Event Speakers

Go Back

John Alberici is President of Contractors Casualty Company, a wholly owned Vermont captive, and Chairman of its parent company, Alberici Corporation, St. Louis. An agent/broker in Missouri, he has been involved in insurance and surety work in the construction industry for over three decades. Mr. Alberici has been active on many of VCIA’s committees, was the 2003 recipient of VCIA’s Captive Crusader Award, and a past Chairman of the Board. A frequent speaker at insurance and construction seminars, he graduated from the University of Dayton last century.

Allan Autry, CPA, is a Tax Partner with Johnson Lambert LLP, a multi-office, niche-focused firm that provides audit, tax, and consulting services to insurance entities as well as nonprofit organizations and employee benefit plans. Allan has twelve years of experience of providing tax and consulting services to the insurance industry, with a focus on alternative risk entities, especially captive insurance companies. He has assisted clients with a myriad of tax issues over the years, including special calculations, tax planning, corporate reorganizations, and mergers and acquisitions. His experience with both domestic and offshore captive insurance companies, as well as their owners, insureds, and sponsors, make him a valued tax partner to Johnson Lambert’s captive clients. Allan earned a bachelor’s in Business Administration from Catawba College and a master’s degree in Accounting from North Carolina State University.

Andrew Baillie is the Program Director of Global Insurance for the AES Corporation, a global power producer and distributor headquartered in Arlington, Va., with operations in 15 countries around the world. Andrew supports risk management oversight and the procurement of insurance for the AES Corporation for development and operational assets globally as well as managing the company’s large, Vermont-based Captive Insurance Company. Andrew has worked for AES since 2006, during which time the company’s risk management and insurance programs have developed to become world leaders among energy industry peers. In addition to almost 20 years of experience in global insurance program management, Andrew has been a regular presenter at conferences and events.

Andrew Baillie is the Program Director of Global Insurance for the AES Corporation, a global power producer and distributor headquartered in Arlington, Va., with operations in 15 countries around the world. Andrew supports risk management oversight and the procurement of insurance for the AES Corporation for development and operational assets globally as well as managing the company’s large, Vermont-based Captive Insurance Company. Andrew has worked for AES since 2006, during which time the company’s risk management and insurance programs have developed to become world leaders among energy industry peers. In addition to almost 20 years of experience in global insurance program management, Andrew has been a regular presenter at conferences and events.

I am a Managing Director in the Washington National Tax office of Deloitte Tax LLP. I have been practicing for over 20 years; I serve clients with respect to all aspects of captive tax matters. I am a tax attorney (JD, LLM) and I also serve commercial nonlife, health, and life insurance companies.

Lisa Begg is the Director of Corporate Risk Management for United States Steel Corporation (“U. S. Steel”), responsible for coordinating the placement of insurance for the corporation and its subsidiaries. She is also the President of U. S. Steel’s captive insurance company, Grant Assurance Corporation. Lisa began her twenty-nine-year career at U. S. Steel as a Tax Attorney in the U. S. Steel Tax Department. During the next sixteen years, she advanced her career in the Treasury and Corporate Finance Department through a series of roles increasing her responsibility and leadership skills. In 2008, she was appointed Manager – Risk Management and in 2013 advanced to her current position. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science and earned her Juris Doctorate at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh.

Dan Belbusti serves as the Chief Financial Officer for Eastern Dentists Insurance Company (EDIC), where he oversees the internal and outsourced financial functions of the company. Mr. Belbusti joined EDIC from Electric Insurance (a GE Company), where he spent 9 years and served as Deputy Controller and Technical Accounting Leader. Prior to Electric Insurance, Mr. Belbusti spent 5 years as a Senior Manager at a consulting firm specializing in risk management for financial services clients where he implemented enterprise risk management structures, improved internal control processes, and engaged in the occasional fraud investigation. He also formerly served as a Senior Associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, specializing in audits for insurance and investment industry clients. He holds both a M.S. and B.S. from the University of Connecticut.

Clare M. Bello, Esquire, Senior Vice President, CCMSI, Division Leader and Founder of VCM. For 18 years VCM has been recognized for its flexible and cutting edge claims management and consulting concepts for the management of professional liability claims. Clare assists clients in their transition from insured to insurer and works with the captive team to measure claims performance as the captive matures. Clare works with clients as an advisor on topics such structure of programs, education and compliance. She lectures in national and international programs and is published for her innovative approaches to claims management and consulting services.

With 15 years of experience working in the captive insurance industry, Josh brings his expertise to his role as account executive. Josh has experience in all aspects of captive insurance management, this includes captive formation, implementation, feasibility, management & supervision, compliance and reporting. He also has experience in many captive industries including but not limited to higher education, healthcare, insurance, manufacturing & distribution, banking and other P&C applications. Josh has managed captives in many domiciles for various captive types including risk retention groups, single parent captives and group captives.

As Director of Captive Insurance, Sandy manages Vermont’s captive regulatory operations, licensing and monitoring the financial condition of captive insurers domiciled in Vermont. With 24 years of experience, Sandy serves as a principal staff member to the Deputy Commissioner of Captive Insurance. Sandy is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Financial Examiner, a Certified Public Manager with the State of Vermont, and earned an Associate Professional in Insurance Regulation designation from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. In 2018, Sandy was a recipient of the Women to Watch Award for her leadership, expertise, and accomplishments in the captive insurance industry. Presented by Business Insurance, Sandy is the first Vermonter and only insurance regulator to have received this prestigious award. The 2020 Captive Review Power 50, which recognizes the most influential professionals in the global captive insurance industry, named Sandy at #17.

Julie is the CEO and President of PCH, providing liability insurance to over 2,800 long term care facilities in 47 states. A former litigator and current business consultant, Julie uses a wide lens to address the unique demands of running a risk retention group. Julie also chaired the National Risk Retention Association Conference in 2018 and 2019. She values innovation, has advocated in Washington on behalf of the captive industry, and speaks passionately on a range of important topics to the industry. She was named to Captive Review’s 2020 and 2021 Power 50.

Christine Brown is an Assistant Director with the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation – Captive Division, where she directly supports the Director of Captive Insurance and Deputy Commissioner of Captives in licensing, strategic planning, legislative initiatives and industry outreach. Christine joined the Captive Division in 2003 and has been involved in all aspects of the analysis and examination processes. Prior to joining the Captive Division, Christine spent seven years in public accounting with Johnson Lambert in Burlington, VT, specializing in captive insurance, and with Ernst & Young in Boston, MA. Christine earned a MS in Accounting and MBA from Northeastern University, and a BA in Political Science from Regis College.

Christine Brown is an Assistant Director with the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation – Captive Division, where she directly supports the Director of Captive Insurance and Deputy Commissioner of Captives in licensing, strategic planning, legislative initiatives and industry outreach. Christine joined the Captive Division in 2003 and has been involved in all aspects of the analysis and examination processes. Prior to joining the Captive Division, Christine spent seven years in public accounting with Johnson Lambert in Burlington, VT, specializing in captive insurance, and with Ernst & Young in Boston, MA. Christine earned a MS in Accounting and MBA from Northeastern University, and a BA in Political Science from Regis College.

As Senior Account Executive for Helmsman, Ryan is responsible for leading the growth of captive TPA business across the country. He is an experienced alternative risk and insurance professional knowledgeable in workers’ compensation, property, and all liability lines of business. Ryan began his insurance career as a program administrator and broker, generating revenue for risk retention groups before transitioning to claims management. Before his current role, Ryan was charged with providing unique solutions and reducing TCOR for self-insured and alternative structures at a well-respected company specializing in claims administration, insurance services, and captive management.

As Haskell’s Director of Risk Management, Jeff has the lead responsibility for mitigating systemic risk and procuring/managing the corporate insurance and bond program domestically and internationally. He is an experienced risk and insurance professional with 30+ years of experience in the commercial insurance space and 20 years of risk management development and implementation. Jeff began his career as a Commercial Multi-Lines Underwriter for a large, well respected regional financial corporation, followed by roles in the Insurance Sales and Marketing world, and finally to the Risk Management realm for a large multi-national conglomerate within the automotive industry.

Prior to taking on the lead role in the CARE group of companies, Greg spent more than 10 years in the formation and management of captive insurance companies, first with Aon in the Bermuda captive industry, and more recently as Vice President of Risk Services, LLC. Greg is also currently President of Future Care Risk Retention Group, Inc., another carrier that offers Professional Liability and General Liability to long-term care facilities throughout the United States. Greg has worked with a diversified group of single-parent captives, admitted carriers, risk retention groups, and segregated cell facilities domiciled throughout the United States, in Bermuda, and the Cayman Islands. His client base was predominantly in health care and long-term care. Greg serves as an officer and director on several insurance company boards. He is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), has completed the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) designation, completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA), completed the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation, the Associate in Captive Management (ACI) and is a Chartered Financial Analysis (CFA) candidate.

Trent Cooksley is co-founder and COO of Cowbell Cyber. He is responsible for the strategic direction of Cowbell’s insurance operations and has built the company’s innovative cyber insurance portfolio along with its wide distribution network. As an insurance executive and three-time startup co-founder, Cooksley has held executive and investor roles in all stages of an insurance company's growth. Prior to Cowbell, he was Head of Open Innovation for Markel Corporation and Managing Director of Markel Digital, bringing to market numerous innovations such as the first pay-as-you-go insurance technology solution.

Richard is the founder and executive producer of the Global Captive Podcast. GCP was launched in 2019 to provide insight and education to the international captive community and features interviews with captive owners, service providers and regulators. It is now in its fourth series and there have been more than 150 episodes released to date. Richard is also the Captive Ambassador for Airmic, the UK’s risk and insurance management association. In this role he oversees all captive activity of the association including coordinating the quarterly meetings of the Captive Special Interest Group, one of the largest regular captive networking groups in the world. Prior to joining Airmic and launching the Global Captive Podcast in 2019, Richard was the editor of the market leading Captive Review magazine for five years with spells being based in London and New York.

Ian Davis currently serves as Senior Vice President, Captive Insurance Manager at M&T Bank, where he directs the identification, development, expansion and maintenance of the customer base for the bank’s captive insurance portfolio. Davis joined M&T after having served as Director of Financial Services at the Vermont Department of Economic Development, leading the marketing and business development activities in support of the state’s captive insurance industry. He holds a Master of Public Administration and B.A. in Political Science from the University of Vermont.

Thomas M. Dawson represents US and non-US insurers, brokers and intermediaries on regulatory, licensing, product development and corporate matters. Tom advises industry participants on a wide variety of regulatory and transactional matters, including cybersecurity compliance, Insurtech ventures and Holding Company Act filings. He has helped clients form, acquire and invest in US insurers, reinsurers and intermediaries. He counsels non-insurers on advertising, licensing and marketing generally, and provides regulatory compliance advice to service contract issuers and other specialty product providers. Tom has guided non-US insurers and reinsurers in the London Market, Europe, Bermuda and Asia for more than 35 years, helping them obtain and maintain surplus lines and reinsurer approvals, as well as monitoring NAIC activities and state and federal legislation. In recent years, the regulatory status options for non-US reinsurers in particular have multiplied, and Tom has acted, and continues to act, for many non-US reinsurers that have established large US reinsurance trusts. More recently, Tom has represented non-US reinsurers that have obtained certified reinsurer status and that as of mid-year 2021 are now beginning to apply for reciprocal reinsurer status. Beginning in 2020, Tom began tracking and commenting on developing climate change regulation in the US and in other key jurisdictions, and he is the Insurance Transactions and Regulatory team’s representative on the