accomplished & experienced professionals whose careers exhibit the highest standards of performance excellence…" by a vote of the MPPA faculty. In 2014, he was presented with PRIMA's highest honor as only the 11th recipient of its Distinguished Service Award. He has also received TnPRIMA's Abbie Hudgens Distinguished Service Award (2012), and the Southeast Loss Control (SELC) Group's Distinguished Service Award (2016).

Temo Garcia

Assistant Vice President & Team Leader, E&O/Cyber Broking, Aon

Temo is an assistant vice president and team leader within Aon’s Cyber Solutions Group, part of the Commercial Risk Solutions team located in Chicago. Prior to joining Aon in 2018, Temo served as an underwriter/broker within the wholesale division of Arthur J. Gallagher, leading the Chicago Binding team, handling property and casualty risks with underwriting authority from multiple carriers. He began his insurance career in 2006 as an account manager at Brown & Brown Insurance in El Paso, TX, transitioning later to an account executive, and then commercial marketing leader for the San Antonio and Austin markets.

In addition to his broking duties, Temo is a national chair of an Aon Business Resource Group. He dedicates time to working with colleagues within Aon’s Apprenticeship Program, and took part in Chicago United’s Corporate Inclusion Institute, completing the program as part of Cohort IV.

Dorothy Gjerdrum, ARM-P

Senior Managing Director, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Dorothy joined Gallagher in 1999. For the ten years prior to joining Gallagher, she was a risk manager of a county pool in New Mexico. Dorothy has been an ERM champion since 2003 and an international expert, established author, editor, trainer and curriculum adviser. In 2022, she organized and led the first multi-sector symposium on SAM and authored the symposium report Transforming the Trend - Preventing Child Sex Abuse.

Lori Gray

Assistant Director of Finance for Risk & Wellness Services, Prince William County, VA

Lori has over 30 years of risk management, safety and loss control experience. As risk manager for the county for over 22 years, Lori has succeeded at building an outstanding risk and wellness program from scratch after the entity had previously outsourced the function. She oversees the administration and management of the Prince William Self-Insurance Group (PWSIG) and is chairman of the board of trustees for the PWSIG. Through her successful strategies and risk control techniques, the PWSIG has recognized dividend payments totaling over $20,000,000. During her tenure, Lori has implemented 22 award-winning programs recognized by PRIMA, National Association of Counties (NACo) and the Virginia Association of Counties (VACo). Before joining Prince William County in 1999, Lori was with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA).

Lori holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Old Dominion University. She is currently a member of Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc. (RIMS) and serves on the PRIMA and PERI board of directors.  She was recognized as PRIMA’s Risk Manager of the Year in 2008 and Business Insurance’s Risk Manager of the Year in 2013.

Shannon Gunderman, CPCU, ARM, AIS, CWCP

Executive Director/Senior Consultant, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Shannon is an executive director and senior consultant at Arthur J. Gallagher, where he divides his time between enterprise risk management consulting and Gallagher’s public sector & K-12 education practice. Shannon has over 22 years of risk management experience. His areas of expertise include project management, enterprise risk management, process improvement, predictive analytics, strategic planning, data analytics and visualization, litigation support, safety and HIPAA compliance, and claim management.

Prior to joining Gallagher, Shannon served as the administrative services director for Yuma County, AZ, where he managed the county’s property, liability, unemployment and workers’ compensation insurance programs. He also designed the county’s award-winning enterprise risk management program using ISO 31000. The ground-breaking initiative involved leading and managing the project, conducting workshops, drafting training materials and forms, communicating with elected officials and employees at all organizational levels, and integrating the program with the county’s strategic planning and budgeting processes.

As a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt practitioner, Shannon has led several process improvement projects in the areas of administrative records management, customer service and the criminal justice system. His efforts identified significant programmatic inefficiencies and resulted in the implementation of several improvement plans.

Shannon is a certified public manager through Arizona State University and holds the CPCU, ARM, AIC and CWCP designations.

Geoffrey R. Jones, Esq.

Senior Claims Counsel, Midwest Employers Casualty

Geoffrey is a senior claims counsel for Midwest Employers Casualty, where he has worked throughout the United States for the past 12 years providing claims/legal oversight and recommendations. Geoffrey has had a positive impact on an assortment of challenging catastrophic and presumptive claims. One of Geoffrey's strongest assets is his ability to mitigate and resolve high exposure claims, which has led to millions of dollars in savings. In that capacity, he has handled mediation/settlements in over 30 states.  When not settling claims or aiding the management of catastrophic cases, Geoffrey may be found working with MEC's advanced analytics unit and clients to ensure positive outcomes.

Amy Larson, Esq.

Risk & Litigation Manager, City of Bloomington, MN

Amy has been the risk manager for the City of Bloomington, MN for more than 23 years, including the past 13 years as the risk and litigation manager. She is responsible for the overall planning, management, administration, organization and coordination of the city’s risk management program; review and negotiation of city contracts; and litigation management. Amy is a licensed attorney in the state of Minnesota and a frequent presenter for many national PRIMA events, including PRIMA Institute, the national conference and speaker's bureau. Amy is the current chair of the PRIMA Institute and has been actively involved with PRIMA Institute since 2013. She also served on the national PRIMA board of directors from 2012-2019, including serving as the national PRIMA president from 2017-2018, and serving as a member of the Public Entity Risk Institute (PERI) Board of Directors from 2012-2017. Amy is also very active in the Minnesota chapter of PRIMA and currently serves as its past president.

Tracie Lemus

Medical Management Consultant, Midwest Employers Casualty

Tracie has over 25 years of experience in workers' compensation case management, including experience providing telephonic case management for employers, physicians and attorneys. In her current role, Tracie provides a unique perspective on the identification and management of high-risk workers' compensation cases and helps develop ways to achieve the best resolution possible for both the injured employee and their employer.

Mark Morgan

President, Sherrill Morgan

In his 30 years at Sherrill Morgan, Mark has accumulated a wealth of experience in establishing and managing employee benefit plans. As the founder of Sherrill Morgan's group health division, he paved the way in developing a systematic approach to healthcare benefits for governmental clients and has personally managed over 150 of them. He is a licensed agent and consultant and, per Sherrill Morgan policy, is up to date on the latest healthcare rules and regulations. Understanding that an innovative approach is necessary to stay ahead in the healthcare industry, Mark has helped Sherrill Morgan develop its partial self-funding division which allows employers (especially government agencies) to have a measure of control over their healthcare costs. Mark is a leading proponent for transparency in healthcare costs and is regularly invited to speak at human resource conventions on health benefits and health care reform. Mark is also an active community supporter, having served on the B]boards of numerous organizations including Kids Helping Kids, the Steinford Toy Foundation and Kentucky Health Purchasing.

Jess Osborne

Attorney, Bullard Law

Jess is a shareholder at Bullard Law, a boutique management-side labor and employment firm based in Portland, OR. She represents private, public, and non-profit organizations in relation to employment and labor law matters. Jess has extensive experience litigating issues in both administrative and judicial proceedings. Jess also advises on clients on a myriad of issues, including compliance with employment law statutes, organizational change challenges and guiding employers through organized workforce questions.

Carleen C. Patterson, ARM-P, CIC, ARM

First Vice President & Practice Leader, Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.

Carleen joined the Alliant Insurance Services team in 2020. Carleen is the national public entity and higher education practice leader. She works with higher education and public entity clients across the United States providing insurance brokerage and risk management expertise. Carleen’s expertise includes the design and negotiation of client insurance programs, evaluation and analysis of alternative risk transfer plans including captive plans, risk management evaluations, and the creation of complex property risk and insurance programs.  She has been in the insurance industry since 1988. Prior to Alliant, Carleen served in a similar role for a large, international broker.  She has risk management, claims, and insurance brokerage experience; and has spent the last 21 years specializing in self-insurance and insurance brokerage and consulting for higher education institutions as well as large public entity clients. Her expertise is in the design and implementation of large property and casualty insurance programs. Carleen earned her BS in Education from the University of South Dakota. She is licensed as an insurance agent/producer in many other states and holds the Associate in Risk Management, Associate in Risk Management for Public Entities, Certified Insurance Counselor and Certified Risk Manager designations.

Mark Pew

Provost & Founding Partner, WorkCompCollege.com

Mark is an award-winning international speaker, author and jurisdictional advisor in workers' compensation. He has focused on the intersection of chronic pain and appropriate treatment since 2003. Mark created "Qualified Medical Intervention" that won a 2012 Business Insurance Innovation Award, received WorkCompCentral's Magna Comp Laude award in 2016, IAIABC's Samuel Gompers Award in 2017, named "Top 100 Healthcare Leader" by IFAH in 2021 and received the Health 2.0 Outstanding Leadership award in 2022. He is co-founder of The Transitions and is on the advisory boards of Simple Therapy, Harvard MedTech and Goldfinch Health.

Courtney Ramirez

Senior Vice President, Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.

Courtney joined Alliant in 2006 and her expertise is in the public entity sector. She has been heavily involved in finding solutions to address some of the unique needs of many of Alliant’s public entity clients. This includes establishing a platform to control costs for state lottery agencies and developing the Alliant Deadly Weapons Response Program (ADRWP) for active shooter coverage. Courtney works with public agencies across the nation including state risks, cities, counties, airports, transit agencies, K-12 and higher education institutions. Courtney enjoys educating others and is proficient in reading contracts and providing recommendations for insurance requirements to mitigate risk for her clients.

Courtney received a Bachelor of Science degree in business management and leadership and has earned her Associates in Risk Management (ARM), Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) and Certified Insurance Services Representative (CISR) designations. Courtney was named Power Broker by Risk & Insurance Magazine for the public entity sector in February 2020 and a Rising Star by Risk & Insurance Magazine in May 2020.

Patty Reinecke, RN, BSN, CCM, MSCC

Director of Client Consults and TPA Relationships, Midwest Employers Casualty

Patty has over 28 years’ experience in the workers’ compensation industry. She provides a unique healthcare perspective to identify high-risk claims early and develop solutions that help employers and injured workers achieve better outcomes. In her current role, Patty works to ensure quality claim handling within the MEC Claims Department and as a liaison to facilitate positive working relationships with partners and claim administrators.

Amy Robinson

Partner and Chair of Employment Labor Relations Team, Miller Nash

Amy is a partner and chair of the employment and labor relations team at Miller Nash. In this role, she represents public and private employers throughout Washington, Oregon and Alaska in a range of legal issues and compliance challenges that span the entire employment life cycle from hiring to separation.  This includes employee classification, employment agreements, policies and handbooks, wage-and-hour issues, employee leaves and protected absences, workplace accommodations, discrimination, retaliation, and harassment prevention. Her clients range from small businesses with a single location to large employers with multiple locations in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Matt Simmons

Director, Public Sector and K-12 Education, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Matt is responsible for providing risk management and insurance brokerage services to municipalities, counties and K-12 school districts. As the Georgia director of the practice group, he is charged with business development, client service and strategic planning throughout the state. Working with clients to reduce their total cost of risk, Matt leverages the Core360 platform to not only provide comprehensive and competitive insurance brokerage options but also  to bolster, develop or transform impactful risk management programs for his clients. With his breadth of knowledge of risks throughout the state, Matt is able to leverage understandings of immunity, client experience and similar programs to customize his approach for the client.

Matt has experience in roles ranging from client service to brokerage. In addition to his role as practice director, he also works specifically with risk management accounts on cyber risk consulting. In the ever changing landscape, he works with clients to bolster their cyber security programs to protect against intrusion and to position each account as strongly as possible for underwriter reviews.

Margaret Spence

Founder, The Inclusion Learning Lab

Margaret has been a transformational keynote speaker, author, business strategist and visionary for over two decades. She is known for her ability to help businesses achieve their goals and create sustainable change. Her business-advisory firm specializes in human resources compliance, talent development, diversity and inclusion, and women’s leadership development. Margaret has spent her award-winning career working with organizations to develop internal diversity strategies and build more inclusive cultures. With over 23 years of experience in strategic human resources consulting, she knows that it takes more than good intentions to drive change – it takes action.

Jason Stoddard

Director of School Safety and Security, Charles County Public Schools (MD)

Jason is the director of school safety and security for Charles County Public Schools. He is responsible for sustaining a safe learning and work environment for over 28,000 students and nearly 4,000 staff members. Since serving the schools in July of 2018, he has created the Office of School Safety and Security and has been awarded a number of state-of-the-art programs and technologies that have enhanced school safety for students and staff. Prior to joining the schools, he retired as a lieutenant with Charles County Sheriff’s Office.

Sherri Swain

Director of Enterprise Risk Management, Maricopa Community Colleges (Ret.)

Sheri recently retired in January 2023 as the director of enterprise risk management for Maricopa Community Colleges. She is a seasoned risk professional with over 30 years of experience in commercial lines insurance and public entity risk management. She is ready to branch out to assist public entities to help grow their risk management programs.

Scott Thomason

Regional Director, Public Sector, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Scott leads Gallagher’s Southeast efforts working on large self-insured governmental entities, large schools, small schools, public entity risk pools, charter schools, and other public sector accounts. The Gallagher team is led by Scott, who is the primary coordinator of all Gallagher resources to public sector clients. Scott will have the ultimate responsibility to ensure the city receives exceptional service and expertise from the Gallagher network.

Scott works hand-in-hand with other team members to ensure effective execution of the entire team. Scott brings over 30 years’ experience to the Gallagher team with expertise in risk financing, risk analysis, risk innovation and creative program design. Scott has converted over entities to self-insured programs, brought in alternative risk financing solutions and provided industry leading risk analytic reports. Scott is a member of the Gallagher public sector leadership team, bringing insights and solutions to the entire country.

He is considered one of the leading public entity and educational risk experts and brokers in the Southeast and has been speaking to various clients, groups, and industry associations for many years, most notably for public entities on elected officials training, risk financing and retention level analysis, and general risk management procedures. Scott is also an active participant in national associations such as ASBO, PRIMA, and AGRIP and many of the state chapters.

David Weightman

Risk Control Manager, Public Entity Practice, The PMA Companies

David is a risk control manager for PMA Companies and is currently responsible for managing the risk control services provided to public entity clients. With more than 30 years of experience, David has held various field and management positions with PMA where he has managed and delivered safety and risk control services for both the traditional insurance market and self-insured clients.

Ya’Sheaka C. Williams

Partner, Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A.

Ya’Sheaka is a partner in the Tampa office of Quintairos, Prieto, Wood & Boyer, P.A. Her practice involves the representation of employers, self-insured employers and insurance carriers in all aspects of workers’ compensation claims in Florida and appears before judges of compensation claims throughout Florida. Ya'Sheaka became recognized as an expert in workers’ compensation law by the Florida Bar when she became board certified by the Florida Bar Board of Legal Specialization and Education. She is also a certified workers' compensation law instructor by the Florida Department of Financial Services and has presented numerous classes and seminars to employers and claims adjusters throughout Florida. Ya'Sheaka has extensive experience in settlement negotiations, claims resolution, contract negotiations, mediation and litigation. She has attained an AV Preeminent® designation rating from Martindale Hubbell Law Directory, which is the highest possible rating for legal ability and ethical standards. She received her Juris Doctor from Stetson University College of Law, Gulfport, Florida in 2003 and a Bachelor of Arts from Brenau University Women’s College in 2000, graduating with majors in conflict resolution and pre-law.

Registration

PI 23 Registration is NOW OPEN!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

*Should you have any questions regarding registration, please email education@primacentral.org.

Registration

Before August 31 After August 31
Member* $1050 $1150
Non-Member $1550 $1650

A la Carte Pricing

Can’t get away from the office for a full week? Pay a la carte pricing and attend three out of five days, or one day.
• Monday through Wednesday, October 16--18: 100 and 200 Series
• Wednesday through Friday, October 18--20: 200 and 300 Series

Three-Day Rate Three-Day Rate Daily Rate
Before August 31 After August 31
Member* $785 $890 $370
Non-Member $1035 $1139 $450

Cancellation Policy: If you cancel in writing at least 30 business day before the program, you will be refunded your registration fee minus a $75 administrative charge. No-shows and cancellations not received by the date required, will not be eligible for a refund.

Notice: If PRIMA must cancel this conference for any reason, liability is limited to the registration fees paid only. PRIMA is not responsible for other expenses incurred, including travel and accommodation fees.

For additional information, please contact PRIMA’s Education and Training team at education@primacentral.org

Health and Safety

The Public Risk Management Association (PRIMA) cares about your health and safety. We are monitoring COVID protocols from the CDC and state/local governments.

PRIMA, in collaboration with our PI 2023 Sponsors, is pleased to offer scholarships that cover the registration cost of attending PRIMA Institute.

THE PI 23 APPLICATION CYCLE IS NOW CLOSED!

The PI23 Housing Block is Now Open!

Le Méridien New Orleans

333 Poydras Street New Orleans, Louisiana 70130

Room Rate: $209+/night

Click Here to Reserve Your Room!

Special Accommodations: Email meetings@primacentral.org with your specific needs or check the appropriate box during the online registration process.

PRIMA Housing Policies

PRIMA reserves a limited number of guest rooms for attendees of the PRIMA conference. When attendees book outside the PRIMA room block, or book rooms in advance on the chance that they will attend, only to cancel later, PRIMA is placed at high risk of paying attrition on the canceled rooms. Due to the economic climate as well as this above-mentioned risk, the following PRIMA-approved housing policy has been instituted.

Thank you in advance for adhering to these policies. Reservations at an official Conference hotel must be accompanied by a deposit equal to one night's room and tax to guarantee the reservation. All cancellations must be made at least 30 days prior to arrival to receive a refund of the deposit. Any and all cancellations made within 30 days of arrival will forfeit the entire deposit. Anyone booking more than eight-room nights will be required to sign a room block contract with the hotel and will be held to the hotel’s attrition and cancellation policies as per their contract.

Thank you to our 2023 Sponsors!

PI would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors

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