Actuary Voices

Monique Hacker, Corporate Vice President and Actuary at New York Life, shares how the discipline and determination that made her a five-time NCAA track and field champion helped shape her career as an actuary. From landing her first actuarial job without an internship or passing an actuarial exam to building a career in life insurance, Monique reflects on the importance of resilience, consistency, and making the most of unexpected opportunities. She also explores how her definition of success has evolved from individual accomplishments to helping others succeed through mentorship and her involvement with the International Association of Black Actuaries. Monique shares why employers should look beyond traditional qualifications and how setbacks can become opportunities for growth. Additional Resources Explore the Academy's Student Resources Discover the Academy's Career Development Resources Visit the Academy's Career Center

In this episode of Actuary Voices: Policy Update, host Ted Gotsch speaks with Dr. Kim Ferrero, the Academy's assistant director of research, and Dr. Julia Goodwin, the Academy's senior research analyst, about how actuarial research helps inform public policy and translate complex risks into actionable insights.   The conversation explores the Academy's nonpartisan, data-driven approach to research, its collaboration across practice areas, and how its findings help policymakers and regulators better understand the trade-offs behind important decisions. Kim and Julia also discuss emerging research priorities for 2027, including updates to the Actuaries Climate Index, health care affordability, artificial intelligence, and the growing interconnectedness of risks across insurance and financial systems. 

Kyle Wan, chairperson of the Academy's Life Experience and Assumptions Committee, explores what happens when one of humanity's greatest achievements, living longer, creates new financial and societal challenges. Kyle examines how longer lifespans, declining birth rates, medical advances, and an aging population could reshape retirement, insurance, and the systems people rely on as they grow older.  He also explores the important difference between lifespan and healthspan. It's not simply about how long we live, but how many of those years we spend in good health. He breaks down why mental health, social connection, retirement income, and quality of life become increasingly important as people live longer.   Additional Resources Explore the Actuaries Longevity Illustrator Learn about the Academy's Life Experience and Assumptions Committee Read the Contingencies Article "Golden Years Life Expectancy"

Elizabeth Eason, Director of Actuarial Data Science at Willis Towers Watson, and host of the Network of Actuarial Women and Allies' podcast, Real Actuarial Women (RAW), explores how artificial intelligence (AI) and AI agents could change the way actuaries work and why adopting the technology shouldn't mean replacing the people behind the work. Elizabeth breaks down what AI agents can and can't do, where they could make actuarial workflows more efficient, and why human expertise, judgment, creativity, and communication may become even more valuable as routine tasks are automated.   She explores what these changes could mean for junior actuaries and the profession's talent pipeline, including whether automating traditional entry-level work could change how the next generation develops the skills needed to become actuarial leaders.   Additional Resources Explore the Academy's Artificial Intelligence Resources Read Tricia Matson's President's Message on Actuarial & Algorithmic Accountability Read the Actuarial Professionalism Considerations for Generative AI Discussion Paper

In this episode of Actuary Voices: Policy Update, host Ted Gotsch speaks with Katie Dzurec, the Academy's director of public policy outreach, about key developments from the NAIC's 2026 Summer National Meeting in Columbus, Ohio. The conversation explores how affordability, accessibility and trust shaped discussions across insurance practice areas, from rising health care costs and homeowners insurance challenges to artificial intelligence, climate risk and financial regulation. Katie also highlights the Academy's engagement with regulators throughout the meeting, work underway across health, life, property and casualty, and risk management and financial reporting, and what the Academy will be watching as the NAIC prepares for its Fall National Meeting in Dallas.

In this episode of Actuary Voices, Tiffany Eaton, actuary, educator, and board member of the Actuarial Foundation, shares her journey from aspiring math professor to actuary and how those experiences shaped her passion for helping students build confidence in math. Tiffany explores why a growth mindset can make a difference in how students approach math, the importance of normalizing mistakes as part of learning, and how parents and educators can help students overcome the idea that they simply aren't "math people." She also discusses the Actuarial Foundation's work to expand opportunities for students through tutoring, competitions, scholarships, and mentorship.   Additional Resources Explore the Academy's Student Resources Learn More About Volunteer Opportunities with The Actuarial Foundation Donate to the Actuarial Foundation

In this episode of Actuary Voices, Preeti Vasishtha sits down with Rade Musulin, longtime Academy volunteer, recipient of the 2025 Jarvis Farley Service Award, and author of Managing Risk in a World of Polycrisis, the cover story of the July/August 2026 issue of Contingencies.   The conversation explores systems thinking, scenario analysis, climate and geopolitical risk, and the limitations of relying solely on historical data and sophisticated models. Rade also discusses how actuaries can help policymakers navigate uncertainty, why judgment remains essential alongside analytics, and what every actuary can do to better prepare for an increasingly complex and interconnected world.   Additional Resources: Read Rade's Full Article: Managing Risk in a World of Polycrisis Read Academy President Tricia Matson's latest President's Message: Custodians of Financial Security Read the Policy Paper: Climate Scenario Considerations for U.S. Own Risk Solvency Assessment (ORSA)

In this episode of Actuary Voices: Policy Update, host Ted Gotsch speaks with Will Behnke, public policy manager for the Academy's Risk Management and Financial Reporting Council, and Lisa Slotznick, chairperson of the Academy's International Committee, about why international engagement matters for the U.S. actuarial profession.   The conversation explores how the Academy represents U.S. actuarial perspectives on global issues such as solvency regulation, financial reporting, artificial intelligence, and emerging risks. Will and Lisa also discuss the Academy's growing international role, the importance of participating in the 2026 International Congress of Actuaries in Tokyo, and how international collaboration helps inform public policy and strengthen the profession at home and abroad.

In this episode of Actuary Voices, Pietro Parodi, pricing actuary, author, and thought leader, shares his unconventional path into the actuarial profession, from studying physics and AI to becoming one of the industry's leading voices on pricing and actuarial modeling. Pietro discusses why more data doesn't always lead to better decisions, the importance of building models that are both accurate and understandable, and how actuaries can avoid the trap of unnecessary complexity. He also shares his perspective on artificial intelligence, the value of critical thinking, and his widely used textbook, Pricing in General Insurance.   Additional Resources: Read the Professionalism Discussion Paper: Roles of the Actuary Actuarial Models. Read the Resource & Discussion Guide: Actuarial Review of Investments in Actuarial Modeling Learn More About the Actuarial Stnadards Board's Modeling Actuarial Standard of Practice. 

GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy are making headlines for weight loss, but their potential impact goes far beyond the numbers on a scale. Could these drugs reshape health care spending, insurance coverage, longevity, and even the assumptions actuaries use to model risk?   In this episode of Actuary Voices, Contingencies Editor-in-Chief Preeti Vasishtha speaks with Dr. Kimberly Ferrero, the American Academy of Actuaries' Assistant Director of Research. Drawing on her background in cardiovascular and metabolic disease research, Dr. Ferrero explores the science behind GLP-1 therapies, the promises and uncertainties surrounding their long-term effects, and why actuaries are watching their rapid adoption so closely.  The conversation examines affordability, insurer costs, mortality assumptions, patient behavior, health equity, and the question at the center of today's debate: Will the impressive results seen in clinical trials translate into lasting improvements at the population level?   Additional Resources: Read Dr. Ferrero's article: How GLP-1 Drugs Are Shaping Care, Cost, and Coverage. Learn More About How Weightloss Drugs Effect Health care Costs in the Drivers of 2026 Premium Changes issue brief. Read Sam Gutterman's Last Word article on Weightloss Drugs, Weight and See?