Keeping You in the Know—Recent Academy Activity, March 31–April 4, 2025
RECENT ACADEMY ACTIVITY |
March 31–April 4, 2025
This Week … In a Minute
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TOP NEWS
Academy Conducts ‘Hill Visits’ With Federal Lawmakers in Washington
The Academy conducted its annual “Hill Visits” with volunteers from all five practice areas, meeting with congressional staff on Capitol Hill in Washington on important public policy issues ranging from health insurance and Social Security to cybersecurity and AI to lifetime income and flood and homeowners’ insurance.
More than 40 volunteers—including President Darrell Knapp, Immediate Past President Lisa Slotznick, Casualty Vice President Susan Kent, and Health Vice President Annette James—participated in 31 meetings with congressional members’ and committee staff including the House Ways and Means Committee, House Homeland Security Committee, Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, and Senate Aging Committee.
“From the Academy’s perspective, the Hill visits are really about starting a conversation” with lawmakers and policymakers, Knapp said in an interview as the meetings kicked off, as well as providing information and the Academy’s perspective going forward. Slotznick added she was “looking forward to hearing what’s on [congressional] staffs’ minds, because it will help inform our planning process this summer about what projects we’re going to work on.”
“Hill visits are always a great time for the Academy to showcase its expertise—our wealth of knowledge that policymakers can take advantage of,” James said, adding that “there’s a new administration, and new faces” in the nation’s capital. Key health issues included access, affordability, and quality health care, she said.
“We’re meeting with people who are interested in wildfire risk, flood risk, AI, and homeowners’ insurance and availability,” Kent said of the Casualty Practice Council’s meetings, which were held in tandem with the Risk Management and Financial Reporting Council. “We’re looking to see where we can partner with some of the policymakers” in those areas of the Academy’s expertise, she added.
The annual visits are an important event that strengthens and reflects the core mission and vision of the Academy, reflecting its place in the broader public policy and professionalism ecosystem. Look for more in an upcoming Actuarially Sound blog post, and the April Actuarial Update later this month.
OUTREACH & NEWS
Academy Presents at Columbia University Actuarial Science Series
Former Retirement Policy and Design Evaluation (RPADE) Committee Chairperson Claire Wolkoff was the featured speaker at the Columbia University Actuarial Science Program Proseminar Series on Tuesday. In her talk, “Serving the Public Through the Academy: My Journey, Your Future Opportunity,” Wolkoff spoke on the value of service to the public through Academy volunteerism, using examples from her own volunteer experience including last year’s RPADE policy paper, Improving Retirement Outcomes: Demographic Considerations.
Contingencies Web Exclusive Spotlights Autism
April is World Autism Month, and Contingencies’ latest web exclusive, “Autism in the Workplace,” by Risk Management and Financial Reporting Vice President Steve Malerich, features a personal anecdote illustrating the valuable contributions of autistic individuals in the workplace and highlights ways to promote greater inclusion and support.
EDUCATION & EVENTS
Discounts Extended for May’s Insurance Investment Summit
Early-bird discounts have been extended through mid-April for the Insuring the Future: Insurance Investment Summit, to be held May 22–23 in New York. The inaugural event will bring together insurance investment professionals, including actuaries, asset managers, and executives from the life, retirement, health, and property-casualty sectors. See the full agenda. Early discounts are available through April 15—including a great hotel discount that can be extended to enjoy New York City through the Memorial Day weekend. Register today.
Read more—Read a Q&A with Academy Life President Jason Kehrberg in the latest Life Perspectives on what makes this event unique, the inspiration for the event, and other insights.
CLRS Call for Presentations—Deadline Monday
Monday is the deadline for the call for presentations for the 2025 Casualty Loss Reserve Seminar & Workshops (CLRS), presented jointly by the Academy and the Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS), set for Sept. 8–10 in Philadelphia. The deadline for proposals has been extended through April 7—for more and to submit, visit the Call for presentations webpage.
MEMBERSHIP
Volunteer Webinars Kick Off Next Week
The Academy will hold two volunteer webinars in April, beginning with one next week for committee chairpersons and vice chairpersons, followed by one later this month for general committee members.
General Committee Members, April 22—Onboarding Volunteer Webinar for General Committee Members will cover understanding the Academy’s role, areas to volunteer in, roles and responsibilities, guidelines and policies, best practices for volunteers, and other topics specific to volunteering. Register today.
PUBLIC POLICY & RESEARCH
Award for Research Deadline—April 15
A reminder to submit entries for the Academy’s third annual Award for Research. This year’s theme is “Bias in Assessing Financial Risk: Origins, Detection, Mitigation.” The submissions deadline is April 15. For full information and to submit, click here.
Seminar on Effective P/C Loss Reserve Opinions; Salt Lake City
Visit the Events Calendar for a complete listing of Academy events, and visit Academy Learning for webinar recordings and other Academy content.
ICYMI—Retirement IB Covers Decumulation Issues
In case you missed it, a Defined Contribution Subcommittee retirement issue brief and executive summary cover decumulation strategies for assets accumulated in defined contribution plans. “Federal law changes in the last six years permitted or encouraged employers to make insured lifetime income options more widely available to employees participating in their defined-contribution plans,” Subcommittee Chairperson Maria Carnovale said in an Academy news release. Look for more coverage in the upcoming Retirement Report.
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