National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) earlier this year named 34 representatives for 2019 under its Consumer Liaison Program that promotes consumer interaction with state insurance regulators at meetings and throughout the year.

The 20 funded and 14 unfunded consumer representatives began their terms Jan. 1. NAIC-funded representatives are those who are reimbursed for airfare, lodging, and meal expenses associated with participation in and traveling to NAIC meetings. Organizations that receive significant funding from the insurance industry are not eligible to be an NAIC consumer liaison.

“Our consumer liaison representatives are experts in their fields and provide regulators with important insights,” said Eric Cioppa, NAIC president and Maine superintendent of insurance. “Their contributions help protect consumers, which is always one of our top priorities.”

New funded representatives are noted with an asterisk.

• Luc Athayde-Rizzaro: Policy Counsel, National Center for Transgender Equality*
• Amy Bach: Executive Director, United Policyholders
• Birny Birnbaum: Executive Director, Center for Economic Justice
• Brendan M. Bridgeland: Director, Center for Insurance Research
• Bonnie Burns: Training and Policy Specialist, California Health Advocates
• Thomas M. Callahan: Executive Director, Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance
• Laura Colbert: Executive Director, Georgians for a Healthy Future
• Brenda J. Cude: Professor, Department of Financial Planning, Housing and Consumer Economics, University of Georgia
• Erica Eversman: President, Automotive Education & Policy Institute*
• Justin Giovannelli: Associate Research Professor, Georgetown University Center on Health Insurance Reform*
• Debra K. Judy: Policy Director, Colorado Consumer Health Initiative
• Katherine (Katie) Keith: Consultant Advisor and Steering Committee Member, Out2Enroll
• Karrol Kitt: Emeritis Associate Professor, The University of Texas at Austin School of Human Ecology Department of Human Development & Family Sciences
• Peter R. Kochenburger: Associate Clinical Professor of Law, Executive Director, Insurance Law Center, University of Connecticut School of Law
• Michelle Lilienfeld: Senior Attorney, National Health Law Program
• Sarah Lueck: Senior Policy Analyst, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
• Claire McAndrew: Director of Campaign Strategy, Families USA
• Brendan Riley: Health Policy Analyst, North Carolina Justice Center
• Jackson Williams: Director of Government Affairs, Dialysis Patient Citizens
• Silvia Yee: Senior Staff Attorney and Analyst, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund

New representatives noted with an asterisk.

• Ashley Blackburn: Senior Policy Analyst, Community Catalyst
• Benjamin Chandhok: Senior Director of State Legislative Affairs, Arthritis Foundation*
• Lucy Culp: State and Community Advocacy Advisor, American Heart Association
• Deborah Darcy: Director of Government Relations, American Kidney Fund
• Eric Ellsworth: Director, Health Data Strategy, Consumers Checkbook/Center for the Study of Services
• Marguerite Herman: Lobbyist, Wyoming High School Mock Trial/Healthy Wyoming
• Anna Howard: Principal, Policy Development, Access to and Quality of Care, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
• Amy Killelea: Director, Health Systems Integration, National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors
• Ken Klein: Professor of Law, California Western School of Law*
• Carl Schmid: Deputy Executive Director, The AIDS Institute
• Matthew Smith: Director of Government Affairs, Coalition Against Insurance Fraud
• Andrew Sperling: Director of Legislative Advocacy, National Alliance on Mental Illness
• Harold M. Ting: Consumer Advocate Volunteer, Chester County Department of Aging Services Apprise Program*
• Lorri Shealy Unumb: Vice President, State Government Affairs, Autism Speaks