Cultivating Psychological Safety to Mitigate Risk
Amy Hartsfield
Risk Management Analyst, City of Eugene, OR
In this podcast episode, Amy Hartsfield explains the importance of psychological safety in risk mitigation. Amy explains that psychological safety, a shared belief in the team's safety for interpersonal risk-taking, is crucial for risk management as it encourages proactive identification and addressing of risks. She suggests strategies for increasing psychological safety in the workplace, emphasizing the importance of leadership buy-in for successful implementation. The discussion highlights how psychological safety leads to early identification and correction of mistakes, essential for effective risk mitigation.
*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.*
Amy Hartsfield
Risk Management Analyst, City of Eugene, OR
Summary of Qualifications
As a relatively new professional in the Enterprise Risk Management world, the past two years have both opened Amy's eyes to the various aspects of the field and given her the opportunity to apply her past in training, marketing and events. Amy brings experience participating as volunteer coordinator in large-scale community emergency exercises while exercising a passion for connecting the dots between the psychology of how humans operate and realizing the goals we need to achieve in ERM.
Responsibilities
Amy is primarily a project-based management analyst on the City of Eugene's Enterprise Risk Management Team. She supports her colleagues who specialize in liability claims, workers' compensation, and insurance while handling a variety of tasks that keep the team moving, such as serving as admin for claims software, running monthly and ad hoc reports, processing claims payments and purchase orders and managing the city's physical exams database.
Business Experience
15 years in local government:
- Marketing and Events Coordination
- Volunteer Program Management
- Deputy Operations Chief in COVID Emergency Operations Center
- Management Analyst on ERM team
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The COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned & Applied
Gregory A. Hearing
Shareholder, GrayRobinson, P.A.
In this podcast episode, Gregory Hearing, speaks about the lessons learned and applied from the COVID-19 pandemic. Gregory discusses the macro impacts of COVID-19 on the US workforce, including unemployment, injuries and illnesses among healthcare employees, and the rise of telework. He also delves into labor and employment law issues, such as federal guidance, vaccine and mask mandates, and teleworking policies. He emphasizes the importance of staying updated on guidance and preparing for future emergencies.
*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.*
Gregory A. Hearing
Shareholder, GrayRobinson, P.A.
Gregory is a shareholder with GrayRobinson, P.A.. He has practiced management labor
and employment law for his entire career. He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of the
South where he graduated magna cum laude in 1986 and currently serves on its Board of Trustees. He
received his law degree from the Florida State University College of Law cum laude in 1989, where
he served on the Florida State University Law Review. He is a member of the American Bar
Association, The Florida Bar, and the Hillsborough County Bar Association. He chaired the
Hillsborough County Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Section in 1997-1998, and chaired
The Florida Bar Practice Management and Development Section in 1998-2000. He has served on the
Executive Council of the Labor and Employment Law Section of The Florida Bar since 2001
culminating as its Chair in 2011-2012. He has been Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law
by The Florida Bar since the inception of board certification for labor and employment law by The
Florida Bar and has previously served as Chair of the Committee for Board Certification in labor and
employment law for The Florida Bar. He also has been Board Certified in Civil Trial by The Florida
Bar since 2007. He became Board Certified in Education Law by The Florida Bar in 2012. He has
achieved an “AV” rating in the Martindale-Hubbell legal directory, has been recognized as one of
Florida’s “Legal Elite” by Florida Trend magazine and is listed in the publication The Best Lawyers in
America. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Courts for the Northern, Middle and
Southern Districts of Florida, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and U.S. Supreme
Court. He was inducted as a Fellow in the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers in 2012 and
was appointed by the Florida Supreme Court to a five year term as a Member of the Florida Board of
Bar Examiners and served as its Vice-Chair and Chair in 2014, 2015 and 2016. He is a frequent
lecturer and has authored many papers on labor and employment related topics.
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Commercialized Autonomous Vehicles: Risks & Insurance Implications
Drew Groth
Associate Actuary, Milliman
In this episode, Drew Groth explores the topic of commercialized autonomous vehicles and their insurance implications. Drew shares his expertise in developing solutions for autonomous vehicles, particularly in the field of autonomous trucking. He explains the potential use cases of autonomous vehicles in the public sector, including autonomous shuttles for underserved areas and heavily trafficked areas. He also speaks on the impact of autonomous vehicles on risk for the public sector, noting the potential reduction in insurance losses in certain scenarios. The episode concludes with a discussion on insurance implications and the challenges of quantifying risks associated with autonomous vehicles.
*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.*
Drew Groth
Associate Actuary, Milliman
Summary of Qualifications
Drew is an actuary who specializes in quantifying risk and tailoring insurance solutions for unique exposures. He is well-versed in loss reserving, pricing and predictive modeling across various property and casualty lines, including commercial auto, workers' compensation, and general liability. His expertise extends beyond traditional insurance exposures to encompass emerging risks, notably related to autonomous vehicles as well as a broad spectrum of mass tort exposures (PFAS, talc, sexual misconduct, glyphosate, amongst others). Drew has closely collaborated with self-insured entities, major insurance providers and startups, leveraging his multifaceted experience and innovative thinking to craft customized insurance strategies ranging from transactions involving latent liabilities to rate plans for autonomous vehicles.
Responsibilities
Drew has been helping entities quantify their large deductible, self-insured and captive risks for a decade with a focus on commercial auto, workers’ compensation, and general liability. Beyond reserving for these liabilities, he also assists insurance carriers and startups with developing and refreshing rate plans, providing a deep understanding of the key risk factors considered in insurance ratemaking. Drew is well-versed in predictive modeling techniques, using his expertise to build and review models utilized for pricing, underwriting and gaining business insights. His diverse background provides the tools needed to quantify emerging risks, most notably related to autonomous vehicles as well as a broad spectrum of mass tort exposures.
Business Experience
Drew has worked closely with risk managers in an actuarial role for Milliman since 2014. Beyond his job experience, he shares his insights on emerging insurance issues through presentations for various actuarial and risk management organizations, such as PRIMA, RIMS, CAS, and multiple insurance carriers. Drew has also authored articles on these topics and has been featured in publications including the PRIMA Blog, Risk & Insurance, Carrier Management and Leader’s Edge. Drew currently serves on the board of directors for the Wisconsin Chapter of RIMS.
Professional Affiliations
- The Risk Management Society (RIMS)
- Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS)
- American Academy of Actuaries (AAA)
Education
Drew earned a dual degree in actuarial science and finance from Valparaiso University and is an accredited Associate of the Casualty Actuarial Society (ACAS).
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How Public Entity Risk Managers Can Get the Most Out of Their TPA
Brad Wilson
Assistant Vice President, Sales, PMA Management Corp.
In this podcast episode, Brad Wilson explores the benefits of working with a third party administrator (TPA) for public risk managers. He highlights how TPAs can assist with claim adjustment, claims-related services and OSHA recordkeeping, saving time and resources for risk managers. Brad also emphasizes the importance of leveraging a TPA's buying power to negotiate discounts on medical care and ancillary services, driving down costs. He suggests that a strong partnership between public entities and TPAs can help address the challenges of finding workers, especially with retirements starting for workers in their 50s.
*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.*
Brad Wilson
Assistant Vice President, Sales, PMA Management Corp.
Summary of Qualifications
Brad began his career in the risk and insurance industry over 25 years ago, specializing in workers’ compensation and auto & general liability claim administration. His background includes a successful career in claim management for national carriers and third party administrators (TPAs) as well as account management ands sales.
In that time, he has worked with public and private entities to create effective claim and risk management programs that drive down their total cost of risk.
Responsibilities
Brad is an assistant vice president of sales for PMA Management Corp. and is responsible for growing the brand throughout the Southeast, Midwest and Southwest regions. He and his team provide claim administration and risk control expertise to hundreds of organizations in the public and private sector.
They specialize in managing the unique risks and challenges faced by public entities across the United States.
Business Experience
Brad has 15+ years of claim adjusting experience and managing claim teams n the workers' compensation, auto and general liability fields. He is familiar with self-insured, risk-sharing and fully insured programs for organizations of every size. Brad also has 10 years of account management and business development experience for a national TPA.
Professional Affiliations
- Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU,
- Associate in Risk Management (ARM)
- Associate in Claims (AIC)
- Active member of PRIMA, RIMS, and the Virginia Self-Insurers Association
Education
Brad earned a bachelor's degree in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia and has continued his education by earning the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU,) Associate in Risk Management (ARM) and Associate in Claims (AIC) designations.
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Workforce Absence in the Public Sector
David Setzkorn
SVP & Workforce Absence & Disability Practice Leader, Sedgwick
In this episode, David Setzkorn discusses workforce absence in the public sector. David explains the challenges posed by the implementation of statutory paid and family medical leave benefits in different states, which affects public sector employees. He suggests that employers review the legislation, consider employee opt-in options and assess the cost of participating. David also discusses the upcoming challenges related to religious accommodations and paid family leave requests, advising organizations to proactively handle accommodation requests and consider enhancing group disability benefits to compete for talent.
*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.*
David Setzkorn
SVP & Workforce Absence & Disability Practice Leader, Sedgwick
Summary of Qualifications
David has over 14 years of experience working for both carriers and brokers as a subject matter expert on leave administration. His experience includes consultation and development of time away from work benefit programs for clients that range from program and policy development, training, benchmarking analysis and ongoing compliance management with state and federal regulations. He is a nationally recognized speaker working with organizations such as Disability Management Education Coalition (DMEC), Integrated Benefits Institute (IBI), Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) and others to deliver trainings and content regarding FMLA, ADAAA, paid family medical leave, and state and municipal leave programs.
Responsibilities
David is responsible for providing thought leadership in the absence and disability space for Sedgwick as well as supporting both internal and external clients in order to provide best-in-class products and services. He also provides compliance and operational best practices to clients and internal partners.
Business Experience
Prior to joining Sedgwick, David worked for two of the largest insurance carriers, one public traded and one private employer, for over 10 years. He spent 3-1/2 years as the North American practice leader for the 5th largest broker in the world, focusing primarily on U.S. and Canadian clients. David also has 15+ years as a procurement officer working in the hospitality and gaming industries.
Education
David is a graduate of Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in purchasing and logistics management and an MBA with an emphasis in project management. He also holds a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation along with multiple certifications in IT and operational management.
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Injury Prevention, Treatment & the Aging Workforce
Fernando Branco, MD, FAAPM&R
AVP, Claims & Chief Medical Officer, Midwest Employers Casualty
In this episode, Dr. Fernando Branco discusses the aging workforce and its impact on injury prevention and treatment. He explains why baby boomers are choosing to continue working and the factors contributing to their decision. Dr. Branco also highlights the differences in injury rates between older and younger workers, emphasizing the need for preventative measures. He further explores the effects of COVID-19 on the workforce and predicts future trends.
*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.*
Fernando Branco, MD, FAAPM&R
AVP, Claims & Chief Medical Officer, Midwest Employers Casualty
Responsibilities
Fernando has presented in several conferences, podcasts, webinars and blogs in the insurance industry, mainly with regards to worker's compensation. He supervises the medical team at Midewest Employers and provides medical supervision for the claims department.
Fernando also provides consultant services to several other Berkley companies as a physician.
Business Experience
Fernando has 30 years of clinical experience as an MD, board-certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, pain medicine and addiction medicine.
Insurance work for the last 7 years Worker's Compensation.
Education
- MD Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul UFRGS
- Residency PM&R - ABBR Rio de Janeiro Brazil
- Masters in PM&R - Rio de Janeiro Brazil
- Residency PM&R - University of Kentucky
- PhD Exercise Physiology - ABD - University of Minnesota
- Board certification in PM&R, Pain Medicine and Addiction Medicine.
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Addressing Public Open Record Requests
Daniel Lowndes
Risk Manager, Dane County (WI) Department of Administration
In this podcast episode, Daniel Lowndes explains the process of handling open records requests. He discusses the three steps they take when receiving a request, including searching for the record, determining exceptions to releasing the record and responding in writing. Daniel also talks about Wisconsin's balancing test, which weighs the public's interest in releasing the record against the need for confidentiality. He emphasizes the importance of protecting personal information and discusses how Dane County defends itself against litigation regarding open records.
*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.*
Daniel Lowndes
Risk Manager, Dane County (WI) Department of Administration
Dan graduated from Marquette with a degree in English literature and a minor in business administration. He immediately went to work for a company now known as Fortis, selling insurance and mutual funds in the suburbs of Chicago. He took that experience to Peterson Bank, a small family-run business just outside of Skokie, Illinois. There, Dan administered their employee benefits package, which was partially self-insured.
In 1992, Dan entered DePaul University School of Law to study health law. During his third year, he became the managing editor of the Journal of Health and Hospital Law, the then monthly publication for what is now the American Health Lawyers Association.
In 1993, Dan clerked in the Office of the Illinois Attorney General, Office of Welfare Litigation and became a special assistant attorney general upon admission to the Illinois Bar in 1995.
Dan then moved to Madison in 1996 to work in private practice, then as in-house counsel for a non-profit organization dedicated to keeping people with physical disabilities in their own homes and communities. Since 2008, he has been the risk manager for Dane County, overseeing the county's self-insured workers' compensation program as well as all other lines of coverage (general liability, property, professional liability, etc.).
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William Kegg’s 2023 Annual Conference Student Scholar Reflection
William Kegg
Business Analytics (Focus in Insurance and Risk Management) Major, University of Cincinnati
In this podcast episode, William Kegg, a graduate student studying business analytics with a focus in insurance and risk management, shares his journey into the insurance and risk management industry. Initially uninterested, a mentor convinced him to give it a try, and he hasn't looked back since. He discusses the endless possibilities in the industry, whether it's on the risk management or insurance side. William also highlights the value of personal connections, especially after the isolation caused by the pandemic, and describes the PRIMA annual conference as a wonderful opportunity to meet new people and explore potential career opportunities.
*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.*
William Kegg
Business Analytics (Focus in Insurance and Risk Management) Major, University of Cincinnati
William is in his fourth year at the University of Cincinnati and is double majoring in business analytics and insurance/risk management. Next year, he will be receiving his master’s degree full-time in business analytics at the University of Cincinnati. After graduation, he will be pursuing a career in risk management. At UC, William is the president of Gamma Iota Sigma (the business fraternity for the insurance industry), an analytics intern and lead tutor for Bearcat Buddies, and a member of a few other different organizations. He is the recipient of the 2022 Carl H. Lindner Outstanding Junior Scholarship, the 2023 Outstanding Undergraduate Student in Insurance & Risk Management Award, the Warren L. Weeks Award, the PACEsetter Distinction and the Spencer Undergraduate (Elizabeth Lisle) Award
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Vincent O’Connell’s 2023 Annual Conference Student Scholar Reflection
Vincent O'Connell
Risk Management and Insurance Major, St. John's University
Vincent O'Connell, a PRIMA student scholar and undergraduate student studying risk management and insurance at Saint John's University, shares his experience at PRIMA's 2023 Annual Conference. Vincent applied for the scholarship to explore new opportunities in the industry and broaden his understanding of different aspects, such as public versus private insurance. He realized the abundance of opportunities in the insurance industry, particularly in public risk management, and the importance of networking with industry professionals. Vincent also found it rewarding to connect with other student scholars from different schools who shared his interests and aspirations in the industry.
*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.*
Vincent O'Connell
Risk Management and Insurance Major, St. John's University
Vincent is a junior majoring in risk management and Insurance at St. John’s University in New York. Currently, he interns at Healthcare Risk Advisors as an insurance data coordinator and was the treasurer of the Alpha Iota Chapter of Gamma Iota Sigma for the past year. He is also a member of numerous risk management and insurance organizations such as RIMS and the CPCU Society. Recently, Vincent applied for and was accepted into the St. John’s Fast Track Graduate Program to pursue an MBA with a concentration in enterprise risk management. This upcoming summer, he is set to join Segal Select’s Summer Internship program to explore the broker side of the business.
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Andrew Buschman’s 2023 Annual Conference Student Scholar Reflection
Andrew Buschman
Risk Management and Insurance Major, Florida State University
Andrew Buschman, a risk management student at Florida State University, attended PRIMA's 2023 Annual Conference. He initially struggled to choose between public administration and finance as his major, but after speaking with his father and doing research, he decided to pursue risk management. At the conference, Andrew was impressed by the willingness of industry professionals to offer guidance and share their experiences. He enjoyed networking with professionals and fellow student scholars, learning from their stories and experiences. The conference opened his eyes to the potential and opportunities in public risk management, and he received valuable guidance from mentors throughout the event.
*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.*
Andrew Buschman
Risk Management and Insurance Major, Florida State University
Andrew is a junior at Florida State University, working towards a bachelor's degree in risk management insurance. With a leadership background as a swim instructor and supervising lifeguard, Andrew’s experiences have helped him establish drive and dedication for his work. Andrew has a passion for sports, even playing baseball throughout high school. Through sports, Andrew has developed a competitive personality that has aided him in pursing his goals. He also enjoys traveling, granting him many experiences that he still carries with him to this day, which he attributes to his parents for being able to provide those opportunities.