Beyond the Claim

What if the next leap in workers’ comp is not a new tool, but better conversations? Brandi Lewis says speaking the injured worker’s language and opening doors for new talent changes everything. Recorded live at WCI in Orlando, Florida, Marc Cunningham sits down with Brandi Lewis, founder of Health Plus Trans, to talk about building people-first services that remove friction for injured workers. Sh...

What happens when a career built on claims and compliance turns into a mission to reshape the future of workers’ comp? Carlos Luna believes the answer is found in people, purpose, and bold new ideas. At WCI in Orlando, Marc Cunningham sits down with Carlos Luna, founder and CEO of Luna Link, to talk about his 20-year journey from the claims desk to entrepreneurship. Carlos shares the moment that g...

What if the key to controlling workers’ comp costs isn’t cutting care, but doubling down on the human element? Marc Cunningham interviews Tamara Johnson, Vice President of Claim Cost Control at Lockton, about how communication and compassion are transforming workers’ compensation outcomes. Tamara shares how strategies like injury counseling, supervisor training, and early interventions create bett...

What does it take to lead risk in one of the world’s most essential—and regulated—industries? In this episode, host Marc Cunningham talks with Beth Mineau, Director of Strategy, Sustainability and Risk Management at TriCal Group, live from RIMS RISKWORLD in Chicago.   Beth shares how she transitioned from insuring the company to becoming its embedded risk leader, and how her work helps protect peo...

Risk management in the restaurant industry is no longer just about minimizing claims. For Kurt Leisure , VP of Risk Services at The Cheesecake Factory, it’s about anticipating challenges, building strong industry partnerships, and knowing when to trust people over technology. In this episode, recorded live at RIMS 2025 in Chicago, host Marc Cunningham talks with Kurt about the lessons from 35 year...

Strong communication isn’t just a nice-to-have for risk leaders—it’s part of the job. Whether it’s a panel at a conference or a media interview on emerging threats, the ability to deliver your message clearly and credibly can set you apart in a crowded industry. In this episode, host Marc Cunningham talks with Beth Jarecki , Founder and CEO of Omnia , live from this year’s RIMS RISKWORLD in Chicag...

What happens when high performance hides toxic leadership? As innovation accelerates, overlooking the human side of work can quietly erode even the strongest companies. In today’s episode, Marc Cunningham sits down with Michael Baumgartner —veteran HR strategist and founder of the Work Life Survival Center—to explore how talent, leadership, and culture intersect. Together, they tackle the hidden c...

This week, host Marc Cunningham speaks with Jeff Breskin , Commercialized Producer for Insurance Office of America , who was recently recognized as a 2024 Workers’ Compensation Power Broker. Jeff shares his unrivaled passion for client advocacy and holistic approach to risk management, highlighting personal anecdotes of how he’s gone above and beyond for clients. Marc and Jeff also explore emergin...

Today’s episode features host Marc Cunningham’s conversation with Angela Iannetta , Senior Vice President of Alternative Risk Solutions at HUB Inernational , which took place at this year’s RIMS RiskWorld conference. Angela shares her thoughts on the ever-evolving landscape of the insurance industry—with a focus on alternative risk solutions and cross-border insurance. Join us as we discuss: The g...

This week, Wayne Brand , Head of Corporate Client Practice at Crawford & Company , speaks with  Stephen Lathrope , Senior Vice President of Solutions at ICEYE , live from the RIMS RISKWORLD 2024. Stephen talks with us about Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and how the technology is being harnessed in satellite constellations to revolutionize disaster risk assessment and management. Join us as we...

This week, host Marc Cunningham speaks with Kara Sepulveda , Senior Corporate Risk & Insurance Manager at Lithia , whom he caught up with at RIMS RISKWORLD 2024. Kara shares her thoughts on employee care, industry misconceptions, and the strategic role of case management—particularly her commitment to proactive communication and continuous training in order to prevent client dissatisfaction an...

This week features host Marc Cunningham’s conversation with Paul King (Chief Client Officer at myMatrixx ), which took place at this year’s RIMS RISKWORLD2024 conference. Paul covers all things Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM)—from implementation to challenges to benefits. Join us as we discuss: How clinical edits fit into the PBM process The concept of benefit neutrality and treating whole-perso...

If you’re a reporting entity, there’s a good chance you have October 11, 2024 circled on your calendars, as it’s when Medicare’s Section 111 becomes applicable following the effective date of December 2023. Naturally, questions remain for many regarding what effective compliance looks like—and when companies need to fully comply by. Given the hefty penalties that come along with the guidelines, mo...

Just how valuable is the human touch? And how necessary is it? More and more, it seems like the winning recipe for success in the Risk & Claims Management industry involves harnessing cutting-edge trends and technology without making your clients or team members feel like they’re dealing with an organization run by analytics and machines. It’s a challenge—but also an opportunity. On today’s ep...

The importance of partnerships and collaboration isn’t limited to product-driven spaces. In fact, they hold just as much weight in the program space. Making sure you work with top-of-the-line partners in mutually beneficial agreements can help build a strong brand across the high-competition program marketplace. But how are partnerships and M&As decided in the modern MGA environment? We’re joi...

With countless moving pieces, businesses function like extremely complex machines. But this doesn’t make one function more important than any other. So how do you address risk management while simultaneously fostering internal growth? And what metrics and systems can be put in place to accurately judge success and while also highlighting areas of weakness? Today we speak with Brian Riley , Associa...

The use of captives in industries such as the sharing and gig economies, as well as in unique risk areas such as cannabis and crypto, has become more prevalent due to the challenges faced by the commercial market in pricing and structuring insurance programs for these risks. Richard Cutcher , Founder at Captive Intelligence & Host of the Global Captive Podcast , says that in particular, captiv...

We’ve entered the era of the accommodating workplace. From telecommuting to ergonomics, recent changes in the status quo have made the workforce more welcoming to more people than ever before. And that’s good news for everyone. Today, we’re speaking with Matthew McCord , Senior Consultant at Job Accommodation Network , and Nesha Courtney , National Product Manager Advocacy, Biopsychosocial, Disabi...

Offering products and services across Latin America is no small task. The region is massive and its languages and traditions just as varied. What works in one country may not work in another and even exact translations may be problematic because of cultural nuances. It’s an opportunity that Roberto McQuattie, President, Latin America at Crawford & Company, has learned to manage with finesse.  A re...

Are you innovating? We all think we are, but is your company really committed to driving impact for clients, colleagues, and industry culture in the midst of a changing world? Is your company committed enough to hire somebody precisely to do that job? That’s exactly what Rachel Perry, Chief Innovation Officer, Commercial Risk North America at Aon, is here to do. The way Rachel sees it, you can’t h...

As a broker, you place a mind-boggling breadth of coverage in a lot of different industries. It’s a vast universe perfectly suited to a lifelong learner who wants to shape the future of brokerage. Hear our conversation with Donna MacConnell, SVP, Managing Director, Claims at IMA Financial Group, Inc.: Donna’s nonlinear career trajectory from psychology to SVP The emerging theme of specialization i...

Once, it was medicine that saw high volumes of claims, being seen as deep pockets. Now, it’s trucking. But like any other claim, with the proper preparation and mitigation, you can avoid the high payouts. So says today’s guest, Tom McLaughlin, Senior Dirertor of Risk Management and Claims at TFI International, who joins the show to cover the fast-paced world of trucking claims. Join us as we discu...

A career can take you to many new and unexpected places. With a field as diverse as claims management, moving from one area to another can be daunting. But if you’re thinking of exploring other facets of the industry, it helps to know what other veteran adjusters have learned along their storied — though not necessarily linear — career paths. And today’s guest, Jaclyn Chapman, Senior Global Claims...

Handling claims in retail throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has been a huge undertaking. But when you add cultural differences and differing laws into the mix, it can become very challenging very quickly. We speak with Jenny Novoa, Sr. Director of Risk Management & Safety, about how retail has changed — partly shifting online, the status of diversity in the workplace, and what to expect in 2022. Jo...

When someone has an illness or an injury, we tend to tell them to take all the time they need… except when it’s a work-related injury. Then, most companies rush to get a modified work program in place — and this inconsistency can be a costly mistake. In today’s show, guest Darren Cartwright, Claims Consulting Practice Leader at Woodruff Sawyer, explains how companies can avoid this costly — and ev...