The NextGen Council welcomes three new Council members: Natalie Weedman, Layla Trummer and Kristen Kish. Established in 2020 as a Task Force and transformed to a Council in 2022, the NextGen Council is a group of young professionals in the (re)insurance industry working to create educational, networking and leadership opportunities for other young professionals in the legacy space. As a Council, it advises and supports the governance work of the AIRROC Board to help advance the organizational mission. Council members oversee NextGen committees and their initiatives, liaise with the AIRROC Board and AIRROC committees, communicate AIRROC’s mission and vision to the industry and attend AIRROC events.
We are excited to work with Natalie, Layla and Kristen and consider this a great opportunity for them to be a part of our vital and growing Council and to help shape our future activities. To introduce them to you, the AIRROC community, we asked them a few questions about their background and some other revealing topics. Here are some of the highlights of what they had to say.
Meet Natalie Weedman, Portfolio Management Analyst, Swiss Re
What’s your education background?
University of Missouri, Communications
What NextGen Committee(s) are you involved with?
Digital Content Committee
What are you looking forward to in your NextGen Council experience?
I have already gotten so much out of it. The connections you make in the industry have been so enriching to me professionally and personally. As co-leader of the Digital Content Committee, I hope to increase our online presence with engaging content that gives people insight into Legacy and opens the door for the next generation of run-off professionals. I have particularly enjoyed interviewing former Trish Getty Scholarship recipients for the “Where are they now?” series.
How did you get into insurance?
Originally I had wanted to be a news anchor but after college I found myself working as a Licensed Producer in an insurance agency. Safe to say after that experience I never wanted to work in insurance again! However, I am glad I gave it another try later on in my career (long after realizing the news was not for me either). I found my place in the portfolio steering/run-off space and love it.
What is the best advice you ever received?
I don’t know if it was advice so much but rather an example. My mom is a jack of all trades, I truly feel like she can do anything (grew up on a farm, raised four kids, rehabs old homes, has her own woodworking shop). I have the same “do anything/everything” gene, which is why I have gotten such a broad range of experience in my career – from Claims Operations, to Accounting to Portfolio Management. It has enabled me to function as a generalist, connecting groups and getting them to talk to each other.
What is the best advice you would give to your younger colleagues?
Try as many things as you can. Sign up for projects, mentorships. Do things that feel over your head and learn along the way. Explore legacy! It’s a space that continues to grow every year, with plenty of opportunities for a fulfilling career.
What is one thing you cannot live without?
Coffee, light half and half. I have become one of those snobby people who prefers coffee at home, but if I do go out my order is a medium Americano with a tablespoon of half and half (specified to prevent my coffee from looking like dirty milk 😃)
What is your favorite movie quote?
“I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request” Pirates of the Caribbean. I am not sure why but this phrase often repeats itself in my head, although seldom comes out of my mouth.
What bucket list item do you most want to check off in the next 6 months?
I am traveling to Sweden (with a stopover in Iceland) in July to meet relatives on my mother’s side – I have been wanting to go for years!
Meet Layla Trummer, Structurer, Capital Partners, Munich Re US
What’s your education background?
I have an actuarial background: I am an Associate of the Casualty Actuarial Society and hold a Bachelor’s degree in Actuarial Science.
What NextGen Committee(s) are you involved with?
Social Committee
Have you participated in an AIRROC event?
I was a co-presenter for the “Basics of Legacy Transactions” Lunch & Learn session at the 2023 AIRROC Deal Forum. It was gratifying to see the presentation come together and a great opportunity to speak at the event. I have since been invited to present again at the AIRROC Chicago Regional Education Day and to be a panelist at the AIRROC & ReUnder40s Demystifying Legacy event.
What are you looking to add to AIRROC and the NextGen Council?
I am hoping to make meaningful contributions to promote careers in reinsurance while connecting with people and having fun.
How did you get into insurance?
I decided to pursue an actuarial career, which naturally led me to insurance. As part of my degree, I took an actuarial course on P&C insurance taught by an experienced Chief Actuary. This class was very motivating for me and opened my eyes to the wide range of interesting problems to solve in P&C re/insurance.
What is the best advice you would give to your younger colleagues?
Embrace a growth mindset.
What are some sources that you follow to keep up with legacy/reinsurance news?
Dowling IBNR Weekly, The Insurer, PwC Run-off Survey, Insurance Insider/Inside P&C, Reinsurance News/Artemis
What would people find most surprising to learn about you?
As a high school student, I trained 30 hours per week in ballet and contemporary dance. I attended a special half-day academic program to accommodate this training schedule.
What is one thing you cannot live without?
Matcha smoothies
What bucket list item do you most want to check off in the next 6 months?
I do not have a bucket list but I have already done several “adrenaline-junkie” activities like skydiving, scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef, and the CN Tower EdgeWalk. Soon I would love to do the doors-off helicopter ride in New York.
Meet Kristen Kish, Special Counsel, Mound Cotton Wollan & Greengrass, LLP
What’s your education background?
Pennsylvania State University – University Park, 2010, B.A. in Crime, Law and Justice and minors in Sociology and Women’s Studies. Pepperdine University School of Law, 2013, J.D.
What NextGen Committee(s) are you involved with?
Social Committee.
Have you participated in an AIRROC event?
I was a speaker at the AIRROC/IRLA Claims Trends Webinar: Abuse and Sports Head Injuries (on Abuse/Molestation Claims) on January 16, 2022. I thought it was really interesting to get to meet some of the IRLA folks (virtually) and to compare and contrast the US claims trends with the UK claims trends. I learned a lot and it was also nice to hear from younger presenters, which we don’t often get in our industry. It was also nice to have the opportunity to present as an associate.
What are you looking forward to in your NextGen Council experience?
I was hoping to add an attorney perspective to the NextGen Council and to get more young lawyers involved. I was also hoping to interact with the next generation of leaders in a variety of fields within our industry. I think it’s great to meet people who I may not otherwise interact with regularly. I’m interested in helping our industry figure out ways to attract and retain young talent.
How did you learn about AIRROC?
I learned about AIRROC when one of the partners at my firm was speaking at an AIRROC education event.
How did you get into insurance?
Like many people, by chance. As a rising second year law student, I was a law clerk at a firm that did insurance coverage and defense work and really enjoyed it. I wound up working in bankruptcy right out of law school, but eventually a job came up at my current firm, which primarily represents insurers and reinsurers, and I jumped at the opportunity.
Are you involved with other insurance professional groups? How do you see that help your role at AIRROC NextGen Council?
Yes, I will be speaking at an RAA event next week and attending the ARIAS Spring Conference in a few weeks. I think that being involved in other insurance/reinsurance organizations is helpful to remain up-to-date on the trends and changes in the industry and to help come up with ideas on how to grow the NextGen Council.
What is one thing you cannot live without?
My dogs, Bear (cockapoo) and Stella (golden retriever), and coffee.
What is your favorite song to crank up in the car?
There’s so many, cranking up music in the car is one of my favorite things to do. Right now, I am blasting any song by Fred Again.
What bucket list item do you most want to check off in the next 6 months?
In December, I checked off a long-time bucket list item of hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. It was incredibly beautiful and rewarding. In the upcoming six months, I am planning to check off another bucket list item of traveling to the Amalfi Coast in Italy.
