FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Dania Beach, FL, March 25, 2026] – RISE is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 “35 Under 35” award, a prestigious honor recognizing exceptional rising talent in the insurance industry.
The RISE Awards “35 Under 35” celebrates rising stars who have demonstrated outstanding achievements and contributions to their companies, communities, and the insurance sector as a whole. This year, we received a significant number of nominations from across the industry, highlighting the wealth of talent and innovation present among young professionals.
The 2026 “35 Under 35” recipients are:
- Alicia Arrington — Underwriting Technical Specialist at Selective Insurance
- Briana Vu — Underwriting Consultant at CNA
- Charlotte Rheingold — Instructional Designer, Global Learning, Development and Diversity at AmTrust Financial Services, Inc.
- Chris Barnes — Private Client Advisor at EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants
- D’Jenique Inge — Director of Strategic Communications at NAAIA
- Elisabeth Westerfield — Client Account Manager at Wilber
- Elizabeth Popkins — Senior Vice President of Sales and Operations at Otter Claim Solutions, Inc.
- Eric Bradford — National Partner Manager at Lemonade Insurance
- Eric Morgan — Director of Education and Compliance at National Insurance Institute
- Gunnar Reinig — Portfolio Underwriter at Kinetic Insurance
- Jak Kramer — Principal & Risk Advisor (Employee-Owner) at Gibson
- Kali Trombley — Executive Director of Growth & Strategy at Gilson Daub
- Katie Kahlbaugh — Vice President, Corporate Development at Fortegra
- Katy Photopoulos — Senior Claims Technical Specialist at Clear Spring Property & Casualty Company
- Mauro Di Buono — VP Commercial & Growth at ClaimSorted
- Mia Sipe-Powell — Team Manager at Broadspire
- Michael Stango — Director of Information Technology at A.I.M. Mutual Insurance Companies
- Myranda Joseph — Flood Sales Leader at The Hartford
- Nich Wiener — Vice President – Group Captive Financial Management, North America at Artex Risk Solutions, Inc.
- Nicole Lenzen — Claim Specialist at AAA – The Auto Club Group
- Omar Baltazar — AVP, Investment Strategy at Fortitude Re
- Richard Homan — Claims Liability Supervisor at Utica National Insurance Group
- Sarah Stadler — Small Business Underwriting Manager at Westfield Insurance
- Sean Fitzgerald — Vice President, Head of Wholesale Cyber/E&O at Westfield Specialty
- Shane Parcel — AVP, Program Underwriting at MS Transverse
- Sikhulisiwe Ncube — Reinsurance Business Analyst at AIG
- Timothy DiPaola — Underwriting Risk Analyst at Preferred Mutual Insurance Company
- Tom Berzok — Manager, Strategic Analytic Services at Arch Capital Services
- Tony Pollmeier — BOP Practice Lead at CFC
- Tre Mason — Digital Operations Production Specialist at Sun Life
- Tyler Vaughan — Global Risk Manager at Cook Group Incorporated
- Walker Mullinix — Subrogation Recovery Specialist at Federated Mutual Insurance Company
- Yas Nahali — Executive Vice President at Amwins
- Yuganesh Gunalan — Sr. Delivery Analyst at Next Level Solutions
- Zorinne Green — Claims Support Supervisor, Operations at Hudson Insurance Company
The winners will be honored at the 2026 RISE Leadership Summit & Awards Gala, taking place on June 9-12th in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
The 2026 RISE Leadership Summit & Awards Gala is where insurance leaders come to get sharper, think differently, and invest in how they show up at work. For more information about the 2026 RISE Leadership Summit & Awards Gala and to reserve your tickets, visit the event site
About RISE:
RISE® is an insurance community dedicated to developing leaders. Through mentorship, education, networking, and leadership development, RISE empowers professionals to accelerate their careers and helps organizations attract, engage, and retain top talent.
For more information about RISE and our initiatives, visit RISEprofessionals.com
Contact:
Tori Snoddy | VP, Operations & Marketing
tsnoddy@riseprofessionals.com
