The Best Insurance Professionals Under 35 in the USA | Rising Stars 2023

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Ahead of the curve

The 2023 Insurance Business America Rising Stars are top young insurance professionals from across the United States. After considering candidates’ roles, achievements, and goals, IBA’s industry-leading panel awarded the Rising Star status to more than 70 achievers. 

Industry expert Michael Falvey, president and CEO of Falvey Insurance Group, offers his view of what makes a Rising Star. 

“The way we do business is evolving, so those who drive innovation, without compromising the human touch of insurance interaction, will go far.” 

And he highlights that an advantage is their “comfortability and curiosity in challenging the status quo.” IBA’s Rising Stars are shaping the future of the industry with their initiative and dedication.

“I consider myself so incredibly lucky to have stumbled upon what our team likes to refer to as ‘the hidden gem of the business world’”
Maddie BejaRisk Placement Services

Maddie Beja – determined to succeed  

29 years old

“So much of this industry is going out there and working as hard as you can, making sure you’re giving 110% of everything you do because that’s a reflection on you,” says Beja of Risk Placement Services (RPS). 

While at Indiana University, she spent two summers participating in an RPS internship program and started in an associate broker role after graduating. Although hesitant at first, she seized an opportunity in their underwriting team and proved herself through hard work and perseverance. 

Now assistant area vice president, Beja has distinguished herself by:

helping grow the book of business from $2.2 million in revenue in 2016 to a projected $7+ million by the end of 2023

 

being promoted to first-time manager in 2023

 

attending the RPS President’s Club since 2021

Beja has benefited from maintaining a proactive mindset.

“Being present helps with developing relationships in the office and providing hands-on exposure and training,” she explains. “And in addition, it’s important to continue to promote the industry to attract and develop.” 

And she is also keen to bring other talented people into the industry from all backgrounds, which Beja can relate to due to not having any family links to the industry. 

“The more attention we can bring to the opportunities and really limitless potential that the career can offer will continue to attract and make sure the next wave of young professionals is as engaged and excited as we are,” she adds.

“Why have I been successful? The big ones for me are just hard work and determination”

Tyler JohnsonAlliant Insurance Services

Tyler Johnson – seizing opportunities 

31 years old 

Another proponent of perseverance is Johnson, assistant vice president and staff manager of the healthcare division at Alliant Insurance Services. He entered the industry through an internship and is a graduate of the Alliant leadership program. 

“Alliant made an investment in me,” he says. “I knew I had to outwork everyone. I knew I had to show up every day and be engaged and raise my hand and offer to help. I would stock the refrigerator just to try to create value for myself.” 

Johnson assumed a management role right before the pandemic. He continued servicing his book of business with operational management responsibilities and eventually realized the need to delegate and hand over control in certain areas. 

“It’s made me a better leader within my team,” he said. 

Johnson has distinguished himself by:

He emphasizes the importance of cultivating learning opportunities in his success. 

“We’ll have senior account executives come in and we’ll invite everybody to a lunch-and-learn. They teach on a certain topic, whether it’s loss analysis, going over different coverages or coverage lines, and we also work with our carrier partners to get those underwriters in front of our younger staff and talk about what they’re looking for when we send a submission to them. 

“Just last month, we did a staff event where we had all our employees come in. We had a meeting and then for the afternoon, we did indoor putt-putt golf. That was very helpful because we had new employees who had never met people who work on the same team. That was good to help build relationships.” 

“My biggest professional strength is my ability to see things through to the finish line. I make a conscious effort to ensure that I leave no stone unturned”
Omar DogbeySompo International

Omar Dogbey – living in the moment 

27 years old

The senior underwriter at Sompo International is committed to taking on all responsibilities and dealing with them.  

“It’s about being present at work,” he explains. “Being present in the offices or when you talk to your clients and brokers. But I also mean being present in committees and different organizations. At those events, I meet people I typically wouldn’t have met in my day-to-day role who have helped springboard my career.”’ 

Dogbey went to Stockton University in New Jersey and graduated with a math degree with an actuarial science specialization. He wanted to live in New York and applied for a host of positions. Ultimately, he got a role as a systems analyst with AIG and transitioned into underwriting.  

 

Dogbey has distinguished himself by:

sitting on the junior board for the eastern chapter of the Multicultural (Re)Insurance Association

 

co-founding an Interfaith Employee Resource Group (ERG)

 

participating in a Black Professionals ERG

Being on the steering committee of the eastern chapter of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society, Dogbey is a big advocate of encouraging others to join the industry.

“Why do we keep it a secret?,” he says. “It’s not as widely recognized as investment banking or working at Tesla or Google or anything along those lines. But insurance as a career provides longevity and job security.  

“Insurance is the lifeblood of capitalism. Without insurance, none of those companies would operate. The messaging around insurance – it’s not a sexy job or whatever – but there’s a lot of fun to be had in the industry as a whole.”

Advice for future Rising Stars 

Dogbey recommends surrounding yourself with people to bounce ideas off and learn from.  

“Early in my career, I didn’t realize the impact my peers had,” he explains.  

Whether it was collaborating with a property expert or a risk analyst, Dogbey was able to take advantage of those relationships to build his knowledge and acquire a holistic understanding of the insurance industry instead of his siloed area of influence and risks.  

He says, “Being able to leverage the people around you – not just senior leaders in the organization – but people next to you and going through the same things day to day is very important.” 

On that note, Johnson underscores the importance of being proactive. 

“Find somebody who’s been in the industry, someone that you could jive with, a mentor who is open to taking you under their wing and having somebody who you can pick their brain and bounce ideas off of,” he says. “Find somebody who can motivate and guide you. That is crucial to success and growth.” 

Meanwhile, Beja espouses the need to look long-term and at the bigger picture. 

“Look at your current position and your company as a career and not a job,” she explains. “Really look at the company that you join and make sure it is somewhere to set down roots and really grow and develop. It’s not just a nine-to-five mindset. I truly believe it does really help you become successful. 

“Never burn bridges. You never know where you will end up later down the road and who you might be working with. 

“Lastly, small things go a long way. If someone takes the time to take you out to lunch or train you, make sure you thank them for that.” 

Aarian Forman

Integrated Partnerships and Public Relations Strategist

The General
Albert Peterson

Director, Product

Travelers
Alessandro Trimarchi

Underwriting Director, Public D&O

Canopius
Alice Barresi

Vice President, Casualty Operations, US

Canopius
Amanda Constanza

Underwriting Manager

Agribusiness Risk Underwriters
Andrew Chen

Senior Commercial Underwriter/Broker

Burns & Wilcox
Angelica Ronga

Vice President, Cyber and Tech E&O

Canopius
Ariel Bach

Assistant Vice President

CRC Insurance
Armando Tellez

Account Executive

AssuredPartners
Ashley Wilson

Operations Manager/Senior Account Executive

AssuredPartners
Benjamin Rathbun

President

The Rathbun Agency
Brent Christman

Business Development Manager

Vault
Brian Crater

President

Crater Financial Services
Caitlin Townsend

Sales Executive, Health and Welfare Consultant

AssuredPartners
Cameron Alford

Insurance Manager

CSL Behring
CJ Nash

Underwriting Team Leader

CRC Group
Corynne Griffith

Assistant Vice President

RT Specialty
Dana George

Vice President, Life Science Leader

Newfront
David Watson

CEO/Founder at RiskAdvisor

Executive Vice President at Mappus Insurance Agency
Dominique Bolden

Underwriting Specialist

Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty
Donald Carson Jr.

Office President

CRC Group
Emily Boody

Account Executive

Lockton Companies
Isabelle Repinski

Senior Account Representative

Marsh
Jake Doman

Consulting Director

Axion RMS
Jennifer Woiwod

National New Business Marketing Manager

USI Insurance Services
Jeremy Powers

Founder

Powers Insurance Experts
Jessica Centeno

Account Manager

Lockton
John McArthur

E&S Programs, Underwriter

Canopius
Jordan Owens

Regional Operations Manager

AssuredPartners
Justin Austin

Senior Partner and Strategic Advisor

USI Insurance Services
Kathleen Crowe

SVP, Southeast Zone Leader – Power & Renewable Energy

Marsh
Katie Wilson

Vice President

Marsh
Katrice Buck

Second Vice President

GenStar
Kelechi Anyanwu

Life Sciences Underwriter

CNA
Kyle V. Matthews

Director of Sales and Distribution

Hartford
Lindsey DiGangi

Assistant Vice President of Marketing

Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Company
Maggie Stults

Manager, Inside Sales

Horace Mann
Megan Coe

Personal Lines Lead

North Town Insurance
Nicolette Cerne

AVP, Member Advocates

PURE Insurance
Patience Noah

Owner

Patience Noah Insurance
Sabrina Ali

Manager, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

PURE Insurance
Santana Bozman

Managing Advisor of the Private Client Group

Gibson
Sarah Hudson

Employee Benefits Consultant

AssuredPartners
Shannon Gundersen

Chief Operating Officer

First Insurance & Risk Management
Shantelle Cabir

Senior Vice President and Producer

Newfront
Sydney Bowen

Underwriting Specialist

Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty
Thomas Murphy

Senior Underwriter

Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty
Tim Dunleavy

Senior Vice President

Newfront
Tom Carvalho

Associate Managing Director, Senior Underwriter, Personal Insurance

Burns & Wilcox
Victor Tang

Vice President

Marsh McLennan Agency

Insights

As part of our editorial process, Key Media’s researchers interviewed the subject matter experts below for an independent analysis of this report and its findings.

Starting in May, Insurance Business America invited insurance professionals across the country to nominate their most exceptional young talent for the ninth annual Rising Stars list. 

Nominees had to be aged 35 or under (as of October 1, 2023) and be committed to a career in insurance with a clear passion for the industry. To maintain a focus on new talent, only nominees who hadn’t been previously recognized as an IBA Rising Star (or Young Gun) were considered. 

Nominees were asked about their current role, key achievements and career goals, as well as the contributions they’ve made to shaping the industry. Recommendations from managers and senior industry professionals were also taken into account. The Rising Stars were determined by an independent panel of industry leaders composed of: 

 

The Rising Stars report is proudly supported by ACORD and the Association of Professional Insurance Women.