By Barbara Bryant
Academy membership helps actuaries stay ahead with the tools, knowledge, and networks to grow professionally, enables employers to tap into this expertise, and strengthens the U.S. profession.
Actuaries join the Academy for many reasons, but the benefits go beyond individual career growth. Membership provides access to a wealth of resources, opportunities to share expertise, and a professional network that helps actuaries develop their skills, expand their knowledge, and advance their careers while supporting their employers and the profession as a whole. A diverse group of members share their experiences with the Academy.
A Foundation for Growth
For many actuaries, Academy membership provides the foundation they need to meet professional requirements, grow into new roles, and strengthen their credibility.
Maria Moliterno, specialist leader at Deloitte Consulting, joined the Academy when she first attained her ASA (Associate of the Society of Actuaries), at the urging of her colleagues. They spoke of the benefits of membership, including webinars and events which Moliterno has put to great use. “The Academy is a great resource of information through its webinars, issue briefs, practice notes, and other publications,” she said. “I have been able to use these resources to improve client deliverables and think through challenging moments.”
Kyle Wan, actuarial governance leader and assistant appointed actuary at Genworth Financial, explained that membership is “essential for fulfilling my professional responsibilities” because it’s “a professional requirement for issuing actuarial opinions in the United States,” as are “meeting the U.S. Qualification Standards (USQS) and continuing education requirements.” He also relies on Academy resources such as actuarial standards of practice (ASOPs), practice notes, issue briefs, and the Life and Health Valuation Law Manual to keep up with developments in the actuarial space and the insurance industry.
When she was preparing to become the appointed actuary at Erie Insurance, Kayla Robertson, chief reserving actuary at Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies, decided to become an Academy member. “The statements of actuarial opinion and appointed actuary responsibilities feel nebulous until you are tasked with doing them. Academy resources such as practice notes and the annual P/C Effective Loss Reserve Opinion Seminar provided a more than sufficient knowledge base. They helped me understand not just what an appointed actuary does, but also why the role exists in the first place.”
For Karissa Burgess, actuary at the Employment Security Department for the state of Washington, joining the Academy was an important milestone in her career. Membership “has been a valuable source of credibility,” she said. “It was important to me to have this distinction.”
Holding the MAAA reflects actuarial experience and credentials and confirms compliance with U.S.-specific professional standards, Burgess said. In certain contexts, or depending on the reviewer, it may be a required designation to establish full qualification. While maintaining flexibility in career opportunities is important, the designation provides her maximum assurance of expertise and professional qualifications.
An Advantage for Employers
For employers, Academy membership is an investment in workforce development and quality—strengthening technical rigor across the organization while enabling actuaries to build confidence in their work and their professional community, all of which delivers value back to their employer.
Wan said that insurance companies value the Academy for ensuring that actuaries meet the USQS, which stipulate education, experience, and ongoing professional development actuaries need to issue statements of actuarial opinion (SAOs). “Employers gain confidence that actuarial opinions and work products are prepared by professionals who meet nationally recognized education, experience, and continuing education requirements,” he said.
Moliterno echoes that view. “The Academy helps improve consistency among the actuarial practices,” she said. “This helps make it easier for companies to navigate their actuarial results when it comes to things like their pension plans. For example, consistency will help streamline a company’s coordination between third parties for its pensions, such as their actuaries, auditors, and investment advisors.”
Robertson, who has been working with the Committee of Property and Liability Financial Reporting (COPFLR), explained how her work “adds value to my employer by deepening my expertise on the NAIC statement of actuarial opinion, which is a core part of my role.”
Robertson values the Academy’s ability to provide timely guidance when sudden, unforeseen events create issues. “Many appointed actuaries were unsure how to reflect exposure to the January 2025 California wildfires in their statements of actuarial opinion,” she recalled. COPFLR responded by issuing guidance that addressed common questions, Roberston said, and that guidance was incorporated into the Academy’s practice note, Statements of Actuarial Opinion on Property and Casualty Loss Reserves, providing companies with a consistent framework they could rely on not only for that disaster, but for future events as well.
“The Academy did something similar during COVID-19, publishing an issue brief with an extensive set of FAQs to help actuaries think through unprecedented data, uncertainty, and regulatory expectations,” Robertson added. “Situations like these show the value of a centralized, profession-wide resource that can quickly bring together experts, synthesize perspectives, and provide practical guidance. For companies, this means they have access to clear, credible direction when the industry is navigating complex or rapidly evolving challenges.”
Wan also recalled turning to the Academy during the COVID-19 pandemic to help address urgent actuarial questions. The rise in mortality raised questions about the disease’s short- and long-term effects on assumptions, prompting the Life Experience and Assumptions Committee (LEAC) to study the issue and publish a paper. “It answered many pressing questions actuaries were facing and provided practical guidance on how to set COVID-related assumptions and identify appropriate supporting materials,” he explained.
Wan said the Academy helps companies and regulators adjust to changing economic and regulatory developments. “High inflation in recent years has created significant challenges for insurers, requiring insurance companies to reevaluate reserves and capital adequacy,” he said. “LEAC presented a paper examining the potential impact of high inflation on insurance companies.”
Access to Practical Tools and Resources
The Academy provides practical resources that help members tackle workplace challenges.
“Academy webinars have been an extremely popular source of professional development for actuaries at my company,” said David Tate, senior actuary at USAA. “For the last few years, I’ve been in charge of coordinating professional development opportunities and the Academy’s virtual events have been invaluable to us.” The webinars focused on life and annuity principle-based reserves have been particularly relevant to the team along with Tate’s favorite Tales from the Dark Side.
In addition to virtual events and structured learning opportunities, Tate also enjoys reading Contingencies. “The magazine always has interesting articles and some really fun and creative puzzles,” he said. “And it’s another good way to get some unstructured professional development credit.”
Moliterno points to the Academy’s continuing education (CE) offerings as a key benefit. “The Academy’s frequent webinars make it easy to get all your continuing education credits. They cover a wide variety of topics, which helps you attain CE.”
Burgess, who is working on state paid family and medical leave issues, credits Academy webinars, studies, and papers with helping her to master this “fast-growing, relatively new area of expertise.” These resources also helped her adapt to health care changes introduced by passage of the Affordable Care Act. “At the time, I hadn’t yet worked in Medicare or other lines of business that had concepts like risk adjustment that the new legislation introduced,” Burgess said. “Webinars, publications, and connecting with other actuaries was an important part of preparing for those changes.”
Eric Unger, financial actuary for the Colorado Division of Insurance, said he and other regulators also rely on Academy resources “because of exposure to emerging issues like the use of artificial intelligence by insurers, private credit in asset portfolios, and emerging political changes that affect policyholders.”
New Membership Requirements Effective Jan. 1, 2026
- New Education/Basic Education Requirement
Compliance with the Competency Framework, which includes baseline knowledge of key actuarial competencies, knowledge of U.S. laws and practices and U.S. actuarial professionalism; and - Achievement of an actuarial credential from an actuarial organization, both of which are recognized by the Academy.
Responsible Actuarial Experience Requirement
- Three years of responsible actuarial experience, including at least one year of responsible U.S. actuarial experience, defined as work that requires knowledge and skill in solving actuarial problems
Professional Growth Through Volunteering
For many members, volunteering and committee involvement represent the most transformative aspect of Academy membership, providing them with unique learning experiences and career development opportunities.
Wan credits his current role as LEAC chairperson with strengthening his leadership skills while deepening his understanding of insurance assumptions and experience studies. “The qualification seminars, in particular, have helped me apply what I learned directly to cash-flow testing, valuation work, and actuarial opinions and memoranda,” he said.
He has also addressed regulatory concerns about the growing use of offshore reinsurance through his participation in the Academy’s Asset Adequacy and Reinsurance Issues Task Force, which provided industry perspective on regulatory changes to Actuarial Guideline 55, Application of the Valuation Manual for Testing the Adequacy of Reserves Related to Certain Life Reinsurance Treaties.
Moliterno, a member of the Pension Committee, said she had learned a great deal by collaborating with pension actuaries from different companies and clients. “Everyone on the committee brings a unique perspective to the current issues and topics at hand,” she said. The committee has given her the opportunity to contribute to working groups for several publications, including ERISA at 50 and Pension Risk Transfer issue brief. Moliterno has also moderated the committee’s annual webinar on capital markets three times. “Speaking to with such large audiences was not something I had previously done, but the Academy gave me this opportunity,” she said.
Moliterno, who has spent her career at two consulting firms focused primarily on single-employer plans, said the committee has broadened both her professional network and her technical range. “The committee has also allowed me to work on and review projects I otherwise wouldn’t have had the opportunity to in my current day job,” she said. She is currently collaborating with members of the Public Plans and Multiemployer Plans committees on an issue brief examining different valuations of pension liabilities.
Collaboration Counts
Members view the Academy’s role as central to bringing together actuaries from a broad range of disciplines to exchange ideas and information, share experiences, and collaborate on projects.
“The further I get in my career, the more I realize how important it is to have a strong network of technical experts, and being an Academy member has opened doors to those relationships for me,” Robertson said. “Through committee work and events with other actuaries, I’ve built a network of peers I can learn from, bounce ideas off of, and reach out to when facing new challenges. The Academy has connected me with actuaries across companies, which has helped me grow technically, broaden my perspective, and navigate change with more confidence.”
Burgess enjoys meeting actuaries from different industries and learning from their varying experience and points of view. “They may have insights to share or ways to approach an issue you haven’t thought of,” she said. “I also appreciate that the Academy represents actuaries as a whole, not just one field of study, because there are so many things, such as economics, that can affect multiple fields of expertise.”
Wan says that working with other actuaries as chairperson of LEAC has made him a more effective employee. “It allows me to compare my company’s approaches with broader industry standards and analyze my results accordingly,” he said. “Through discussions with other experts, my perspective on enterprise risk management and governance has broadened significantly.”
Wan values the face time he gains with other actuaries at the Academy’s events. “I learn about new developments and build relationships with other actuaries,” he said. “Through networking, we share experiences, exchange ideas, and strengthen the actuarial community. This collaboration means that I rarely approach complex topics in isolation, which strengthens the justification for my work and increases my confidence in my professional judgments.”
Get Involved
- Serve on the Academy’s Practice Council (Health, Life, Casualty, Retirement, and Risk Management and Financial Reporting) and Professionalism & Education committees, task forces and work groups, through which you can collaborate with your peers in writing publications on key actuarial topics.
- Serve as a peer reviewer of Academy issue briefs, policy papers, practice notes and comment letters.
- Represent the Academy by joining its public speakers pool.
- Join the Academy content contributor pool, writing articles for cross-practice quarterlies or Contingencies magazine.
- Participate in Actuary Voices, the Academy’s official podcast, which airs thoughtful conversations on the role of public policy and/or professionalism in actuaries’ jobs and the Academy’s volunteer work.
- Contribute to “Member Spotlight” as an interview subject, providing a glimpse of your professional life and personal interests.
- Join the Academy’s focus group and feedback pool, offering input on public policy, professionalism, education, engagement, events, benefits, the evolving needs of the U.S. actuarial profession, and periodic requests for input form the CEO on issues and opportunities impacting the Academy and its members.
Unger also prizes the professional connections he’s made through other members. “Academy actuaries have referred me to consultants who had specific knowledge about an issue I faced at work,” he said. “These contacts are valuable for me and my employer.”
Unger values the diverse range of perspectives he’s exposed to through his work on the Prudential Regulation Committee, which provides guidance to national and international bodies, responds to regulatory requests, and ensures that the interests of U.S. actuaries are well represented—making the experience directly relevant to his role as a regulator. “I’ve heard from actuaries in different lines of business and opinions regarding the appropriate level of regulation on a variety of issues,” he said.
Trusted Standards
The Academy is committed to building public trust by helping members and ensuring they meet high ethical and operating actuarial standards through adherence to the Code of Professional Conduct, the actuarial standards of practice, and the USQS. Collectively, they ensure that the actuarial profession is effectively self-regulating and has the guidance and oversight needed to support and ensure sound actuarial decision-making.
The Member of the American Academy of Actuaries (MAAA) designation attests to members’ commitment to actuarial professionalism and demonstrates their alignment with the Academy’s mission to serve the public and the U.S. actuarial profession. And members appreciate it as a symbol of accountability.
“Using the initials is a privilege and a responsibility,” Unger said. “It gives me credibility with stakeholders and an expectation that I’ll be knowledgeable, aware of relevant policy, and thoughtful enough to see multiple stakeholder points of view.”
Moliterno said, “being a member of the Academy has strengthened my professional credibility. Having the MAAA at the end of my title has allowed others to know that I’m committed to the profession and its standards.”
This personal accountability is reinforced by the Academy’s broader framework, which ensures that actuaries—not just individually, but as a profession—are recognized as reliable, objective, and capable of addressing complex issues.
“The Academy provides the structure that keeps our profession credible and resources that help actuaries navigate real-world issues responsibly,” Robertson said. “Its work ensures that policymakers, regulators, and other external stakeholders can rely on actuaries as independent, objective experts. The effort the Academy puts into public policy engagement, professionalism, and standards-setting directly translates into credibility for the profession and the MAAA designation reflects that commitment.”
Burgess recognizes the support and advice she received from the Actuarial Board for Counseling and Discipline (ABCD) while navigating the transition to a new actuarial field. “The ABCD was a wonderful resource, providing guidance when confirming how to interpret qualification standards,” she explained. “The board was fast to respond, and it was great to discuss concerns with them and get feedback. Having that support when I needed it was a big relief. My employer can feel comfortable knowing that my quality of work is high and that resources are available to help me meet and thrive under new challenges.”
Wan values the credibility the Academy confers as well. “Employers gain confidence that actuarial opinions and work products are prepared by professionals who meet nationally recognized education, experience, and continuing education requirements.”
A Community Ready for You
Members view the Academy as an inclusive community where growth, guidance, and collaboration come together.
Burgess said, “Being an Academy member has only been a benefit to me and my career. I believe it provides another level of credibility, and the resources available are broad. Your career is what you make of it. It may be a straight line, or it may be a long and winding road with jumps to different lines of business or different roles within the same line, or you may move more into management or risk-adjacent fields. Wherever you go, the Academy provides resources to help you thrive in whatever you want your career to be.”
For many members, that support becomes most visible through the Academy’s resources and volunteer-driven expertise.
Wan said, “The Academy is an invaluable resource for career development, particularly because so many experienced industry professionals volunteer their time and expertise. I encourage new members to use the resources available, read the newsletters and articles, attend seminars and meetings, and expand their professional networks. To keep pace, I always follow the Academy’s seminars and webinars which are valuable in preparing actuaries to operate effectively in an increasingly complex economic environment.
“I also highly recommend volunteering,” Wan added. “To those who are interested, I’d ask ‘what actuarial areas or functions genuinely interest you?’ There are many options such as pricing, enterprise risk management, valuation, investments, and more. And if you are unsure or have multiple interests, join several committees to explore different areas and, over time, your interests often become clearer through hands-on involvement. Even if a committee does not currently have an open position, you can often participate as an ‘interested party’ and begin contributing while building your professional network.”
Robertson hopes all new members are ready to fully engage. “Commit to it fully,” she advised. “The best part about the Academy is the members who volunteer, contribute, and show up for the profession. Whether you’re on a committee or simply attend Academy events, being engaged strengthens your development and our profession.”
BARBARA BRYANT is a technical writer for the Academy.