NAIC Names 34 Insurance Consumer Representatives for 2019

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners NAIC) recently named 34 consumer liaison representatives for 2019.
Established in 1992, the Consumer Liaison Program promotes consumer interaction with state insurance regulators at meetings and throughout the year.
The 20 funded and 14 unfunded consumer representatives began their terms Jan. 1. NAIC-funded representatives are those who are reimbursed for airfare, lodging, and meal expenses associated with participation in and traveling to NAIC meetings.
Organizations that receive significant funding from the insurance industry are not eligible to be an NAIC consumer liaison.
“Our consumer liaison representatives are experts in their fields and provide regulators with important insights,” said Eric Cioppa, NAIC president and Maine superintendent of insurance. “Their contributions help protect consumers, which is always one of our top priorities.”
The 2019 Funded Consumer Liaison Representatives
New funded representatives are noted with an asterisk.
Luc Athayde-Rizzaro: Policy Counsel, National Center for Transgender Equality*
Amy Bach: Executive Director, United Policyholders
Birny Birnbaum: Executive Director, Center for Economic Justice
Brendan M. Bridgeland: Director, Center for Insurance Research
Bonnie Burns: Training and Policy Specialist, California Health Advocates
Thomas M. Callahan: Executive Director, Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance
Laura Colbert: Executive Director, Georgians for a Healthy Future
Brenda J. Cude: Professor, Department of Financial Planning, Housing and Consumer Economics, University of Georgia
Erica Eversman: President, Automotive Education & Policy Institute*
Justin Giovannelli: Associate Research Professor, Georgetown University Center on Health Insurance Reform*
Debra K. Judy: Policy Director, Colorado Consumer Health Initiative
Katherine Katie) Keith: Consultant Advisor and Steering Committee Member, Out2Enroll
Karrol Kitt: Emeritis Associate Professor, The University of Texas at Austin School of Human Ecology Department of Human Development & Family Sciences
Peter R. Kochenburger: Associate Clinical Professor of Law, Executive Director, Insurance Law Center, University of Connecticut School of Law
Michelle Lilienfeld: Senior Attorney, National Health Law Program
Sarah Lueck: Senior Policy Analyst, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Claire McAndrew: Director of Campaign Strategy, Families USA
Brendan Riley: Health Policy Analyst, North Carolina Justice Center
Jackson Williams: Director of Government Affairs, Dialysis Patient Citizens
Silvia Yee: Senior Staff Attorney and Analyst, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
The 2019 Unfunded Consumer Representatives
New representatives noted with an asterisk.
Ashley Blackburn: Senior Policy Analyst, Community Catalyst
Benjamin Chandhok: Senior Director of State Legislative Affairs, Arthritis Foundation*
Lucy Culp: State and Community Advocacy Advisor, American Heart Association
Deborah Darcy: Director of Government Relations, American Kidney Fund
Eric Ellsworth: Director, Health Data Strategy, Consumers Checkbook/Center for the Study of Services
Marguerite Herman: Lobbyist, Wyoming High School Mock Trial/Healthy Wyoming
Anna Howard: Principal, Policy Development, Access to and Quality of Care, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Amy Killelea: Director, Health Systems Integration, National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors
Ken Klein: Professor of Law, California Western School of Law*
Carl Schmid: Deputy Executive Director, The AIDS Institute
Matthew Smith: Director of Government Affairs, Coalition Against Insurance Fraud
Andrew Sperling: Director of Legislative Advocacy, National Alliance on Mental Illness
Harold M. Ting: Consumer Advocate Volunteer, Chester County Department of Aging Services Apprise Program*
Lorri Shealy Unumb: Vice President, State Government Affairs, Autism Speaks