NAIC announces its new class of consumer liaison representatives

Thirty-two consumer liaison representatives for 2020 were recently named by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). On Jan. 1, 2020, 20 funded and 12 unfunded representatives started their terms; amongst the group, 15 are returning representatives who participated in the program in 2019.

Established nearly 20 years ago, the Consumer Liaison Program promotes consumer interaction with the NAIC’s members, the insurance industry and interested parties through the individuals’ dedication and commitment to serving the public interest.

“Our consumer liaison representatives are experts in their fields and the NAIC relies on them to provide our regulators with direction and support,” Ray Farmer, NAIC president and director of the South Carolina Department of Insurance, said in a statement. “The work that consumer liaisons do alongside our members supports our organization in continuing to protect consumers.”

Here’s a list of NAIC’s 2020 funded and unfunded consumer liaison representatives:

The 2020 Funded Consumer Liaison Representatives

• Amy Bach: Executive director, United Policyholders (Calif.)
• Birny Birnbaum: Executive director, Center for Economic Justice (Texas)
• Bonnie Burns: Training and policy specialist, California Health Advocates (Calif.)
• Brenda J. Cude: Professor, Department of Financial Planning, Housing and Consumer Economics, University of Georgia (Ga.)
• Brendan M. Bridgeland: Director, Center for Insurance Research (Mass.)
• Caitlin Westerson: Policy director, Colorado Consumer Health Initiative (Colo.) *New funded representative
• Courtney Bullard: Education and collaborations director, Utah Health Policy Project (Utah) *New funded representative
• Erica Eversman: President, Automotive Education & Policy Institute (Ohio)
• Jackson Williams: Vice president, Public Policy, Dialysis Patient Citizens (Washington, D.C.)
• Justin Giovannelli: Associate research professor, Georgetown University Center on Health Insurance Reform (Washington, D.C.)
• Karrol Kitt: Emeritus associate professor, The University of Texas at Austin School of Human Ecology Department of Human Development & Family Sciences (Texas)
• Katherine (Katie) Keith: Consultant advisor and steering committee member, Out2Enroll (Washington, D.C.)
• Kimberly Donovan: Chief policy analyst, Office of Public Insurance Counsel (Texas) *New funded representative
• Laura Colbert: Executive director, Georgians for a Healthy Future (Ga.)
• Peter R. Kochenburger: Associate clinical professor of law, executive director, Insurance Law Center, University of Connecticut School of Law (Conn.)
• Ross Hammond: Strategic advisor, The Sunrise Project (Calif.) *New funded representatives
• Sarah Lueck: Senior policy analyst, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (Washington, D.C.)
• Silvia Yee: Senior staff attorney and analyst, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (Calif.)
• Thomas M. Callahan: Executive director, Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance (Mass.)
• Wayne Turner: Senior attorney, National Health Law Program (Washington, D.C.) *New funded representative

The 2020 Unfunded Consumer Representatives

• Amy Killelea: Director, health systems integration, National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (Mass.)
• Andrew Sperling: Director of legislative advocacy, National Alliance on Mental Illness (Washington, D.C.)
• Anna Howard: Principal, policy development, access to and quality of care, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (Washington, D.C.)
• Ashley Blackburn: Senior policy analyst, Community Catalyst (Mass.)
• Benjamin Chandhok: Senior director of state legislative affairs, Arthritis Foundation (Washington, D.C.)
• Deborah Darcy: Director of government relations, American Kidney Fund (Washington, D.C.)
• Eric Ellsworth: Director, health data strategy, Consumers Checkbook/Center for the Study of Services (Washington, D.C.)
• Harold M. Ting: Healthcare Consumer Advocate (Penn.)
• Ken Klein: Professor of law, California Western School of Law (Calif.)
• Lucy Culp: Executive director, state government affairs, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (N.Y.)
• Marguerite Herman: Consumer Advocates: Project Healthcare (Wyo.)
• Matthew Smith: Director of government affairs, Coalition Against Insurance Fraud (Washington, D.C.)

Related: 

• P&C Legislative Round-Up: January 2020
• Demonstrators call for insurance to act on climate change at NAIC meeting
• The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud appoints new leader