The 2024 NLC-RISC Staff Conference was held in Burlington, Vermont from October 20 – 23 at the Hotel Champlain. Members got to network with pooling professionals from throughout North America with the gorgeous views of fall in New England as the backdrop. View the conference highlight video below!

General Sessions

Bridging Generations: Navigating Challenges and Unlocking Opportunities

Bridging Generations: Navigating Challenges and Unlocking Opportunities

Mark Hayes Avatar

Mark Hayes – Executive Director, Arkansas Municipal League

Shymir Coakley Avatar

Shymir Coakley – Finance Student, University of Maryland Eastern Shore

7 Habits of Highly Effective Risk Pool Staff

7 Habits of Highly Effective Risk Pool Staff

Michael Fann Avatar

Michael Fann – President/CEO, Public Entity Partners

Run It Like a Newsroom or Get Run Over: Strategic Crisis Communications

Run It Like a Newsroom or Get Run Over: Strategic Crisis Communications

Julie Parker Avatar

Julie Parker – President & CEO, Julie Parker Communications, LLC

Concurrent Sessions – Day 1

New(er) Staff Workshop

New(er) Staff Workshop

Erin Peterson Avatar

Erin Peterson – Senior Program Specialist, NLC-RISC

Erin Rian Avatar

Erin Rian – Chief Operating Officer, NLC Mutual-RISC

George Dalton – Vice President of Risk Services, Public Entity Partners

Joe Damiata Avatar

Joe Damiata – Director, Risk Management Services (Pool Administrator), Vermont League of Cities and Towns

Don’t Hire the Perp: Avoid Organization-Killing Pitfalls During the Recruitment Process

Don’t Hire the Perp: Avoid Organization-Killing Pitfalls During the Recruitment Process

Jill Ostrove Avatar

Jill Ostrove – VP of EPL Public Entity, SML, and D&O Risk Management, ePlace Solutions, Inc.

The Evolving Physical Risk Landscape- Ramifications for Public Entities

The Evolving Physical Risk Landscape- Ramifications for Public Entities

Kieran Bhatia Avatar

Kieran Bhatia – Senior Vice President, Climate and Sustainability Lead for North America, Guy Carpenter

The Supreme Court and Homeless Camping: Didn’t We Win? What Cities Do Now and the Remaining Risks

The Supreme Court and Homeless Camping: Didn’t We Win? What Cities Do Now and the Remaining Risks

Kirk Mylander Avatar

Kirk Mylander – General Counsel, CIS (City County Insurance Services)

Taking on the Risks of Innovation

Taking on the Risks of Innovation

Christopher Bator Avatar

Christopher Bator – Division Chief- HSO, City of Coral Springs

Frank Babinec Avatar

Frank Babinec – City Manager, City of Coral Springs

Concurrent Sessions – Day 2

The Aftermath of Exoneration – Insurance Coverage in Wrongful Incarceration Cases Committee

The Aftermath of Exoneration – Insurance Coverage in Wrongful Incarceration Cases Committee

William Bulfer Avatar

William Bulfer – Partner, Teague Campbell Dennis & Gorham, LLP

Lessons and Successes from the NLC-RISC/Mutual Cyber Pilot Project

Lessons and Successes from the NLC-RISC/Mutual Cyber Pilot Project

Dave Mims Avatar

Dave Mims – Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, VC3

Erin Peterson Avatar

Erin Peterson – Senior Program Specialist, NLC-RISC

Henry Dietz Avatar

Henry Dietz – Risk Management Coordinator, Association of Washington Cities Risk Management Service Agency and Employee Benefit Trust

The Challenges and Benefits of Carving Out Pharmacy Benefits

The Challenges and Benefits of Carving Out Pharmacy Benefits

Kelly DiNardo Avatar

Kelly DiNardo – Vice President, Client Solutions, Employers Health

Key Considerations for Establishing and Managing Captives

Key Considerations for Establishing and Managing Captives

Christine Brown Avatar

Christine Brown – Director of Captive Insurance, Vermont Department of Financial Regulation

Making it Click: Digital Engagement Tools in Risk Pooling

Making it Click: Digital Engagement Tools in Risk Pooling

Anne Carlson Avatar

Anne Carlson – Director of Administration and Financial Controller, MIIA

Karen DelGreco Avatar

Karen DelGreco – MIIA Marketing and Communications Manager, Massachusetts Municipal Association

Maria Miranda Avatar

Maria Miranda – Chief Creative Officer, Miranda Creative

Cold Calling Stinks: Building Credibility with Law Enforcement Members to Improve Risk Management Outcomes

Cold Calling Stinks: Building Credibility with Law Enforcement Members to Improve Risk Management Outcomes


Ron Peters Avatar

Ron Peters – Director Risk & Safety Management, FLC

Sheila Lorance Avatar

Sheila Lorance – Law Enforcement Risk Management Consultant, CIS

Steve Brewer Avatar

Steve Brewer – Partner, Benchmark Analytics

Civility: Loss Control Measures You Can Replicate

Civility: Loss Control Measures You Can Replicate

Kerrie Lauck Avatar

Kerrie Lauck – Director of Education, Arkansas Municipal League

Tracey Cline-Pew Avatar

Tracey Cline-Pew – Chief Human Resources Officer, Arkansas Municipal League

AI for Real in Public Entity Risk Pools–Practical Applications in Use by NLC-RISC Members

AI for Real in Public Entity Risk Pools–Practical Applications in Use by NLC-RISC Members

Chase Pettus Avatar

Chase Pettus – AI / Predictive Analytics, Gradient A.I.

Kyle Waid Avatar

Kyle Waid – Director of Insurance Services, Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group (OMAG)

Youssou Fall Avatar

Youssou Fall – Director of Strategic Health Operations, North Carolina League of Municipalities

Concurrent Sessions – Day 3

Leading HR Strategies to Manage Workplace Risk in Modern Law Enforcement Agencies

Leading HR Strategies to Manage Workplace Risk in Modern Law Enforcement Agencies

Jeffrey Williams Avatar

Jeffrey Williams – Public Safety Human Resource Consultant, Citycounty Insurance Services (CIS)

Julie McKenzie – Assistant General Counsel, PACIF Labor and Employment, Vermont League of Cities and Towns

Predators Lying in Wait – Opportunistic Attorney Schemes

Predators Lying in Wait – Opportunistic Attorney Schemes

Kelly Kindestin – Property & Casualty Claim Manager, Vermont League of Cities & Town

Monica Coleman Avatar

Monica Coleman – General Counsel/Director of Personnel Services, OMAG

Peggy Gates Avatar

Peggy Gates – Workers’ Compensation Claims Manager, Vermont League of Cities & Towns

Navigating the Property Roller Coaster (without losing your cookies)

Navigating the Property Roller Coaster (without losing your cookies)

Mark Hessel Avatar

Mark Hessel – SVP, HCA Asset Management, LLC

Firefighter Cancer Prevention Strategies

Firefighter Cancer Prevention Strategies

Russell Osgood Avatar

Russell Osgood – Vice President Education, Outreach and Research, Firefighter Cancer Support Network

Managing the Cost of Weight-Loss Drugs

Managing the Cost of Weight-Loss Drugs

Chantell Sell Reagan Avatar

Chantell Sell Reagan – Sr. Director, National Pharmacy Practice Clinical Lead, WTW

Building an Internship Program: CIRMA’s Story

Building an Internship Program: CIRMA’s Story

David Demchak Avatar

David Demchak – President & CEO, Connecticut Interlocal Risk Management Agency (CIRMA)

Pamela Keyes Avatar

Pamela Keyes – Senior Vice President, Business Intelligence & Rick Management, Connecticut Interlocal Risk Management Agency (CIRMA)