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LIMRA Announces 25 Rising Stars of Marketing and Communications Under 40

WINDSOR, Conn., August 24, 2017 - LIMRA today announced the winners of its contest to recognize the 25 Rising Stars of Marketing and Communications under 40 in the financial services industry. The contest searched for creative and passionate individuals who taking marketing to new heights in the financial services sector.

“These growing leaders are pushing the boundaries of marketing; using out of the box strategies and innovative communications tools and tactics to inform and engage consumers,” said Lisa Tanen-La Fontaine, chief marketing officer, LIMRA and LOMA. “We are proud to recognize this next generation of marketing and communications leaders and celebrate their successes. We are inspired by what they have done and how they push the rest of the industry forward.”

The winners will be honored at a reception during LIMRA’s Annual Conference, which will be held Oct. 22-24, 2017, in National Harbor, Maryland. 

To view the winners and read excerpts from their nominations, please visit:  25 Rising Stars in Marketing and Communications.

Congratulations to all of you — and thank you for driving us forward!

Jacob Arnold

Digital Marketing Analysis
“Thanks to Jacob’s work, Western & Southern Life’s enhanced customer journey will be an experience that reinforces the customer’s desire to do business with the company by providing them with solutions and services that are in their best interest.” — excerpt from nomination

Melissa Brandt

Senior Marketing Consultant
“Whether Melissa is venturing into new digital channels to reach more people, working in the trenches with her sales team to truly understand their needs, or connecting colleagues across editorial, design and research functions to build a vision, her commitment to push for a better way brings outstanding outcomes for the end client.” — excerpt from nomination

Eric Chang

Chief Marketing Officer
“Eric has played an instrumental role in building and promoting the AIA brand and its values among the company’s key stakeholders and the community. Besides leading the delivery of many successful and effective marketing campaigns, he also spearheaded AIA Malaysia’s digital transformation strategy, which resulted in the launch of the company’s new and improved website, customer self-service portal and online purchase channel.” — excerpt from nomination

Abby Christmas

Director User Experience Design
“Abby led the discovery, design and direction of the new online experience for Brighthouse Financial. The website, launched March 2017, introduced the new brand, educates audiences on products, deepens relationships with educational content and helps support their customers and advisors.” — excerpt from nomination

Amber Cisneros

Director, Creative Services
“Amber is a valued leader who is energized by new challenges. She has modernized Pacific Life’s wholesalers and increased its efficiency by developing an iPad app that enables them to access and share materials and videos, eliminating having to carry paper and reduce printing costs.” — excerpt from nomination

Laura Evers

Director of Customer Experience
“Laura found her passion for connecting with the customer while in Marketing for Horace Mann. This was a new frontier for Horace Mann and required a person with focus, discipline, vision and the ability to roll up their sleeves to make things happen. In this role, Laura demonstrated a natural empathy for the customer and used this to increase customer satisfaction with Horace Mann’s communications in the process.” — excerpt from nomination

Kathryn Ferrero

Chief Marketing Officer
“Kathryn oversees all aspects of AXA’s marketing, brand and communications, bringing a heightened focus on both driving business results and improving the customer experience. As CMO, Kathryn is charged with developing a new marketing strategy focused on revenue generation, digital innovation and improvements in customer experience.” — excerpt from nomination

Monique R. Freeman

Manager of Communications Strategy for Prudential’s Global Marketing Communications Retirement Practice
“Monique is an expert at channel distribution strategy, ensuring each campaign incorporates employee engagement, interactive media and social strategy. Monique grew the size and composition of Prudential’s media audience to support business growth, including turning B2B stories into pieces relevant for consumers.” — excerpt from nomination

Karen Gousse

Marketing Communications Manager
“Karen’s dedication, enthusiasm and drive to learn new skills and approaches have resulted in the successful delivery of high quality marketing initiatives. From spearheading some of John Hancock’s key marketing initiatives, including the bi-annual Journal magazine and Life Insurance Awareness Month promotion to contributing to the digital lead generation and social media efforts.” — excerpt from nomination

Dan Griesemer

Marketing Portfolio Director, Individual Life and Financial Services
“Dan fosters a culture that encourages his team to create and innovate. He challenges them to embrace technology to better serve customers and gain insights. Under Dan’s leadership, and in collaboration with field and internal partners, Ohio National’s enhanced Learning Network for financial professionals was launched. This platform offers interactive e-learning experiences built on sequential modules, clear content and simple graphics.” — excerpt from nomination

Melissa Hernandez

Director of Corporate Communications
“Melissa has successfully driven brand strategy, enhanced Jackson National’s trusted reputation and leveraged media relations to transform Jackson from a niche industry voice to an influential thought leader.” — excerpt from nomination

Jennifer Kelly

Data Scientist – Marketing Analytics
“Jennifer is an insightful leader whose professional demeanor instills confidence from those who work with her. This attribute enabled her department to pioneer the use of data as a marketing driver. Jennifer acts as an ambassador who is able to break down barriers, forge partnerships and cultivate excitement for the opportunities the data sharing and mine can help achieve.” — excerpt from nomination

Nate Korhonen

Life Director of Sales and Service
“Nate is responsible for the internal and external marketing and sales advisors as well as marketing best practices for agencies. Under his leadership, his team introduced a new marketing and sales platform for life insurance, which all American Family Insurance’s agencies are now using.” — excerpt from nomination

Erin Loniello

Director of Marketing Services
“Under Erin’s leadership, her team completed an extensive rebranding that included updating collateral for more than 30 products, launching the new BankersLife.com site, and standardizing the interior design of the company’s 300 field offices. Erin’s success in defining the culture of the creative process at Bankers Life, building stronger partnerships in the home office and field, and exceeding the expectations of over 5,000 field agents, allow her to successfully and efficiently deliver significant business value to Bankers Life.” — excerpt from nomination

Corey Luke

Senior Product Line Director
“Corey is a highly effective, well-rounded marketing professional with a proven ability to coordinate cross-functionally and drive success. He has led and influenced many transformational and growth initiatives for Allianz Life’s Fixed Indexed Universal Life line of business.” — excerpt from nomination

Chrisinda Mowrer

Assistant Vice President, Consumer Engagement and Loyalty
“Chrisinda is a persuasive communicator and strategic thinker adept at building trusted and collaborative relationships across Voya with key corporate stakeholders to drive best in class digital marketing experiences.” — excerpt from nomination

Denis Nguyen

Data Scientist – Marketing Analytics
“As a pioneer at Ameritas, Denis has identify the key data owners, work with them to clean up and interpret data and in many instances dispel myths about the data. This is a sensitive endeavor working with the guardians of the data. Denis has a humble, confident and calm professional nature that helps him build relationships and drive collaboration between departments.” — excerpt from nomination

Melissa Oshin

Marketing Specialist
“Melissa began her Marketing career at Mutual of Omaha after spending time in the field offices. This gave her a unique perspective that can be missed from the corporate office viewpoint. She is dedicated to seeing agents making educated decisions in their marketing and, in the end, for their clients.” — excerpt from nomination

Dawn Pepin Dawn Pepin

Director, Life Insurance Marketing
“Dawn is known for her smart use of data to drive decision-making and her ability to build and articulate marketing strategy. She leads cross-functional teams to develop market assessments, find new opportunities and determine which products and services will win with Nationwide’s clients.” — excerpt from nomination

Lindsey Reale

Assistant Director, Marketing
“As consumer preferences evolve, agility is key in the voluntary benefits arena where consumers have the buying power. In her role in Group Benefits Marketing at The Hartford, Lindsey focuses on these shifting demands, empowering individuals to make a purchase decision.” — excerpt from nomination

Kerry Sette

Vice President, Consumer Insights and Research
“Kerry specializes in strategic brand research, cultural and consumer insights. Recently she created an innovative digital research platform that provides Voya with real-time consumer feedback on critical topics like retirement readiness and financial wellness.” — excerpt from nomination

Shital Patel

Director, Customer Experience
“Shital is an outstanding leader who is championing AIG’s efforts to be a customer-centric organization for the life insurance business. Shital is responsible for many major initiatives at AIG,  including leading innovative employee Customer Champions, creating customer-centered annual statements and implementing an online direct sales portal for the AD&D business.” — excerpt from nomination

Ethan Slavin

Communications Director; National Media Relations
“Ethan has provided communications support for Aetna’s Chairman and CEO for the past four years. Coordinating profiles, feature stories and interviews for Aetna’s CEO with many top tier publications. He regularly serves as the company spokesperson with national media outlets and is also his team’s external communications expert on a variety of topics, including Aetna’s “social compact” with employees, wellness programs, clinical leadership initiatives and community relations activities.” — excerpt from nomination

Anima Tatsajun

Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
“Anima demonstrates industry-leading communications skills and capabilities – helping to influence change in the business and positively influence those around her. She plays an instrumental role to bring AIA Thailand’s communications to new heights through several initiatives that have confirmed both her creativity and her leadership.” — excerpt from nomination

David Wilson

Social Media Director
“David recognized the value of social media to engage hard-to-reach audiences – like millennials. He introduced an engaging video campaign aimed squarely at that generation. The social media based campaigned surpassed 21 million impressions, principally at the target demographic.” — excerpt from nomination

Media Contacts

Catherine Theroux

Director, Public Relations

Work Phone: (860) 285-7787

Mobile Phone: (703) 447-3257

ctheroux@limra.com

Erica L. Iorillo

Public Relations Consultant

Work Phone: (860) 285-7875

Mobile Phone: 860-371-8638

eiorillo@limra.com

Joseph L. Giasullo

Public Relations Specialist

Work Phone: (860) 285-7786

jgiasullo@limra.com

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