American Academy of Actuaries Recognizes Volunteers’ Efforts
“The Academy benefits each year from the substantive contributions of more than 1,200 volunteers who are actively engaged in fulfilling its public policy and professionalism missions,” said Academy President Dave Sandberg, who presented the awards. “In their volunteer work for the Academy, Shawna, Mita, and Mike each contributed substantially to important Academy work, demonstrating a commitment to the profession and the public that won the admiration of the members and officers of the Academy.”
Ackerman is a consulting actuary for the California Earthquake Authority in Sacramento, Calif. She was recognized for spearheading a multiyear effort that spanned all actuarial disciplines and resulted in the publication of a special report on actuarial soundness. The report provided a platform for engaging and educating policymakers and regulators about the meaning, variations, and importance of the phrase “actuarial soundness.”
Lodh is a principal at Optumas in Scottsdale, Ariz. She was recognized for leading the Academy’s work over the past several years on the risk-sharing mechanisms established by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Her hard work and expertise on these market-stabilizing mechanisms and on other ACA issues have been invaluable contributions to the Academy’s efforts to guide federal and state regulators as they implement ACA provisions.
Ward is a vice president, actuarial for the Life Insurance Co. of the Southwest in Fort Worth, Texas. As vice chairperson of the Academy’s Actuarial Reserves Work Group, Ward worked to fulfill the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Life Actuarial