Leston Welsh
Leston Welsh is the Senior Vice President and President, Employee Benefits Division for Protective Life Corporation. He has responsibilities for product development, distribution, operations and technology. Prior to joining Protective, Leston was CEO & President of ShelterPoint which was acquired by Protective in 2024. Prior to joining ShelterPoint, Leston was Product General Manager, Individual Retirement […]
Marsha A. Cohen
Ms. Cohen is a consultant for the Reinsurance Association of America (RAA). Prior to her retirement in February 2025, she served as Senior Vice President and Director of Education. She developed and headed the operation of the RAA’s Reinsurance Education Institute. To date, 22,000 attendees have participated in the Institute’s education programs. Before assuming this position, […]
Hon. Andrew N. Mais
Insurance Commissioner, Connecticut President, National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Andrew N. Mais was nominated by Governor Ned Lamont to be Connecticut’s 33rd Insurance Commissioner. Mais is President of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) for 2024, and he has served on the NAIC’s Executive Committee since 2021. Mais currently serves on the NAIC’s International Relations, Property & Casualty, and Financial Regulation Standards Committees.
Dave North
Dave North is an industry icon, having served Sedgwick’s as chief executive officer— a position he has held since 1995 -and then Executive Chairman since 2020, until retiring from the company in June 2024. Dave now serves on the company’s Board ofDirectors. During the period of his leadership, Sedgwick experienced meteoric growth and expansion. When he joined Sedgwick, the company had fewer than 500 staff with$50 million in annual revenue. Under Dave’s leadership, Sedgwick grew from a boutique, regional third-party claims administrator to the premier global provider of innovative solutions in the areas of workers’ compensation, disability and absence management, property loss adjusting and other specialty services.
Teresa Chan
IFNY Director Director, Master of Professional Studies in Insurance Management, Columbia School of Professional Studies With over 27 years of experience in the insurance industry, Teresa Chan is a recognized leader and innovator in the areas of renewable and alternative energy, niche market development, and policy drafting. Throughout her career, she has tackled emerging issues […]
Patrick L. Linehan
IFNY Director Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Travelers Patrick Linehan is Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications at Travelers and is a member of the company’s Operating Committee. For more than a decade, he has overseen the company’s media relations, social media and employee and executive communications efforts with a lens toward creating high-impact programs […]
Wendy R. Shapss
IFNY Director Senior Managing Director, Co-Leader of the Global Insurance Practice FTI Consulting, Inc. Wendy Shapss is a Senior Managing Director at FTI Consulting and is based in New York. She is Co-Leader of the Global Insurance Services practice. She is also the leader of the FTI Women’s Initiative New York chapter of over 250 […]
Hank Watkins
IFNY Director Executive Director, Greenberg School of Risk Management, St. John’s University and Associate Dean, Peter J. Tobin College of Business Hank joined St. John’s University on November 1, 2024 as Executive Director of the Greenberg School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science and Associate Dean of Peter J. Tobin College of Business. From […]
James J. Wrynn, Esq.
IFNY DIRECTOR Senior Managing Director Global Insurance Services, FTI Consulting Former Superintendent, New York State Insurance Department, James J. Wrynn, Esq. brings more than 35 years of professional experience as an attorney, regulator, executive, strategic advisor, hearing officer and expert witness on a variety of insurance and regulatory matters. the 40th and last Superintendent of […]
William M. Savino
IFNY Director Partner, Rivkin Radler LLP William M. Savino is a partner at Rivkin Radler LLP where he previously served as Managing Partner. Mr. Savino’s practice concentrates on commercial and insurance coverage litigation and related counseling. He has litigated before trial and appellate courts throughout the United States. He has represented certain insurers in the […]