Keynote Speaker - Dennis R Deaton is Co-founder Quma Learning Systems, an award-winning author, and the chief designer of Quma’s most sought-after seminars, including The Ownership Spirit, Visioneering, Destination Thinking for Leaders and Creating Connections. Among the clients for whom Dennis has done extensive classroom training are: AT&T, Charles Schwab, DuPont, Honeywell, Intel, Medtronic, Motorola, Nationwide Insurance, State Farm, Texas Instruments and Universal Technical Institute.     

Dr. Deaton is a popular speaker at conferences, international meetings, and conventions, and author of 6 books, including Ownership Spirit: The One Grand Key that Changes Everything Else, which was the 2009 National Best Books Award Winner in the Business Motivational category.  Dennis received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah and his doctorate degree, cum laude, from Washington University in St. Louis, and is the creator of an internationally-acclaimed human development curriculum taught to tens of thousands of people annually in over eight languages. Dennis has been described as “A man with something to say, and the gift to say it.”  
 

​Ned Armstrong is the Central Region Field Audit Manager at Everest leading a team of Large Account Auditors. He joined Everest in 2021 as a Large Accounts Auditor specifically in the Oil and Gas industry. Prior to Everest, Ned worked for Liberty Mutual as a Premium Audit Specialist(handling National Accounts). In my spare time, I enjoy playing golf and following UCLA athletics.

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Stefanie Bayer is associate vice president of premium audit at Davies North America.​​

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Jason Fox is Vice President, Enterprise Premium Audit for CopperPoint Insurance Companies. He has been in Premium Audit now for 20 years. Jason was a field auditor for the first 10 years and has been in a leadership role for the last 10 years. He started as a field auditor in California during his first 3 years before moving to Texas and serving as a field auditor for the next 7 before moving into a leadership role still within premium audit.

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Sarah Hamilton is the Vice President and Premium Audit Manager at B&H Audit Solutions. She is responsible for auditor training and quality control. She has earned her MBA from Fort Hayes State University. She had been a  reviewer, a Physical Auditor, a mentor, and a trainer. Sarah and her husband have been on two game shows and love to attend live music.

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Nick Holdridge is an Associate Vice President - Western States for Davies North America. Nick has been in the industry for nearly 20 years. Nick started out performing premium audits and 3 years into his career he moved onto the quality review team where he established skills for quality and timeliness. Over the next few years he moved into a management role within Afirm, (now Davies) managing the physical operations on the east coast and phone center operations. Nick has a passion for premium audit and enjoys the challenges of the industry. Nick has served as President of both his local and regional chapters (RMIAA, IAAW) and is currently President of the NSIPA Board of Directors.

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Nick Hough is a Large Account Field Auditor located in the Chicago area. He began his career in Premium Audit in 2003 after graduating from Iowa State University. Over the years, he has transitioned from auditing small businesses in rural Iowa to managing large national accounts, spending 20 years with Liberty Mutual. In June 2023, Nick joined Everest Global. In his free time, he enjoys being outdoors on the water, biking, and watching bad horror movies with his three kids.

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Halley Kennedy is currently the audit resolution support specialist at Copperpoint Insurance. She has been in the industry for over 15 years, mostly on the vendor side. Haley is the past President of NSIPA and currently heads the chapter committee.

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Paul Kim is the Managing Director of the Classification and Test Audit and Contact Center at the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau (WCIRB), where he oversees field operations and the customer service team. With over 20 years in the California WC industry, he brings deep expertise in premium auditing, classification, and underwriting, backed by APA, CIPA, and CPCU credentials. Passionate about quality and excellence, Paul has transformed the CTA and Contact Center departments by introducing a data-driven classification inspection report, a new CRM system, and modernized field technology.

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Carol Laskey is AVP Premium Audit at Everest having joined Everest in 2019. Over her career she has worked for a mix of carriers and vendors including positions as Customer Dispute Resolution Specialist, Phone Auditor, Field Auditor, Audit Manager, Field Audit Manager, and now AVP. She has volunteered her time in support of Premium Audit Education having served all officer positions of the MIAA, is currently VP of IAACS, is a past President of NSIPA, and speaker at many regional meetings outside of her local area. Carol is the 2023 James Boutress Auditor of the Year recipient. Outside of Premium Audit, Carol enjoys spending time traveling with her family including jumping off a mountainside in Switzerland paragliding with her mom (84) and daughter. 

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Salina Lau As the current Director of Quality Assurance at Lowry & Associates, a position she has held since 2021, Salina oversees the quality assurance reviewers and field support mentors. Her journey with Lowry began in 2016, and she had the opportunity to grow through various roles, including field auditor, quality assurance reviewer, field support mentor, and senior reviewer. With over 28 years of experience in the premium audit industry, Salina brings a wealth of knowledge to her work. Outside of her professional life, Salina has two adult sons and enjoys spending time at the beach, being outdoors, and playing sports, with softball being a particular passion.

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Mike Max is premium audit manager at Builders Insurance.

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Tracy Nunn is currently a Regional Director for Davies. She began her career with US Reports almost 20 years ago, as a premium auditor. Tracy has held many different postions including, reviewer, traineer and field supervisor. She was promoted to Regional Director in 2018. She is past President of the Rocky Mountain Auditors Association and current Co-Chair of Rocky Mountain Chapter, NSIPA.

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Adrianne Sessions With 20 years of experience in insurance and education, Adrianne has been an advocate for training and mentoring in the claims and premium audit space. She earned her AIC and was an accomplished Senior Multi-Line Property and Casualty Claims Adjuster. After several years on the vendor side as a premium auditor and field mentor with Lowry & Associates, she had the opportunity to help build new premium audit departments with excess and surplus line carriers James River Insurance and Argo Insurance. Adrianne is currently Premium Audit Manger with Ategrity. 

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Dan Swensen Sr. Practice Director – Learning & Development at LAI, a ReSource Pro Company

Dan oversees the entire learning and development operations while working closely with the Field Support Mentor Team.  As Sr. Practice Director of L&D, he implements best practices within the different teams and departments of the company to foster enhanced synergy and cohesion.

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Kenneth Tong With over 15 years of CA Workers Comp experience, Ken is currently a Business Process Specialist in the Classification and Test Audit department at the Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau (WCIRB). Ken is responsible for overseeing the Standard Classification System, optimizing Test Audit workflows, and responsible for system enhancements. Ken began his career as a licensed Property & Casualty and Life Agent, later progressing to managing a multi-state client services team and underwriting Workers' Compensation, General Liability, and Commercial Auto accounts at a national carrier.

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Roxanne Tryson is a Senior Technical Analyst in the Field Operations Department at Pennsylvania Compensation Rating Bureau (PCRB). Roxanne has been a dedicated team member for two decades, initially starting in the Classification Department, then transitioning into Field Operations, where she has built a broad expertise in the Test Audit Program. She has played a key role in a variety of duties ranging from reviewing and auditing to serving as a trainer and mentor for new hires.
As a passionate advocate for the Test Audit Program, Roxanne represents PCRB at both regional and national audit society meetings, delivering educational seminars to carriers and audit vendors. Her in-depth knowledge and leadership have made her a respected figure in the industry. Roxanne is a proud graduate of Temple University and actively contributes to the premium audit industry as the Co-Chair of the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the National Society of Insurance Premium Auditors (NSIPA). She was previously involved with the Insurance Auditors Association of New Jersey (IAANJ) and the Philadelphia Insurance Auditors Society (PIAS), where she was honored with the PIAS Auditor of the Year award in 2018. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Roxanne actively volunteers in her community and serves on her local Recreation Board. In her free time, Roxanne enjoys practicing yoga and spending time with her family.

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Winnie Tso is a Business Process Specialist responsible for administrating and overseeing Part 1 (Test Audit) and Part 3 (Classification Ratemaking Data Validation) of the Premium Audit Accuracy Program. She holds a Bachelor's degree from UCLA and began her career in the insurance industry, focusing on claims management and commercial insurance before expanding her expertise to workers' compensation insurance. In 2018, Winnie joined the WCIRB as a Field Representative and later transitioned into her current role. She collaborates closely with the Actuarial Services team to ensure the accuracy of unit statistical report (USR) data, contributing to the integrity of California's workers' compensation system.

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Ashika Weekes - Senior Manager at Pie Insurance | Insurance Professional & Advocate for Diversity and Inclusion

With 20 years of experience in the insurance industry and 15 years specifically in premium audit, Ashika is an accomplished insurance professional known for leading teams, driving operational excellence, and optimizing processes. Currently serving as Senior Manager at Pie Insurance, Ashika oversees audit operations, fosters a culture of continuous improvement, and mentors team members to achieve high levels of performance and productivity. Throughout her career, Ashika has demonstrated exceptional leadership, providing strategic direction for teams, mentoring emerging leaders, and creating a supportive work environment where employees thrive. Her expertise also includes system migrations, process improvement, and project management, all aimed at ensuring smooth, effective operations across all levels. She is passionate about diversity and inclusion, actively volunteering to support local agencies and work-related groups, and championing initiatives that foster an inclusive and supportive work culture.

Originally from Washington, D.C., Ashika now resides in the Charlotte area where is active in the foster care community. Outside of work, she is a proud plant enthusiast, loves karaoke, and enjoys traveling to new destinations, embracing new experiences and cultures along the way.

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Clark Williams, Jr. is audit manager at Frank Winston Crum Insurance.

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Veruschka Zachtshinsky CPCU, ARC, WCP® - Disputes Consultant, NCCI Holdings Inc.
Veruschka has extensive experience in the insurance industry, particularly in assisting policyholders with disputes involving their workers’ compensation carriers. Her career in WC Operations began with research and item filings at NCCI, and she has also worked as an independent insurance agent and property and casualty underwriter. Veruschka holds a bachelor's degree from Florida Atlantic University and earned her Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation in 2015. Additionally, she is actively involved as a volunteer leader with the CPCU Society, demonstrating her dedication to the professional community.