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The Most Influential Women in Benefit Advising 2015

Whether it’s earned through fighting for adviser rights on Capitol Hill, making sure agents are up to date on Affordable Care Act compliance or growing a fledgling brokerage into a powerful business, these second annual awards recognize women making a difference in the field.
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Securing eight patents for unique benefit funding solutions. Testifying before Congress and federal agencies. Initiating legislation to protect the role of benefit advisers in the distribution process. Establishing successful co-ops, medical assistance programs and million-dollar employee benefit agencies.

Selected from more than 65 online nominations over a month-long application process, the 2015 Most Influential Women in Benefit Advising are taking the field to unprecedented heights. And they’re bringing their fellow female advisers and other industry players with them. Incredibly active in community and national organizations as well as in-office mentoring opportunities, these 25 women are working to ensure a successful future for all women in the industry. From encouraging each other in the purchase of their brokerages to hiring more than 100 women to follow in their footsteps, these ladies could not imagine a better business to be in.

EBA asked the influential women to share: What motivates you most about your job?
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Misty Baker

Director of Health Insurance Services
Independent Insurance Agents of Texas
Austin, Texas
Years in the field: 16
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Beverly Beattie

Chief Executive Officer and Founder
Selden Beattie
Miami
Years in the field: 31
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Susan Bernstein

Special Counsel
Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP
New York
Years in the field: 21
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Tanya Boyd

President
Tanya Boyd & Associates
Sunnyvale, Texas
Years in the field: 27
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Monica Digon

Chief Client Officer
Selden Beattie
Miami
Years in the field: 7
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Colleen Doherty

Senior Vice President, Compliance and Client Services
Eastern Benefits Group
Natick, Mass.
Years in the field: 29
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Pam Files

Senior Vice President
Bottrell Insurance
Jackson, Miss.
Years in the field: 33
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Jeannette Flowers

Vice President, Marketing and Product Development
Lifetime Benefit Solutions
Liverpool, N.Y.
Years in the field: 31
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Liz Frayer

Owner
Intrepid
Atlanta
Years in the field: 19
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Nina H. Gardner

Partner and Executive Vice President
Filice Insurance
Moraga, Calif.
Years in the field: 7
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Kristin L. Kahle

Founder and Chief Executive Officer
NavigateHCR
San Diego
Years in the field: 25
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Linda Keller

Executive Vice President, Western Region Practice Leader Employee Benefits
HUB International
San Diego
Years in the field: 35
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Meredith Korner

Director of Benefit Operations
CPI-HR
Solon, Ohio
Years in the field: 11
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Karin Landry

Managing Partner
Spring Consulting Group
Boston
Years in the field: 25
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Dana Liedel

Managing Principal, Employer Services
EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants
San Francisco
Years in the field: 30
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Jennifer Lovett

President and Chief Executive Officer
Crystal Financial Insurance Services
South Windsor, Conn.
Years in the field: 23
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Holley Maher

Partner, MRCT
President, SmartBenefits Marketplace
St. Louis
Years in the field: 14
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Jeanne Nicholson

Senior Vice President of Benefit Consulting
CBG Benefits
Woburn, Mass.
Years in the field: 36
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B. Ronnell Nolan

President and Chief Executive Officer
Health Agents for America
Baton Rouge, La.
Years in the field: 35
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Pat Purdy

Vice President, Global Employer Benefit Solutions
Pacific Resources Benefits, LLC
Chicago
Years in the field: 27
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Elaine Sarsynski

Executive Vice President
MassMutual Retirement Services & Worksite Insurance
Enfield, Conn.
Years in the field: 7
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Tami Simon

Managing Director, Career Practice and Knowledge Resource Center
Buck Consultants at Xerox
Washington, D.C.
Years in the field: 22
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Tiffany Stiller

Vice President, Carrier Relations
BenefitMall
Woodland Hills, Calif.
Years in the field: 20
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Valerie Stremsterfer

President
Intrepid
Denver
Years in the field: 20
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Aida Visakay

Vice President of Employee Benefits
Axis Pointe
Cranford, N.J.
Years in the field: 25
This article originally appeared in Employee Benefit Adviser.
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