Michelle joined MEMIC in 2023 as Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, having worked in human resources since 2007 and in officer-level HR positions for 15 years.

Michelle served as executive vice president at Androscoggin Bank, where she helped lead a transformation that lifted employee engagement into the top quartile among peers, and she helped the bank achieve B Corp™ certification aimed at leveraging business as a force for good. Prior to her seven years there, she was vice president and human resources manager at Camden National Bank and a human resources business partner at Acadia Insurance.

Michelle has expertise in development of Mission, Vision and Values programs to increase staff empowerment, strategies and efforts around environmental and social governance (ESG), enhancing public relations, upgrading community philanthropy and volunteerism, and developing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging goals.

Michelle earned an MBA from Southern New Hampshire University and holds numerous national industry certifications, including Certified Employee Benefits Specialist, Compensation Management Specialist, and Senior Professional in Human Resources.

Daniel Aronowitz is the President of Encore [formerly Euclid] Fiduciary, a leading fiduciary liability insurance underwriting company for America’s employee benefit plans. Dan has over 30 years of experience in the professional liability industry as a coverage lawyer and underwriter, and is a widely recognized fiduciary liability expert and thought leader and advocate for sponsors of employee benefit plans. He is the author of the Fid Guru Blog, the Fiduciary Liability Insurance Handbook, and the fiduciary liability insurance chapter of the Trustee Handbook published by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. He is a graduate of The Ohio State University and Vanderbilt University School of Law and has achieved the RPLU+ designation from the Professional Liability Underwriting Society.

Kristi K. Baker is Managing Partner for HUB Retirement and Wealth Management/CSi Advisory Services (HUB CSi). Since 1993, Kristi has partnered with hundreds of plan sponsors to design and manage a successful retirement plan, both from the company perspective and from the retirement success of their employees. Kristi has upheld a commitment to building an organization centered on integrity and meaningful relationships, which seek to provide unsurpassed service and independent advice for professionals, businesses, and their employees.
Kristi is a strong advocate of financial education and successful retirement outcomes. She holds a B.S. in Finance and Insurance from Illinois Wesleyan University. She has earned the Certified 401(k) Professional (C(k)P) designation awarded in conjunction with the Anderson School of Business and Executive Management at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA); the Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF) professional designation awarded by the Center for Fiduciary Studies. She is a Chartered Advisor of Senior Living (CASL), a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), and a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU).
Kristi and CSi have been recognized for their services. Kristi has been named a Top 100 Retirement Plan Adviser by PLANADVISER, in addition to being named in 2023 and 2024 as a Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year Finalist.

Bridget Bearden is Research and Development Strategist at Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI). Prior to joining EBRI, Bridget conducted research and created thought leadership for corporate and non-profit investment organizations, including Edelman Financial Engines, Ceres, Defined Contribution Institutional Investors Association (DCIIA), and Strategic Insight (now ISS Market Intelligence).

She received her Ph.D. in Public Policy from University of Massachusetts Boston, with a dissertation on sustainable investing in private workplace retirement plans. She was a David Nyhan fellow of the UMass Sustainable Solutions Lab and is a current member Women in Pensions Network. She holds a BA in Political Science, an MBA in Finance, and an MS in Public Policy. She holds the Fundamentals of Sustainability Accounting (FSA) credential from SASB and is also pursuing the Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) designation.

Sean founded Bjork Asset Management with the goal of providing disciplined, independent fiduciary guidance to institutions sponsoring retirement plans and their employees.
Sean is a recognized leader in the retirement plan industry with over twenty years of experience working with qualified retirement savings plans and plan participants. He holds AIF, CIMA and CPWA designations, earned his MBA from the University of Chicago and previously graduated with a BA from St. Lawrence University where he served as captain of the NCAA Division I Alpine Ski Racing Team.  
Beyond family and work, Sean volunteers in his community as a Firefighter/EMT with the Lake Bluff Fire Department.

Thayla Painter Bohn started with long-time client American Fidelity Assurance Company as Vice President and Senior Counsel, directing litigation on behalf of American Fidelity and its affiliates and providing legal advice on insurance and employment matters. In July 2016, she accepted the role of VP Corporate and Human Resources. In January 2019, she was promoted to Senior Vice President of her division and began serving on the AF Executive Team. She currently oversees talent management, compensation, benefits, corporate communications as well as other functions for the company. Thayla graduated with honors from the University of Tulsa with a BA in Organizational Communication and a certificate in Women’s Studies. She also graduated with honors from the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville, where she was a member of the Arkansas Law Review. Thayla is a former partner of the Tulsa law firm, Feldman, Franden, Woodard and Farris, where she practiced for 12 years. She is involved in many community service organizations and has served on several non-profit boards. 

Zachary Burghardt is the Central Market Investment Leader at WTW. He works with plan sponsors on holistic management of their retirement plans and develops investment solutions with the goal of aligning the investment program with the plan sponsor’s objectives. In addition to his role on the leadership team, he consults with clients on performance measurement and analysis, plan structure and design, long-term asset allocation, investment policy statement creation and review, and the evaluation and selection of investment managers. Zachary holds a B.S. in finance, actuarial science and mathematics from North Central College and an MBA with honors from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Bradford Campbell is a nationally recognized figure in employer-sponsored retirement plans who leverages his prior experience as the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employee Benefits to advise clients across a broad range of issues related to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Brad advises financial service providers and plan sponsors, particularly in relation to ERISA Title I issues, such as fiduciary conduct and prohibited transactions as well as developing policy issues. He also helps clients develop products and compliance systems that meet the requirements for qualified retirement plans and IRAs, as well as fiduciary training programs for plan officials. Brad assists clients in requesting prohibited transaction exemptions and advisory opinions for activities related to employee benefits plans. He has a track record of successfully resolving Department of Labor (DOL) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) investigations and audits for large service providers and plan sponsors, and serves as an expert witness in ERISA litigation.

Matt is a Partner and Practice Lead in Greenspring Advisor’s Institutional Consulting Group. He joined Greenspring after working in various finance and project management roles for Lockheed Martin and Booz Allen Hamilton. Matt specializes in developing and managing corporate retirement plans by providing independent advice on fiduciary oversight, investment due diligence, fee-benchmarking, plan design and vendor management. Matt is located in Maryland. He has a B.S. from Stevenson University and is an Accredited Investment Fiduciary.

Jean Chatzky is the founder and CEO of HerMoney.com and the coaching program FinanceFixx. She is the host of the podcast HerMoney With Jean Chatzky and the co-host of the national radio show Everyday Wealth. The Financial Ambassador for AARP, she was the Financial Editor for NBC Today for 25 years. Jean is an award-winning journalist and broadcaster, a New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author, and a fierce advocate for financial literacy.  Her latest book is How To Money, a guidebook for Gen Z women

Jason Chepenik currently serves as senior vice president of the Retirement + Wealth division. He is focused on providing fiduciary guidance to corporate retirement plans. Whether he’s advocating for stronger fiduciary responsibility, lending his financial knowledge to a local non-profit, or championing financial literacy for the next generation, Jason keeps a strong sense of “the why” within his work.

Jason is also the founder of the 4.01k Race for Financial Fitness helping to raise more than $1 million to support community based financial literacy programs. Jason has earned a degree in Management with a concentration in Finance from Tulane University.

Jeff is the CEO of Strategic Retirement Partners (SRP). SRP is a nationwide, independent team of retirement plan geeks dedicated to helping workers sift through the complexities of their financial lives to achieve financial freedom. In this relentless pursuit, we help employers attract, retain, and reward their precious human capital while insulating them from fiduciary risk. Jeff leads the firm’s Asset Allocation team and is a member of their national investment committee. As of April 1, 2022, SRP supports over 1,000 retirement plans with more than $16 billion in assets representing the aspirations of over 250,000 hard-working Americans. Jeff received his MBA from DePaul University, graduating with distinction. He has passed Level I of the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Exam.

Monica De Agostino is an HR Leader with over 16 years of experience leading Benefits and Total Rewards. She has worked in industries where people and innovation are the keys to success. Monica believes in empowering individuals and fostering a sense of humanity and connection in the workplace. She has led MRIGlobal to win PLANSPONSOR’s 2022 Nonprofit DC Plan Sponsor of the Year and be a finalist in 2020 and 2021 Business Journal’s Healthiest Employer.

Growing up in South America, raised in multiple countries, and comfortable everywhere, Monica believes education transforms generations. Monica has a Bachelor’s in International Business and an MBA in Management. She holds Senior HR Professional Certifications from SHRM and HRCI Institutes

Barbara Delaney currently serves as Principal of StoneStreet (SS/RBA), a Division of HUB International. As part of the dedicated Retirement and Private Wealth division, Barbara is a seasoned fiduciary adviser, specializing in financial wellness and retirement plan consulting services to defined benefit, defined contribution and non-qualified plans. Based out of Pearl River, NY, Barbara holds nearly 40 years of experience. Prior to founding StoneStreet in 1998, Barbara was the Managing Director, Retirement Services at Tribus Companies for nearly 12 years. She joined HUB International through HUB’s acquisition of StoneStreet in September of 2019. Barbara was the recipient of the 2022 PLANADVISER Retirement Plan Adviser of the Year Award in the Closing the Coverage Gap category. Barbara earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and Economics from St. Thomas Aquinas College and attended the New York University’s Stern School of Business. She is a licensed life and health insurance broker and holds Series 7, 24 and 63 securities registration through LPL.

Tom Demko is a Managing Director based in SageView’s Irvine, California, office, providing retirement and fiduciary advisory services to both plan sponsor and private wealth clients. He acts as OCIO or 3(38) fiduciary on pensions, DC plans, global retirement organizations and OPEB benefits.

Tom has worked with retirement plans for over 13 years. Prior to joining SageView, he was the president at Bay Mutual Financial, a registered investment adviser in Santa Monica. At Bay Mutual, Tom was a member of the Plan Advisors, Endowments and Entertainment Groups. He previously served as an executive with several entertainment management and production entities.

Tom graduated from the University of San Diego with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and was a former lecturer for the Retirement Laboratory and other fiduciary organizations, focusing on legislative and Department of Labor trends, behavioral finance as well as fiduciary mentoring.

Brian Donohue, FSA, FCA, EA, is a partner in the Chicago office of October Three. Donohue joined October Three in 2011 as part of the firm’s senior leadership team. A practicing consulting actuary for more than 35 years, Donohue has spoken and written widely on pension topics for decades, including expertise in pension accounting and yield curve construction. Prior to joining October Three, he was a member of the Actuarial Technical Leadership Team at AonHewitt. He received a B.A. from the University of Chicago.

Julie has worked in all areas of the retirement plan ecosystem over the course of her career, making her a well-rounded expert in navigating the complexities of the industry. Equipped with this unique perspective and expertise, she assists her clients in making informed decisions and mitigating risk while helping their employees plan for the retirement they deserve. Alongside her everyday duties, she serves on the company’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Advisory Council.

Julie has a Master of Business Administration degree from Babson College, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Communication degree from Bentley College. She is an Accredited Investment Fiduciary, AIF, and a Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA). Julie has her FINRA Series 65 license and Life, Accident and Health Insurance licenses from The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

John Doyle is a senior retirement strategist at Capital Group, home of American Funds. He has 37 years of investment industry experience and has been with Capital Group for 10 years. Prior to joining Capital, John was a senior consultant with The BridgePoint Group, where he developed retirement plan product and service strategies. He also was executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Hartford Investment Management Company. Before that, he worked as head of marketing and product at T. Rowe Price Retirement Plan Services and as a vice president of marketing at Fidelity Investments. He holds an MBA from the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Georgetown University. John is based in Baltimore.

Jodi H. Epstein is a partner in Ivins, Phillips & Barker’s Employee Benefits practice. She focuses on qualified plans, with particular expertise in integrations after acquisitions, setting up benefit platforms, and advising qualified plan committees regarding their fiduciary duties. Jodi’s practice includes day-to-day compliance issues, such as assisting with implementation of new legislation and regulations, filing determination letter applications for qualified plans, trouble-shooting when glitches arise in plan operations, and helping qualified plan committees monitor plan investments and plan vendors. Her practice also includes the one-of-a-kind issues that can arise, usually in connection with M&A activity. Jodi did her undergraduate work at Stanford University, graduating with distinction in 1988. She graduated from Harvard Law School in 1993 (cum laude). She has been at Ivins since 1997.

Audra concentrates her practice on governmental employee benefits law, ranging from state and local governments, tribal governments, and other public entities. Her practice includes a variety of issues for governmental retirement plans, including plan design, administration, IRS compliance, tax reporting, nonresident alien taxation, and benefit taxation. Audra enjoys working together with clients to solve complex issues and develop creative solutions. Outside of work, Audra enjoys spending time with her two boys in rural Indiana.  

Rita is a Senior Vice President and a Senior Institutional Retirement Consultant with UBS since 1996. Rita has dedicated her career to equipping Plan Sponsors with best practices in meeting their Fiduciary responsibilities. Her focus integrates plan design consulting with employee education in building effective communication programs to increase overall plan participation. Rita serves as a partner to her clients and advocate in assisting them in maintaining the most competitive cost structures, formalization of investment committee meetings and decisions, and overall holistic management of all regulatory requirements. She is a Certified Investment Management Analyst (CIMA) and a Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist (CRPS). Rita has a B.A. with a concentration in finance from the University of South Florida and an M.S. in business administration from the Stuart School of Business at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.

Drew Freeman is the Director of Outreach for the Tennessee Treasury Department. Drew oversees the Outreach team, serving all regions of the state, in educating participating employers about Treasury programs. These programs include RetireReadyTN, Treasury’s retirement initiative combining the strengths of the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System, and the Deferred Compensation Program (401(k)/457) with holistic retirement education. Drew oversees Treasury’s effort to educate agency leaders on available retirement benefits, onboard new local government employers to the retirement programs, support participating employers with monthly reporting to TCRS, and provide comprehensive retirement readiness counseling to TCRS members and Deferred Compensation participants.

He received his master’s degree at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and completed his undergraduate degree at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City.

Alvaro A. Galvis joined Merrill Lynch in 2002 and dedicates his time and experience to managing corporate benefit programs for small to mid-size corporations with defined contribution and defined benefit consulting needs. Alvaro is a partner with The MG Group at Merrill Lynch. His team of professionals combine their industry knowledge and capabilities with the global resources of Merrill Lynch to provide a full range of institutional consulting services and wealth management services to corporations, business owners, executives and their families.

Alvaro graduated from the Colombian Naval Academy and subsequently from Florida International University with degrees in International Business and Finance. Alvaro is a C(k)P Certified 401(k) Professional in good standing with The Retirement Advisor University in collaboration with UCLA Anderson School of Management Executive Education. Additionally, he holds the Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor, the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor, and the Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist professional designations, giving him in-depth insight into clients’ breadth of consulting and planning needs.

Lisa M. Gomez was sworn in as Assistant Secretary for Employee Benefits Security on October 11, 2022. Previously, Gomez was a partner with the law firm Cohen, Weiss and Simon LLP and the Chair of the firm’s Management Committee. She has deep technical and practical experience in the multifaceted field of employee benefits law and has spent almost three decades representing various Taft-Hartley and multiemployer pension and welfare plans, single employer plans, jointly administered training program trust funds, a federal employees health benefit (FEHB) plan, supplemental health plans, and VEBAs covering employees in a wide array of industries.

Lisa served as a Co-Chair of the Board of Senior Editors of the Bloomberg BNA treatise Employee Benefits Law. She also served in various leadership positions with the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Labor and Employment Law, including as the Union Co-Chair of its Employee Benefits Committee. She is a graduate of the ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law’s Leadership Development Program and served as the Union Co-Chair for that Program. She was a member of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and the AFL-CIO Union Lawyers Alliance. Lisa was inducted as a Fellow of The American College of Employee Benefits Counsel, Inc. in recognition of her over twenty years of practice in employee benefits law and her contributions to the field, including as a frequent speaker on numerous employee benefits issues. Lisa was also a member of the Advisory Board of The Peggy Browning Fund, a non-profit organization devoted to advancing law students who wish to pursue careers protecting workers’ rights. She previously served as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association as well as a volunteer mediator for the New Jersey state courts. She was also a guest lecturer for the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations on employee benefits. Lisa was named as a Super Lawyer for Employee Benefits on the Super Lawyers New York Metro Annual Lists for 2021 and 2022.

Lisa earned her law degree from the Fordham University School of Law and her undergraduate degree from Hofstra University.

Jamie Greenleaf is a senior vice president for OneDigital’s Retirement + Wealth division. She has spent her entire professional career helping retirement programs and public funds. Jamie provides consulting services in all areas of plan management and oversight, including plan design, fees and services benchmarking, investment management selection and monitoring, fiduciary and regulatory compliance, investment policy design, and financial education to many Fortune 500 and publicly traded companies, nonprofit entities and public agencies.

She is an adjunct lecturer in the Plan Sponsor University certification program for UCLA’s Anderson School of Business-Executive Education. Greenleaf holds a BA in Business Administration from Delaware Valley College, is a Registered Financial Advisor and is Life insurance licensed.

Ben advises clients on a broad range of federal income, estate and gift tax planning matters, as well as employee benefits issues.

His employee benefits practice consists of advising employers on a wide range of issues, including:  ERISA; health, welfare and retirement plans; compliance with state and federal laws and regulations; and executive compensation. He also has experience advising boards of directors and the management of nonprofit organizations and performs “legal health checkups” for tax-exempt organizations.

Before law school, Ben started his own financial planning business. Prior to that he was a business manager at Capital One Financial Corporation.

As the Health & Wellness Benefits Manager at The Beck Group, Elizabeth is dedicated to enhancing the health and wellbeing of team members. In her 17-year career at The Beck Group, the last 11 years have been focused on benefits administration.
Elizabeth is passionate about fostering a culture of holistic wellbeing at The Beck Group. Her multifaceted role involves crafting strategic benefits programs and initiatives that promote physical, mental, and financial health, empowering employees to lead balanced and fulfilling lives both in and out of the workplace. Increasing industry support for mental health and contributing to the conversation is important to Elizabeth, and she has had the pleasure of partnering with the Associated General Contractors of America to speak at several events.
Over the years, Elizabeth’s efforts have garnered accolades for The Beck Group, including recognition as one of the Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America, an American Heart Association Fit Friendly Worksite, recipient of the Austin Chamber’s Health & Wellness Award, and distinguished as a Best Place to Work.

Pam Hess is the Executive Director at the DCIIA Retirement Research Center. Previously, she was with Aon Hewitt and served as their Director of Retirement Research for a number of years. In that role, Pam created and directed the retirement research efforts and was broadly quoted in the press. Earlier in her career Pam worked on the investment side at Aon Hewitt and with other firms in the financial services industry, including Smith Barney.

Pam received a bachelor’s degree in finance from The University of Illinois, at Chicago. She earned her master’s in business administration from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, with concentrations in accounting, finance and managerial & organizational behavior. Pam is also a CFA Charterholder since 2002. She is based in Charlotte, NC.

Brent Hines is an international speaker, financial wellbeing expert, and Founder and Executive Director of the educational non-profit, Foundation for Financial Wellness. With over 25 years of unwavering dedication to the finance industry, he has emerged as a trailblazer, advocating for improved financial well-being and empowerment.

Currently serving as the Chief Development Officer of The Financial Wellness Group, Brent’s leadership has been instrumental in driving organizational growth and propelling the mission of enhancing financial well-being on a global scale. A master speaker and presenter, he possesses a unique talent for translating complex financial concepts into accessible knowledge that resonates with diverse audiences and ignites action.

Zack leads a team of financial planners that help Greenspring Advisors’ Private Wealth advisers deliver comprehensive financial plans to their clients and also deliver personalized planning and advice to the participants in the retirement plans that Greenspring’s corporate retirement advisers work with. Prior to this role, he was a financial adviser at Greenspring, and he previously worked in a financial planning capacity for RBC. Zack has a B.S. in Finance, Minor in Personal Financial Planning, from the University of Maryland. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER.

Josh Jessup, General Manager of Global Retirement and Financial Wellness at Delta Air Lines, leads an incredible team of HR professionals responsible for the plan design, oversight and management of Delta’s Global Retirement plans and innovative Financial Wellbeing Programs for over 100,000 employees in more than 50 countries. Josh is a self-proclaimed personal finance nerd who is passionate about making financial literacy available, and financial freedom a reality, for Delta’s worldwide population.

Prior to this role he held HR Leadership roles of increasing responsibility with Delta over more than 14 years supporting Reservations, Technical Operations, Airport Customer Service and Cargo divisions.  Before Delta, he held HR leader roles in the retail and automation industries.

Michael Kozemchak, C(k)P, is Managing Director at Institutional Investment Consulting. Michael is the practice leader of IIC. He has 26 years of experience consulting on retirement plans, 20 of which has been with IIC.
Michael and IIC are regularly recognized by PLANSPONSOR and PLANADVISER as one of the nation’s leading retirement plan consulting firms having consulting engagements representing in excess of $150 billion dollars of plan assets. 
Michael has been a regular speaker at numerous industry conferences over the years, including those of PLANSPONSOR, PLANADVISER, SHRM and SPARK.

Michael Kushner currently serves as a retirement plan consultant in the Mid-Atlantic region. In his role, he is responsible for all aspects of the planning cycle, including new business development, participant education and engagement, and annual plan reviews.

Michael was also the director of Participant Services for a boutique consulting firm in New Jersey, and he also worked as an adviser for two international financial consulting firms.

He is a veteran of the United States Air Force and studied economics and psychology at Penn State University. Michael has also attained the Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF) designation from the Center for Fiduciary Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. He recently earned the NQPA and CPFA designations.

Bruce Lanser is a First Vice President–Wealth Management at UBS. For more than 30 years, Bruce has been helping plan sponsors strengthen their employee retirement plans. He focuses his practice on delivering insights and results in three key areas within corporate retirement planning: sponsor and participant success, investment consulting, and fiduciary guidance.

Bruce has been named to PLANADVISER’s Top Retirement Plan Advisers listing in 2014, 2019 and 2023. Educational degrees include B.S.B.A. Accounting, Marquette University. Credentials include Certified Investment Management Analyst, Certified Portfolio Manager, Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor and Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist.

Percy advises clients on a wide range of federal income tax, estate and gift tax, and employee benefits issues. He enjoys finding practical solutions for employers and tax-exempt organizations of all sizes. In addition to his legal skills, Percy draws from previous experience in tackling payroll issues for a private institution and serving as a director of a non-profit organization.

At Stanford Law School, where he received his J.D., Percy served as the Senior Finance Editor of the Stanford Law Review and an Editor of the Stanford Journal of Law, Business and Finance. He also completed a summer internship at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

David Levine, Principal and Employers & Sponsors Co-Chair at Groom Law Group

Levine advises plan sponsors, advisers and other service providers on a wide range of employee benefits matters, from retirement and executive compensation to health and welfare plan matters.

Levine was previously the Chair of the IRS Advisory Committee on Tax Exempt and Government Entities (2011-2013) and is currently a member of the Executive Committee of the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association and serves in a number of leadership roles in the American Bar Association Tax Section’s Employee Benefits Committee.

Levine has a BA from Johns Hopkins University and a JD from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

With over two decades in the financial services sector, Lauren K. Loehning is a respected Partner at Retirement Impact, where her client-first approach has earned her a reputation for excellence. As the Co-Founder of Moniwell, she leads a pioneering initiative blending psychology, science and technology to redefine financial well-being.
Lauren’s expertise, spanning financial planning, investment management and financial therapy, is bolstered by prestigious certifications, including Certified Financial Planner practitioner, Certified Investment Management Analyst, Certified in Financial Social Work, and Accredited Investment Fiduciary.

Samantha leads the marketing strategy for the more than 10 million employees with access to Edelman Financial Engines workplace financial wellness solutions. Prior to that, she led the organization’s Institutional Marketing team where she was responsible for positioning Edelman Financial Engines as the industry leader, owning a range of functions including product positioning, research and thought leadership, sales enablement, and client loyalty programs. Prior to joining Edelman Financial Engines, Samantha led marketing teams and strategies within several different industries including commercial real estate, tech, and non-profit. She received her MBA from Seton Hall University and her bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Robert Massa is the Managing Director of Retirement in Houston, Texas, for Qualified Plan Advisors (QPA). Rob is a retirement professional with more than 25 years of retirement industry experience. His primary responsibilities include practice management, strategic investment direction and advice, retirement plan design consulting and compliance, employee education and development, financial wellness strategies, client relationship management and SEC compliance. His career has been focused in the investment management and administration of qualified retirement plans in a diverse series of roles including investment advice, trust administration, recordkeeping, plan document drafting, compliance testing, product management, legal and client consultation. Rob has a Bachelor of Arts in public administration and a minor in mathematics from the College of New Jersey. He is a licensed life/health representative, has passed the Series 7, 24, 63 and 65 securities exams, is a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC), a Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS), an Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF), and Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA).

Brendan is the Head of Retirement Investing for Nuveen where he is responsible for the firm’s DCIO efforts in the U.S. In this role, he leads strategy and distribution for Nuveen investment and TIAA lifetime income solutions in the 401(k), 403(b) and 457 marketplaces. He joined the organization in 2015.

Brendan has more than two decades of retirement leadership experience in the financial services industry. A frequent speaker at industry conferences, he has been quoted in a number of publications such as the Financial Times, Investment News and Plan Sponsor magazine, and was recently named #35 on the 2022 “401kWire 100 Most Influential People” list.  Prior to joining TIAA, he was Chief Operating Officer of F-Squared Retirement Solutions, a subsidiary of F Squared Investments. Previously, he was a Senior Vice President at Putnam Investments responsible for Defined Contribution Investment Only Business Development. In addition, he held other leadership roles at Putnam Investments including 401(k) product development, DCIO relationship management and institutional trust services.

Brendan graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration from St. Joseph’s College and an M.B.A. from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College.

Shaun McCloskey is an executive relationship manager at T. Rowe Price / Retirement Plan Services. He is a vice president of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., and T. Rowe Price Retirement Plan Services, Inc.

Shaun joined T. Rowe Price in 2014 and is a strategic partner of plan sponsors offering defined contribution and executive deferred compensation plans. He leads a team of professionals responsible for the delivery of exceptional service, strategic support, and value-added consultation. Prior to this, he served in various financial, investment and governance roles. Most notably, Shaun was responsible for plan governance, plan design and the investment management and oversight of the Honda 401(k) Savings Plan, the Honda U.S. Pension Plan, and the Honda of America Foundation. Shaun was also employed by KPMG Peat Marwick, specializing in both corporate tax and audit services.

Shaun earned a B.A. in accounting/finance from Mount Union College. He also completed the Pension Funds & Investment Management Executive Education Program at the University of Pennsylvania / The Wharton School, and the Portfolio Management Executive Education Program at the University of Chicago. Shaun is a Series 7 and 63 registered representative.

Sal Naidoo serves as the Deputy Managing Director of the SEIU 775 Benefits Group’s Secure Retirement Trust, leveraging a decade of experience in the long-term care industry. Over his five-year tenure with the organization, he has demonstrated a commitment to the delivery of innovative strategies, and the fostering of strong stakeholder relationships. He holds a BBA in Finance from the University of Washington.

Shawn O’Brien is Director of the U.S. Retirement practice at Cerulli Associates. In this role, Shawn oversees and mentors a team of analysts responsible for publishing research on the trends in defined contribution and IRA markets. Additionally, Shawn provides strategic oversight to Cerulli’s consulting projects focused on opportunities in the retirement space. Shawn is also responsible for informing Cerulli’s corporate strategy and overseeing the firm’s Data Analytics team.

Prior to joining Cerulli Associates, Shawn was a researcher at Harvard Business School where he co-authored case studies alongside professors Adi Sunderam and Luis M. Viceira focused on investment management for individual and institutional investors. Shawn started his career in investment operations at SSgA where he covered the firm’s equity collective investment trusts (CITs) and institutional separate accounts. Shawn holds a B.S. in Finance from Merrimack College and an M.S. in Applied Economics from Boston College.

With a passion for assisting clients in all things benefits and Health & Welfare, Greg is a key player on Sentinel’s leadership team. Having called Sentinel home for more than 13 years, he is driven by a desire to help people day in and day out.
Greg brings a unique view of benefits to the table, having curated a diverse background in health and welfare, insurance consulting and retirement. By helping firms create strong education game plans, his expertise enhances the value of their offerings and empowers employees to feel confident in what is offered to them. Greg has a Bachelor of Science – Business Administration, Finance from the University of Connecticut; has Life, Accident and Health Insurance licenses in The Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and is PPACA Certified.

Jennifer Rayner is a visionary entrepreneur dedicated to fostering financial wellbeing through innovative strategies. With over 25 years of experience in the financial industry, she has now dedicated her career to empowering individuals and organizations to navigate the complexities of achieving financial wellbeing.
As the CEO of Moniwell, Jennifer leads a company revolutionizing financial engagement and wellbeing through a groundbreaking engagement platform. Informed by behavioral science, Moniwell provides accessible solutions to money challenges, reshaping the future of financial wellbeing.
Jennifer is a sought-after speaker and thought leader known for her insightful perspectives on financial engagement and innovation. Through her visionary leadership, she is transforming the way people interact with their finances, one text at a time.

Michelle Richter, AIF, is Co-Founder of Annuity Research & Consulting (ARC), LLC and Executive Director, Institutional Retirement Income Council. She has over 20 years of experience inventing, deploying, advocating for, and growing innovative products and programs that create a scalable intersection between the historically disparate worlds of insurance and wealth management. Michelle is a skillful quantitative and qualitative analyst, regulatory overseer, and interlocutor. Michelle is an Annuity Fiduciary and a Retirement Income Fiduciary who believes that minimizing liabilities and smoothing retirement income are just as valid consumer finance objectives as is maximizing assets. Michelle earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Wesleyan University, and an MBA in both Management and Finance from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business.

With over 30 years of advising plan participants under her belt, Kelli Send has extensive financial wellness knowledge and oversees the firm’s financial wellness team. She is responsible for curriculum design and delivery, as well as the firm’s money coaching services. Under her leadership, the financial wellness team has won 15 Eddy Awards for excellence in retirement plan participant education programs.

Kelli is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER Professional (CFP) and has her Series 65 license and ERISA Fiduciary certification. She has a B.A. in Marketing from Michigan State University and an M.A. in Adult Education from Carroll University.

George Sepsakos represents clients on a broad range of ERISA, federal tax and securities law matters. His practice is primarily focused on issues related to Title I of ERISA, including fiduciary responsibility and prohibited transaction issues.

George is a frequent speaker and author on a range of employee benefits related topics. Prior to joining the firm, George worked as an ERISA Enforcement Advisor within the Office of Enforcement of the Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration.

George has a Taxation, with Employee Benefits Certificate from Georgetown University Law Center; a JD from University of Michigan Law School; and a BA from Michigan State University.

Brent Sheppard is Partner, Financial Adviser and Director of Corporate Retirement Plan Consulting at Cadence Financial Management. Brent has earned the Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist, Retirement Income Certified Professional, and Accredited Investment Fiduciary designations. He helps companies design and manage innovative retirement benefit plans, financial wellness programs and customized executive services. What he is most proud of is seeing his clients, their organizations, and their employees achieving their financial goals. Brent is frequently invited to speak at industry conferences such as those hosted by PLANSPONSOR, SPARK Institute and SHRM. He is a graduate of the University of Delaware and has his Series 7, 63, and 66 securities licenses.

Phil Sherman, CFP, is the Senior Retirement Plan Consultant of Deschutes Investment Consulting in Portland, OR. He was originally drawn to the retirement plan industry after years of working in the wealth management field, where his interactions shed light on the lack of financial literacy. This inspired him to shift his focus to retirement plans and their participants. By working with retirement plans, he realized he could have a direct impact on education through workplace benefits and help employees better handle their money and make choices today that will have a lasting impact for tomorrow.

Adelia Soremekun is a highly experienced HR professional dedicated to creating impactful and valuable experiences throughout the employee life cycle. With over 20 years of experience, including 14 years in HR administration, she currently serves as the Senior Director, Total Rewards at The Jackson Laboratory. Her in-depth knowledge and strategic approach has played pivotal roles in optimizing HR processes and enhancing employee satisfaction.
Her expertise cover employee education, program and policy design for benefits, compensation, wellness, absence and general employee relations. She holds an MBA along with multiple certifications, including SHRM-CP, PHR, CPDM, and Global benefits.

Adelia is the convener of CommonSense HR, a LinkedIn group.

Joe is one of the founding members of the group that originally formed Francis in 2004. He currently leads the firm’s marketing and business development efforts and is continually looking for ways to create value for organizations and their employees. Before his time at Francis, he served as chief financial officer of a Wisconsin printing operation, allowing him to bring a valuable perspective to his plan sponsors and prospective development efforts. Joe is a member of both the Wisconsin Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Metro Milwaukee Society for Human Resource Management and serves on the board of directors of Wisconsin Retirement Plan Professionals.

Kevin L. Walsh advises clients on a wide range of fiduciary matters and other issues involving benefit plans. His practice encompasses helping plan service providers comply with the Department of Labor’s fiduciary rules, working with them as they develop processes for and make investments, and helping them navigate the impact of Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and SEC regulations.

Kevin counsels clients primarily on issues related to Title I of ERISA, but also works with clients on the intersection of ERISA and other federal statutes. He assists insurers in obtaining guidance from the Department of Labor and helps plan fiduciaries structure investments. He has also worked with plan service providers to structure the distribution of proprietary products in a manner that complies with ERISA’s prohibited transaction provisions.

Kevin has a JD from the University of Virginia Law School and a BA from Georgetown University.

Brantley Webb is a Litigation & Dispute Resolution partner and member of the Mayer Brown’s Supreme Court & Appellate practice in the Washington D.C. office. She is an experienced litigator who focuses on complex civil litigation, including contract disputes, ERISA class action lawsuits, and trade secret matters. She represents technology companies, financial institutions, and other national and multinational corporations at all stages of civil litigation.

Brantley graduated from Yale Law School, where she was an Articles Editor of the Yale Law Journal. She graduated magna cum laude and as a Senior Fellow with High Honors from Dartmouth College. Before joining Mayer Brown, she clerked for the Honorable Sandra L. Lynch, U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

As a 25-year industry veteran, Chuck has devoted his professional life to enhancing the financial well-being of institutional and individual clients. As the Finspire, LLC Chief Executive Officer and Senior Consultant, Chuck provides oversight of the firm and is a lead consultant for many of the firm’s corporate retirement plans and high-net worth individual clients. Chuck is also an Adjunct Professor at Northwestern’s School of Continuing Studies where he has been teaching the Retirement Planning and Employee Benefits course since 2005.
Prior to co-founding Finspire, LLC, Chuck served as a Managing Director and Senior Lead Consultant with Sheridan Road Advisors, LLC for 10 years, and with Bank Leumi for the 8 years prior. Chuck is continually working to strengthen his industry knowledge and expertise. Chuck is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Chartered Retirement Plans Specialist (CRPS), A Certified 401(k) Specialist (C(k)P), an Accredited Asset Management Specialist (AAMS) and an Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF). He earned his B.S. in Finance from DePaul University and his Masters in Business Administration from the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business at DePaul University.

Julie Varga is Vice President, Product and Investment Specialist for Morningstar Retirement. She works with a team of investment, client service, and sales professionals to develop business and client strategy in the defined contribution plan sponsor marketplace and provide expertise on managed account services and target-date products.
In her previous role as Vice President of Product Management, Varga was responsible for the various target-date options available at Morningstar Retirement, in particular development of the target-date CIT and custom target-date models.
Prior to that, Varga was the Director of Account Management, responsible for managing strategic client relationships for the retirement solutions group. She focused on broadening key relationships, developing customized solutions for clients and strategic planning based on the needs of the marketplace.
Varga’s first role at Morningstar was as lead project manager for Morningstar® Retirement Manager^SM, responsible for building out Morningstar’s managed accounts accumulation and in-retirement services.
Varga holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematical economics from the University of Michigan.

Rosie Zaklad’s practice involves the design, implementation and ongoing administration of retirement plans, including defined benefit, defined contribution, and tax-deferred annuity plans. She focuses on tax-qualified plan compliance issues, including Internal Revenue Service audits, rulings, and corrections.

Rosie has extensive experience assisting plan sponsors in navigating the plan termination process. She has also represented clients in responding to Department of Labor and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation inquiries, investigations and audits.

Rosie joined Groom’s Tax group in 2010 from an international law firm where she advised clients on the ERISA, tax, and securities law aspects of employee benefits and executive compensation. She has a JD from George Washington University Law School and a BA from Bates College.