Speakers

Rochelle Lewis is the Director of Risk Management at Red Bull North America, Inc., where she oversees the insurance and risk management program for Red Bull subsidiaries across North America, including Canada.

Red Bull is the world’s leading energy drink brand and a global force in food and beverage, media, and sports, including ownership of multiple professional sports teams and a Formula 1 team.

In her role, Rochelle oversees the company’s U.S. and Canadian insurance programs, identifying key risks across a diverse portfolio with a focus on the company’s core beverage operations and brand-driven activities.

Rochelle began her career in insurance as a licensed insurance broker before transitioning into risk management and is also a certified paralegal. She has held risk management roles supporting organizations such as a global private equity investment firm and a global lifestyle brand retailer.

Christina Lucas is a global executive and board director driving enterprise-level change in the insurance industry. At Google Cloud, she helps C-suite leaders and InsurTech founders harness technology to build competitive advantage and new revenue streams. Her background spans leading regional business units at AIG, a successful PE-backed transformation with Envista Forensics (Inc. 5000), and top-tier management consulting with Deloitte and Booz Allen. 

She has driven cloud adoption and large-scale transformation for global carriers, led a 500-person firm to high-growth performance, and directed AIG’s regional strategy across North America, LATAM, APAC, and Europe. Known for cultivating award-winning cultures with multiple “Best Place to Work” honors, Christina serves as a Board Director at SERVPRO, a Blackstone portfolio company. Her focus areas include generative AI and cloud strategy for insurance, talent development and high-performance cultures, C-suite and board-level strategy, and corporate and InsurTech ventures. 

Prior to joining Gallagher, Kader led all Digital and Technology across RNL. He is an investor in Ai based Technology startup for Mental Well-being. Before that, Kader was the Head of usiness, Technology and Portfolio Management at Realogy/Anywhere. Previously, Kader has led large scale technology transformation initiatives for fortune 500 companies like BMO Financial Group, Deloitte and Accenture.

He was the country head for TransUnion in South Asia. He has led PMO, offshore delivery centers at various organizations State Farm Insurance, HighMark(Blue Cross Blue Shield of PA), US Foods and Ryder Logistics . He comes with deep vertical expertise in Healthcare, Logistics, Financial Services, Consumer and Industrial Products. Kader owns a patent in predictive model for relocation estimation and had co-authored a book on Digital Transformation – Chaos by Design. 

Jackie is a Managing Director and Practice Leader in Aon’s Financial Services Group Legal & Claims Practice, leading a team of attorneys and claim advocates serving FSG clients. She oversees the Legal & Claims team in the claim advocacy process, advises on policy wording and drafting, monitors claims trends across management liability lines, and engages in the negotiation of sensitive and significant claims. 

An expert in insurance coverage with a focus on D&O, EPL, fiduciary, cyber, fidelity, and E&O, Jackie helps clients interpret carrier coverage positions, attends mediations, and negotiates resolutions to coverage disputes. She is a frequent speaker at industry conferences and events, serves on the Professional Liability Underwriting Society Board of Trustees and Executive Committee, and was PLUS Board President in 2025. Jackie began her career in 1995 as an insurance coverage attorney and holds a B.S. in Music Education and a J.D. from Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. 

Heath Shearon, widely known as “The Mayor of Insurance Town,” is a veteran insurance leader with over 20 years of experience across production, agency ownership, and carrier representation. He first built his reputation as a producer, specializing in niche markets and strong client relationships, then launched his own agency, where he drove growth through innovative strategies and exceptional service. 

Later moving to the carrier side, Heath partnered with agencies to optimize operations and unlock new potential, bringing a rare perspective from both agency and carrier environments. His networking strength, energy, and passion for elevating the industry earned him his “Mayor” moniker. 

Heath is also the host of the popular “Insurance Town” podcast, where he features stories, tips, and insights from industry leaders. His engaging style and deep industry knowledge have made him a sought-after speaker at conferences and events nationwide. 

Allen Madden is a Senior Vice President for the Americas at Alliant Insurance Services. There, he is responsible for being a strong client advocate, business partner and trusted advisor for the insurance and risk management needs of complex upper middle market and large risk management corporations both domestically and globally. He does this through harnessing the resources and deep talent of dedicated professionals throughout Alliant’s Americas and Specialty divisions to lead tailored client service teams for best-in-class support, counsel and Property and Casualty insurance program placements.

Allen started his insurance career at the regional broker, McGriff, Seibels and Williams, Inc. where he was a Senior Vice President. Just prior to Alliant, he led a team of mergers and acquisition professionals serving the needs of the private equity and lender communities providing due diligence, brokerage, risk financing, claims management and transactional insurance solutions services at Wells Fargo Insurance Services where he was a Senior Vice President. Before being in the insurance industry, he was in finance helping venture stage companies and growing publicly traded companies secure private growth capital.

He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Southern Methodist University where he currently serves on the Executive Board of the Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences. He also serves on the Dean’s Research Council Committee at SMU advising on faculty research grants.

Christopher Keegan is Senior Managing Director and Cyber and Technology Practice Leader at Brown and Brown Specialty Risk Services.  Chris leads a group placing cyber, privacy, technology, and media E&O insurance for a wide variety of companies.  He works on Cyber Information Risk Assessment projects and with regulators on evaluation of E-Business risks.  Christopher was Vice President at Zurich Reinsurance (North America) Inc., where he developed the E-Commerce and technology reinsurance portfolio. Chris worked in New York and London as a lawyer in private practice.  He is also a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Maryland, Smith School of Business, assisting their efforts for the Department of Homeland Security and NIST in designing assessments for Cyber and technology risk.

Dawn Cusack joined Brown & Riding in 2000 straight out of college and has spent her entire career with the company. She began as the firm’s receptionist and was quickly transitioned to join the Property department, progressively earning promotions and becoming a specialist. She works on large, layered placements and is known in the industry for her attention to detail when it comes to ensuring all layers are concurrent.

She became a Property Broker in 2016 and has since grown her book of business fivefold. Dawn was promoted to Vice President in 2020, and in 2022 she became a company Principal. She is dedicated to making sure the insured’s needs always come first and lives by the motto of doing things right the first time, on time, every time. 

Emily Selck is a recognized leader in cyber insurance with deep expertise in Cyber Liability and emerging risks. As Senior Director and National Practice Leader for the Cyber Center of Excellence at Baldwin Risk Partners, she leads national cyber strategy, oversees technical sales, and drives product innovation, including API-connected tools and AI-enabled placement strategies. She has been named a Cyber Leader and Powerhouse Woman of Cyber Insurance and shortlisted for multiple industry awards. Previously, she held senior cyber roles at NFP Corp., M3 Insurance, and HUB International. Emily holds a Cyber COPE Insurance Certification from Carnegie Mellon and a B.A. from North Central College.

Garrett Droege is Senior Vice President and Head of Innovation and Digital Risk at IMA Financial Group. He leads IMA’s national innovation strategy, insurtech initiatives, and digital risk practice, serving digital asset and fintech clients worldwide. He co-manages IMA Labs, mentors startups through BrokerTech Ventures, and helped launch IMA’s web3Labs, building one of the first insurance and risk facilities in the metaverse and issuing “proof of coverage” on blockchain.

Previously, Garrett was CEO/Executive Director of TechAssure, a global network of brokers focused on technology risks. He specializes in E&O, cyber, and technology risk, as well as brokerage technology, data, and client experience platforms.

Garrett has crafted complex programs for leading technology, healthcare, telecom, media, and blockchain companies. A graduate of UNC Wilmington and The Hartford School of Insurance, he holds the CPCU and CIC designations and is a frequent keynote speaker, media contributor, advisor, and podcast guest.

Heidi Bastien is Vice President of Risk Management at Foundation Building Materials, leading enterprise risk strategy and claims performance across a high‑growth North American construction materials distribution and manufacturing network serving commercial and residential markets. She partners closely with Legal, Finance, and Operations to turn risk into a competitive advantage by strengthening controls, optimizing risk transfer, and building practical, scalable programs that support the business every day.

Acquisitions are a major focus of her work. Heidi leads the risk workstream from diligence through integration, aligning insurance placement, contracts, and claims operations, and rapidly standardizing processes across newly acquired locations.

Previously, she served as Sr. Director of Global Risk Management & EH&S for Jacuzzi and led risk management for multi‑unit restaurant brands including El Pollo Loco and Rubio’s. She brings 20+ years of experience reducing total cost of risk and leading through change.

Jonathan Wheat brings over 13 years of experience in structuring and analyzing complex insurance and risk management programs for national and regional real estate investors, private equity firms, contractors, and nonprofits. His background includes leadership roles at AIG Risk Management, Chubb Insurance, and Zurich Insurance North America, and he holds the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation. 

Originally from Oakland, California, Jonathan graduated with a degree in Business Economics from St. Mary’s College. He leads client service and risk consulting at EPIC, managing cross-departmental workflows and designing specialized programs such as large deductibles, SIRs, layered placements, and group captives. 

Bio coming soon!

Mariya Coleman brings over 15 years of experience in the energy industry as Berkshire Hathaway Energy’s insurance and claims leader. She was responsible for the insurance placement, program management, and claims management of over $140 billion of assets including her management of just over $46 billion of renewable energy assets for one of the nation’s largest independent power producing renewables companies.  

With an MBA in Finance and industry designations including CPCU, ARM, and AIC, Mariya is also an active contributor to insurance advisory boards and legislative initiatives in the energy sector. She is an experienced leader in the US renewable energy sector and intimately understands all functions of both the development, ownership, and operation of renewable technology. Mariya partners with clients in the US to navigate all functions of the business to ultimately ensure the insurance solution is specifically tailored to each client's individual and unique business needs. Her reputation in the industry has followed her to the insurance market, allowing her to gain intimate trust with senior executive management, ensuring the most innovative and competitive terms, pricing, and program structure for her clients. 

Mitchell Brown is a senior commercial insurance and risk management leader with more than 15 years of experience across retail brokerage, carrier operations, MGAs, and national distribution. He is Head of Commercial Insurance at Rate Insurance, overseeing nationwide strategy and placement. Mitch specializes in complex risk programs for middle-market and enterprise clients in energy, ocean marine, professional services, and financial services, with expertise spanning D&O, cyber, workers’ compensation, property, liability, and excess casualty. A former U.S. Army Infantryman and Purple Heart and Bronze Star with Valor recipient, he brings a disciplined, risk-first mindset to leadership, advisory work, and authorship.

Nadia Nicole Hoyte is a National Practice Advisor in USI Insurance Services’ Executive & Professional Risk Solutions Practice. She serves as an in-house resource on professional liability, technology errors and omissions, media liability, network security, and privacy-related coverages. In this role, she develops program strategy, builds insurer relationships, designs insurance risk transfer solutions, and provides consultative services, training, insurance contract and vendor contract analysis, placement, and policy administration. 

With over 20 years of insurance industry experience, including 15 specializing in Cyber and Professional Liability, Nadia has held leadership roles at Highland Risk Services as Cyber Practice Leader and at Willis Towers Watson as Senior Vice President. She began her career at Marsh USA, focusing on convergent and hard-to-place specialty risks. A native New Yorker, Nadia holds a BA in Law & Society from American University and was named a “Power Broker Under 40” by Risk & Insurance in 2015. 

Pauline Sobelman is a Senior Vice President and Senior Strategic Advisor with over 25 years of experience in the employee benefits and risk industries. Known for her strategic mindset and technical acumen, she excels at identifying market needs, driving innovation, and delivering impactful solutions. Her expertise in underwriting, contract negotiation, and revenue management has helped organizations achieve and exceed their goals. 

A collaborative and forward-thinking leader, Pauline is recognized for building high-performing, inclusive teams grounded in trust, creativity, and shared purpose. She is deeply committed to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and holds a leadership role at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center in New York. Pauline graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Social Sciences from New York University and earned an Executive Master of Public Health from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. 

Reid is Co-Practice Leader of Lockton’s Professional and Executive Risk (West) and the National D&O and Governance Risk Management Group, overseeing operations and client service for ProExec teams in Denver, Irvine, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, San Diego, Scottsdale, and Seattle. 

He provides clients with contract analysis, coverage negotiation, claims advocacy, and alternative program design, thriving on complex risk needs. His expertise spans public and private companies, financial institutions, and healthcare risks, with strong fluency in financial and analytical review from a risk management perspective. 

Tom Fitzgerald is President of Retail at World Insurance Associates, leading one of the industry’s fastest-growing insurance brokerages. With more than 30 years of leadership experience, he has built high-performing teams and driven innovation across the commercial insurance sector. Before joining World in 2023, he held senior executive roles at QBE North America, where he led the transformation of Specialty and Commercial underwriting, and at Aon Risk Solutions, where he served as CEO of US Retail and Global Broking. He holds a finance degree from Drake University and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.