NAIC Names 2017 Consumer Liaison Representatives

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 -- The National Association of Insurance Commissioners issued the following news release:

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) recently named 35 consumer liaison representatives for 2017. The 22 funded and 13 unfunded consumer representatives began their terms Jan. 1. Eighteen of the funded consumer representatives participated in the program in 2017.

Established in 1992, the Consumer Liaison Program promotes consumer interaction with the NAIC's members, the insurance industry and interested parties through the individuals' dedication and commitment to serving the public interest.

"Consumer liaison representatives play a vital role in our efforts to protect all consumers, which is a priority for state insurance regulators," said Ted Nickel, NAIC President and Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner. "These experts in consumer protection provide regulators with important guidance on consumer interests across the nation and contribute to the NAIC's mission."

The NAIC voted to increase the number of funded consumer representatives from 20 to 22 at its Fall 2016 National Meeting.

The 2017 Funded Consumer Liaison Representatives

New funded representatives are noted with an asterisk.

Bailey Acevedo: Health Attorney, Community Service Society of New York*

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*

Brenda J. Cude: Professor, Department of Housing and Consumer Economics, University of Georgia

India R. Hayes Larrier: Health Care Organizer, New Jersey Citizen Action

Timothy Stoltzfus Jost: Professor, Virginia Organizing Project

Debra K. Judy: Policy Director, Colorado Consumer Health Initiative

Katherine (Katie) Keith: 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: Executive Director of the Insurance Law LL.M. Program, Deputy Director of the Insurance Law Center, and Associate Clinical Professor of Law; University of Connecticut School of Law

Sonja L. Larkin-Thorne: Consumer Advocate Sarah Lueck: Senior Policy Analyst, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

Annalise Mannix: Project Manager, Fair Insurance Rates in Monroe

Lincoln Nehring: Chief Executive Officer, Voices for Utah Children

Jesse Ellis O'Brien: Policy Director, Oregon State Public Interest Research Group

JoAnn Volk: Research Professor, Georgetown University Center on Health Insurance Reforms

Jackson Williams: Director of Government Relations, Dialysis Patient Citizens

Silvia Yee: Senior Staff Attorney, Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund*

Cindy Zeldin: Executive Director, Georgians for a Healthy Future

The 2017 Unfunded Consumer Representatives

New representatives noted with an asterisk.

Ashley Blackburn: Policy Analyst, Community Catalyst*

Lucy Culp: State Advocacy Consultant, American Heart Association, National Center*

Deborah Darcy: Director of Government Relations, American Kidney Fund

Howard Goldblatt: Director of Government Affairs, Coalition Against Insurance Fraud

Marguerite Herman: Owner, Healthy Wyoming Anna Howard: Policy Principal, Access to Care, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

Amy Killelea: Director, Health Systems Integration, National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors

Michelle Lilienfield: Senior Attorney, National Health Law Program*

Claire McAndrew: Director of Campaign Strategy, Families USA

Brendan Riley: Policy Analyst, Health Advocacy Project, North Carolina Justice Center*

Andrew Sperling: Director of Legislative Advocacy, National Alliance on Mental Illness

Harper Jean Tobin: Director of Policy, National Center for Transgender Equality*

Lorri Shealy Unumb: Vice President, State Government Affairs, Autism Speaks*

[Category: Government/Public Administration]

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