Travis is the Customer and Broker Engagement Leader for Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance (BHSI) in North America and is responsible for leading and driving profitable growth across all lines. His career in the insurance industry spans 30 years. He started with Chubb in 1995 as a management liability underwriter in the northeastern U.S (New York, Connecticut, New Jersey). and later assumed underwriting leadership responsibilities for the Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Travis relocated to the San Francisco Bay area in 2006 as a regional marketing manager for Chubb in Northern California. In 2012, he joined Allianz (Fireman’s Fund) and assumed national distribution management responsibilities for 3 years.

Travis came to BHSI in 2015 and was responsible for leading our customer and broker engagement efforts in our Western U.S. Region.  He recently assumed C&BE leadership responsibilities for North America in August 2024. He also actively supports the National African American Insurance Association as a director on its national board, and the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) as chair for their western division. Travis has also served and supported Big Brothers Big Sisters, Friends of the Children, Junior Achievement, and Inroads.

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Riley Barnacastle is the Financial Lines PNP Underwriting Manager for Chubb’s San Francisco Branch where he is responsible for the growth and profitability of Chubb’s financial lines products, including D&O, EPL, Fiduciary, Crime, and K&R, for private companies and not-for-profit organizations. He began his insurance career in 2015 as a Life Sciences underwriting trainee in the Chubb Associate Program. Prior to this he served two years in the Peace Corps as a literacy and numeracy teacher in a rural community in Jamaica. Riley is a native of Birmingham, Alabama and graduate of Samford University where he also lettered in varsity football. He earned an MPA from the Middlebury College’s Institute of International Studies and holds the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation in addition to the Associate in Insurance Services (AIS) and Accredited Adviser in Insurance (AAI) certifications. He is the President Emeritus of the Friends of Jamaica Peace Corps Affiliate Organization and was recently named Chair of the IICF Associate Board for Northern California. Riley lives in San Francisco and enjoys exercising, reading, and playing the guitar.

Wayne Bryan is the President of Berkley Enterprise Risk Solutions, a leading California-based insurer specializing in Workers Compensation coverage for large employers. With an impressive 37-year career in the insurance industry, Wayne Bryan began their professional journey at the WCIRB of California and has since established a reputation for expertise and leadership.

A graduate of the University of San Francisco, Wayne Bryan brings a wealth of experience and a commitment to excellence to their new role. Residing in Orange County with his spouse, Wayne Bryan is passionate about golf and travel and looks forward to contributing to the meaningful mission of IICF.

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Kaci joined Swiss Re in April 2003 on the Property Treaty Reinsurance broker team handling US Large, Regional and Global clients. Current client responsibilities include underwriting and client management for the large US client segment as well as quasi-public private governmental entities, such as the NFIP and various State residualentities.

Prior to 2003, Kaci worked at Hanover Re, underwriting crop business, including MPCI and crop hail insurance.

Kaci graduated from the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire with a double major in Accounting and Finance. Kaci passed the CPA exam in 1998.

Kaci currently resides in Westlake Village,California. During her time off, she enjoys traveling, scuba diving and downhill skiing.

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Nathan runs the AIG Southwest Region as the Managing Director and is responsible for the oversight of the distribution strategy, production and overall leadership of the Southwest Region. Prior to joining the organization, Nathan held many leadership roles in including underwriting, wholesale brokers, personal lines product management and various distribution roles. Just prior to joining AIG, he was a Marketing Manager for the Pacific South in Los Angeles for Chubb Insurance. Nathan earned his Bachelors Degree in Sociology and his Masters in Public Administration from California State University at Northridge.

Mr. Chauvin, in his 35 years of insurance experience, has held senior customer relationship and brokerage production roles with a focus on both global Fortune 500 clients and highly technical structured finance arrangements.   His industry expertise lies principally in Technology, Energy, Hospitality, and Private Equity.

He has developed bespoke insurance programs for renewable energy clients,as well as rent-a-captive arrangements for Workers Compensation and General Liability coverages.

Mr. Chauvin and a handful of colleagues helped to build the initial Global Relationship team for Zurich Insurance Company in the United States.   There, he had responsibility for initial startup of the West Coast Global Relationship Management program.   In that role, he and his underwriting teams were successful in adding over $125 million in new profitable written premium over a 10-year period.   The team retained over 92% of the premium on a YoY basis.

In his role at Zurich, he partnered with the Alternative Risk / Corporate Solutions teams to provide various non-traditional programs to his global customers.

As a specialty broker, Mr. Chauvin developed unique hedge products for Renewable Energy clients and contractors that allow a project sponsor or contractor to reduce the variability of plant revenue and battery performance.  

In 2021, he joined Swiss Re to manage a portfolio of global technology and energy customers.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Louisiana State University, a Masters in Finance from California State University, and an Associate Risk Management (ARM) designation.

Mr. Chauvin is married and has three children:  Austin- 27; Nicole – 24 and Michelle 21.   He enjoys golf, boating, and the outdoors in his spare time.  

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Jeff English is Office President at CRC Group in Irvine, California, where he leads the growth of CRC’s MGA presence in the state and oversees the Irvine Middle Market Team. Focused on placing complex commercial risks across construction, real estate, hospitality,distribution, and manufacturing, they have successfully placed hundreds of millions of dollars in premium for clients throughout the country. Jeff joined CRC in 2020 following the acquisition of W. Brown & Associates P&C(WBA).

A USC Marshall graduate with CPCU and CIC designations, Mr. English began his career in advisory and consulting before moving into insurance brokerage in 2009. In 2018, he led a leveraged buyout and internal recapitalization to become Principal and Executive Vice President of WBA. Through operational improvements and disciplined P&L oversight, WBA achieved strong top-line growth and a five fold margin expansion,culminating in a successful sale to CRC. Post acquisition, the Irvine office has more than tripled in premium, and the Irvine Middle Market Team continues to grow at a 30%+ CAGR. Today, Mr. English is focused on scaling the next generation of sales talent, mentoring young producers and helping teams translate data and strategic initiatives into successful client outcomes.

Community & Affiliations: CRC Next Gen Leadership Team; Board Member & Chair of Nominating Committee, St. Joseph’s Health Support Alliance; Advisory Council Member, USC Risk Management Program; former President, Los Angeles Chapter of Emerging Insurance Professionals.

Jeff lives in Orange County with his wife, Haley, and their four children and enjoys traveling & coaching youth sports.

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Dennis Fox is highly focused on the healthcare industry and specializes in placement of senior care facilities, allied health, and Human/Social Service organizations. He is dedicated to finding comprehensive solutions for clients, often with short turn-arounds. He joined Brown & Riding in 2018 as part of the Management & Professional Liability department and is the Leader of the firm’s Healthcare Practice.  Dennis leads a team of highly qualified individuals who are located around the country, which aids in service for our trading partners. Prior to B&R, he began his insurance career at an independent insurance wholesale brokerage and managing underwriter firm, initially as an underwriter but then moved into professional liability.

Dennis holds designations as a Registered Professional Liability Underwriter (RPLU), a Management Liability Insurance Specialist (MLIS), and a Cyber Professional Liability Practitioner (CPLP). He is a board member of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF) – Western Division.  He also served on the steering committee for PLUS Southern California chapter from 2017 to 2024. From 2015 to 2020, he served as a board member for Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers Association of Los Angeles (IIABA-LA). Dennis is a graduate of Arizona State University with a degree in Business and Communication.

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Margaret Hartmann is Senior Vice President/Chief Marketing Officer for Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies- Workers Compensation Division. In this role, Margaret is responsible for National Marketing as well as Client Services and CA Loss Control. She began her career in Claims and joined BHHC 25 years ago as the Northern California Claims Manager. In her tenure at BHHC she has worked in many capacities: Claims, Client Services, Marketing, Underwriting, even a short stint leading Human Resources. She has enjoyed being a part of the company’s growth and expansion into a leading national provider of workers compensation.Margaret graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a degree in Liberal Studies. She and her husband live in the Bay Area and have two daughters that are both in the insurance industry.

As Executive Vice President and Regional Managing Director,Southwest for Newfront, Linde is responsible for expanding the firm’s reach across Southern California and throughout the entire Southwest.

Before joining Newfront, Linde held various leadership roles at Willis Towers Watson, including her most recent position as Western RegionLeader for Large Accounts and Global Client Advocacy.

Linde also spent over 20 years as both a finance and operations executive for Marsh. Her expertise and experience spans Property& Casualty and Employee Benefits, and she is highly skilled at working with clients ranging in size from middle-market to sophisticated large group and large risk.

Ms. Hotchkiss serves the community on several boards including Junior Achievement, Safe Haven Children’s Medical Outreach, and transcenDANCE Youth Arts Project.  She is a frequent presenter on Inclusion and Diversity and was recognized by the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation as one of two North American Inclusion Champions for 2019.

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Paul Keltner leads Zurich’s West Middle Markets Underwriting Team. In this role, he is responsible for managing P&C Underwriting and P&L for the West Region Middle Markets including local offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Phoenix, and Seattle.  

Paul joined Zurich in 2008 from AIG, where he was Regional Underwriting Manager, Excess Casualty. Previously he spent 11 years with GE Insurance / Employers Reinsurance, a division of General Electric, in a variety of roles including Media Liability Underwriting;Management for Architects & Engineers and Accountants Professional Liability Underwriting; and Six Sigma Quality Improvement Leadership.  

Keltner holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics degree from Claremont McKenna College, and an MBA in Finance and Marketing from the University of Southern California.  Paul is Six-Sigma Quality Blackbelt Certified.

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Jennifer Knox is Corporate Risk & Broking Leader for WTW in Southern California. Having been in this marketplace for over 15 years, Jennifer is responsible for leading the delivery of exceptional client and colleague experiences at WTW and accelerating its growth and impact. Jennifer brings with her nearly 30 years of Commercial P&C experience spanning multiple geographies, disciplines and responsibilities. Most recently Jennifer launched the West Coast expansion of PMA, an Old Republic Insurance Company, as the Vice President and West Regional Officer. Prior to PMA, she was a Senior Vice President at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions leading their West Region growth and operations. Jennifer enjoys a marriage of 28 years and is the mother of two teenaged daughters. She is an active volunteer in the Catholic Church and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, in addition to being a member of the Executive Committee of the IICF Western Division Board of Directors. Her hobbies include watching her daughters play sports and traveling with her family, in addition to exploring new epicurean adventures, hiking and reading.

I have been with Heffernan Insurance Brokers since 2001. In my current role of Philanthropy Director of Heffernan Insurance Brokers and the Executive Director of Heffernan Foundation, I am responsible for all facets of Social Responsibility within our company (Volunteer Events, Grants, Scholarships, Dollars-for-Doers, Employee Matching, etc.) I also run our Wellness Division and Corporate Events at Heffernan Insurance Brokers. I feel lucky I get to do what I love for a company I feel honored to work for.

Adam McDonough has worked in the insurance industry for over 30 years, representing clients in a broad array of industries, including financial services, high technology, real estate, retail, and manufacturing. He specializes in Directors & Officers Liability, Errors & Omissions, Fidelity/Crime and Cyber Liability insurance.At Lockton, Adam is responsible for solving complex risk and insurance problems for large clients with specialized needs, as well as leading the day-to-day service and business development teams.Lockton is the largest private, independent insurance brokerage and risk management consultant in the world, with 7,500 associates serving over 52,000 clients globally.Education: BS, Fordham University, New York, NY (1988)MBA, Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley (1995)Affiliations: Board Member, Leadership San Francisco Board Member, Insurance Industry Charitable FoundationLicenses: Fire & Casualty (All 50 States) Life & Health (All 50 States)

Ben McKay is the CEO & Executive Director of the Surplus Line Association of California (SLA), the largest association of its type in the country. Prior to leading the SLA, Ben spent eight years with the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) as its Senior Vice President for Federal Government Relations. In that role, Ben was named one of Washington D.C.’s Best in the Business for Business five times by The Hill, one of the city’s leading political newspapers. Before his time at PCI, Ben served as Chief of Staff to a member of United States Congress in Washington, D.C. where he worked on financial services and international relations issues. While in Washington, Ben also taught a class to MBA candidates entitled Business and Government. Ben is a coauthor of the book Annotations to Surplus Lines Statutes.

Prior to his work in Washington, D.C., he served a tour as a regulator at the Florida Department of State, where he served as Deputy Secretary for International and Legislative Affairs and later as the youngest Chief of Staff in the history of the 750-employee department.

Additionally, he serves as the Chairman Emeritus for First Capital Finance, the nation’s largest certified development company. He serves as a member of the board of the California State, Fullerton, School of Risk Management and Insurance, and the Advisory Council of the University of Colorado School of Risk Management. Also, Ben is a member of the Western Division Board of Directors for the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation.

Ben received his Bachelor of Science from Florida State University, his Master in Public Administration from Harvard University, and his Juris Doctor from Catholic University. He is a Lifetime member of the FSU Alumni Association and member of their national board of directors.

Carol R. Newman has served as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Confie since April 2016. Ms. Newman is an action-oriented leader with deep experience in the private and public sectors and all facets of the property and casualty insurance business. For over thirty years, Ms. Newman has served as Chief Legal Officer for major property and casualty companies. During Ms. Newman’s twelve-year tenure at Chicago Insurance Company/Interstate Indemnity Company, she provided legal advice on reinsurance, carrier, MGA, and agent/broker business in the area of underwriting, claims, sales and operations.There she was instrumental in implementing risk purchasing group business and working with the industry and regulators in establishing the laws and regulations associated with this business. She was also SVP of Human Resources while at Chicago/Interstate.

Andy Paulsen began his Chubb career in June 2002 after graduating from the University of Miami with a degree in Business and Political Science.  He was a Commercial P&C Lines underwriting trainee in Los Angeles before moving to Denver in September of 2005.  Through his 18 years with Chubb in Colorado, Andy held roles leading people, various industry practice teams, and multi-state distribution expansion efforts.  Andy is motivated to build broad and mutually beneficial relationships with Chubb trading partners and clients. In 2019, he transitioned into the Denver Marketing Manager.  In 2023, he moved back to California as Walnut Creek Branch Manager where he leads a retail team servicing partners and clients throughout Northern California.

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Lindsey Rey has been with Hartford for 11 years, after 4 years in marketing for the media industry. Lindsey’s Hartford career has been in middle market P&C, originating as an underwriter in San Francisco, relocating to Seattle with Hartford as an underwriting manager in 2015, and most recently returning to the Bay Area as a Managing Director for the Hartford Northern California Regional Office General Industries team, based out of Hartford’s Walnut Creek office. Lindsey is most passionate about mentoring and establishing strong, lasting partnerships with business partners. Throughout her career, she has been committed to networking and being an advocate for involvement in professional organizations. Lindsey has enjoyed being part of IICF in both San Francisco and Seattle, and was fortunate to be part of the founding IICF Western Division Associate Board as well as the founding IICF WA Chapter. Outside of work, Lindsey is an avid USC football fan, and lives in Walnut Creek with her husband, Nick, daughter, Taylor, and son, Jackson.

Keith Schuler entered the insurance industry as an Underwriter with Chubb Insurance prior to joining InterWest’s predecessor organization, Lindo Hanna & Abbott, in 1987 where he became a partner in 1991. He developed an expertise in self-insurance and risk transfer programs for medium to large businesses and focused his sales strategy around providing risk management and claims mitigation solutions. In 1992, Lindo Hanna & Abbott merged with 2 other large successful brokerage firms to form InterWest and in 1995, Keith accepted the role of Northern Division President. Having demonstrated strong management & leadership skills, he was asked by the InterWest Board of Directors to accept the position of President/Chief Executive Officer in 2008.Keith is an officer on the Board of Directors of the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers based in Washington DC. He also served on the National Advisory Board of the PGA Tour (1995-1999) and as a board member for De La Salle High School in Concord, CA. Keith is known for his dedication to Philanthropy and Community Support and willingly severed on a number of nonprofit boards. He is currently a Board Member for the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation Western Division and was instrumental in creating the Annual InterWest Gives Back Champaign.Keith is a graduate of California State University, Sacramento with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management/Finance and a minor in Biology. He played intercollegiate football at the University of California, Davis, as well as California State University, Sacramento. He is a native of Walnut Creek and resides in Lake Tahoe and Chico with his wife Chelle. Outdoor enthusiast’s Keith and Chelle spend the majority of their time in mountains skiing, backpacking and enjoying water sports, and spending as much time as they can with their three children.

As President & CEO of Tangram Insurance Services, Rekha has the privilege of building an independently owned,privately held company on her terms. Tangram architects and distributes specialty insurance programs in niche industries across the U.S.  

Her mission is to help people see the opportunities available in this industry and empower them to create their own successful career path.  Rekha believes this is particularly important for women and minorities, since diversity in the industry will ultimately benefit the whole.

Under Rekha’s leadership, Tangram has experienced accelerated financial growth and cultural transformation over the last13 years.  With a majority female executive team and staff that includes veterans and minorities, she is proud to be scaling a company that is challenging the status quo of the insurance industry.  Completing the team’s first strategic acquisition last year and expanding several core programs, she is piloting an audacious climb to hit the one billion dollar mark in 10 years.

Rekha is a first generation American and graduate of Boston University.  She is a mother, a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization, a founder of her Company’s Women of Influence, a member of the Insurance Supper Club and a Board Director for a prominent Bay Area nonprofit. Rekha has been the recipient of numerous awards including IBA’s Elite Women, the Hot 100 for 3 years running and the prestigious Business Insurance 2018 Women to Watch. Rekha is engaged in the diversity and inclusion dialogue, focused on making real changes in our industry. She participates on multiple D&I committees, speaks about the urgent need for action, and continues to drive diversity for women and people of color in her own Company. 

Rekha is passionate about speaking to people about her story.  She hopes it inspires conscious leadership, substantive conversations to spark progress, and a roadmap on how to gain ground in this industry for those looking to make an impact.  In other pursuits, she enjoys traveling to far off places and getting lost in a great book with a giant glass of wine in hand.

Pilar Summerville is Executive Vice President in RT Specialty’s Burbank, CA office, leading a diverse RT ProExec team dedicated to delivering creative solutions and exceptional service to clients. Pilar has been with RT Specialty since the company began in 2010 and has experience in all lines of professional and management liability, focusing on complex risks including financial institutions, healthcare services and cyber liability. Pilar has been a wholesale professional and executive liability broker since 2003. Previously, she was a broker with CRC Insurance Services, playing an integral role in leading the largest professional / management liability production team in the CRC Chicago office. Pilar began her insurance career as an actuarial analyst, where she gained experience in actuarial modeling and commercial lines rating. A graduate of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Pilar earned a degree in actuarial science with a concentration in finance.

Edith Tsui is an Account Executive with Aon’s San Francisco Commercial Risk team, servicing Technology and Commercial Real Estate clients globally. With over 25 years of insurance experience, she brings deep expertise spanning both carrier and broker perspectives.

Most recently serving as West Zone Distribution Leader at Allianz Commercial, Edith oversaw profit optimization, premium growth, and key global and national account relationships. Her diverse career includes senior roles with Chubb, Nationwide Insurance, and State Farm, encompassing Sales and Broker Distribution, Client Management, Business Development Underwriting, and Sales Operations.

Her technical expertise spans Commercial, Financial lines, and Group Benefits, with deep specialization in Alternative Risk Transfer (ART), Property & Casualty and Specialty lines, particularly for Technology and Commercial Real Estate sector clients with complex, sophisticated risk needs.

With family based in Taiwan and having grown up in Asia, Edith brings a global perspective and has developed strong cross-border relationships. She is professionally proficient in Mandarin and conversational in Cantonese, enabling seamless navigation of sovereign partnerships and international client relationships.

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Cristina Varner is a senior insurance executive and trusted advisor to life sciences and digital health organizations navigating complex risk across every stage of growth. With more than 25 years of industry experience, she specializes in designing insurance and risk management strategies that align with business objectives, regulatory realities, and long-term enterprise value.

As Senior Vice President and Life Sciences Practice Leader for Lockton’s West Region, Cristina partners with emerging and established companies to address the evolving risks inherent in clinical development,commercialization, and corporate operations. She is known for helping clients translate uncertainty into clear, actionable insurance solutions that support innovation, governance, and sustainable growth.

Cristina has played a key role in advancing tech-enabled insurance solutions, including the development of proprietary platforms that streamline clinical trial insurance placement and improve access to specialized coverage. Her approach is collaborative and strategic, combining deep technical knowledge with a strong understanding of investor expectations, board oversight, and the healthcare ecosystem.

A governance-minded leader, Cristina frequently advises founders, executives, and boards and serves on the Western Division Board of the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation. She is a two-time Risk &Insurance Power Broker award recipient and was named an Insurance Business America 2026 Elite Women honoree, recognizing her leadership, industry influence, and commitment to advancing excellence in insurance.

Cristina is a sought-after speaker and thought leader at industry conferences and forums and is valued by clients for her integrity,insight, and long-term partnership mindset.

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Jenn is an insurance industry enthusiast who believes people should thrive at every stage of their Sales and Client Service careers. With 35+ years of experience across carriers, a full-service brokerage, and national industry associations, she brings a rare, big-picture perspective to growth and client success.

In 2018, she founded GenuineShift, where the Client Service Academy builds high-performing teams that help brokers and carriers grow faster and with less friction. She also works to strengthen the profitability of broker–carrier partnerships.

Jenn regularly contributes to Leader’s Edge (The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers) and shares practical insights on LinkedIn. She lives in San Francisco with her husband and their 39th foster dog—and proud #fosterfail—Lolo.

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As Regional Executive, Adam is responsible for the direction, distribution, and performance of all commercial property, casualty, and specialty lines business in the West Region. Adam joined Liberty Mutual through the Ironshore Acquisition in 2017 where he held a similar role.Adam started his career at AIG in New York as a D&O underwriter and moved with AIG to Los Angeles in 2000. He later became a broker at Gallagher where he worked for several years prior to making the move to Ironshore in 2010.

Adam holds a Bachelors Degree in Finance from Lehigh University, and currently resides in Encino, CA. When not working, you will normally find him spending his free time with his wife and two small children, but on the off chance he is able to get away, there is a good chance you will find him golfing or quietly enjoying a Red Sox or Patriots game.