Experience

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  Robert Half/Capital Area Transporation Company

  • Greater Lansing Area

  • Benefits Consultant

    • Mar 2016 - Aug 2016
    • Greater Lansing Area

    CATA’s mission is to provide a variety of quality transportation services that are safe, timely and cost efficient, responding creatively to the diverse mobility needs of the region and delivered by dedicated employees in a professional manner.As its Human Resources Manager, my responsibilities include the design, development and administration of health and welfare, retirement and other fringe benefits by partnering with internal and external representatives and professionals. I manage hiring practices, including orientation and training, and am responsible for ACA, OSHA, EEO, HIPAA, COBRA, FMLA compliance.

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  Michigan Catholic Conference

  • Lansing, Michigan Area

  • Benefits Manager

    • Jan 2015 - Jan 2016
    • Lansing, Michigan Area

    The Michigan Catholic Conference serves as the official voice of the Catholic Church in Michigan on matters of public policy. The Conference speaks on behalf of 2.5 million Catholics in Michigan's seven dioceses. The Conference develops, coordinates and manages benefit programs that provide health, dental, life and disability insurance coverage for approximately 10,000 lay employees and clergy. The Conference also administers retirement plans (both Defined Benefit as well as Defined Contribution). As the Benefits Manager, I am responsible for the administration of all benefit programs mentioned above, provide leadership and direction to the Employee Benefits staff, ensure compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, and monitor data integrity in its benefits administration system.

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  Meritage Hospitality Group Inc.

  • Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan Area

  • Benefits Manager

    • Mar 2014 - Oct 2014
    • Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan Area

    As its benefits manager, I acted as a strategic partner with internal leaders and external partners to manage health and welfare and retirement benefit programs for Meritage's 4,500 U.S. employees. Responsibilities included the design, planning, implementation and administration of Meritage benefits programs, policies, and procedures while ensuring said programs met employee needs, were aligned with business objectives and strategies, are compliant, and cost-effective.

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  Haworth

  • Holland, MI

  • Benefits and Wellness Manager

    • Mar 2013 - Feb 2014
    • Holland, MI

    Acted as a strategic partner with internal leaders and external partners to manage benefit programs for Haworth's North American employees. Led and managed the Benefits team, the health and wellness programs and the Total Rewards Committee. Served as Haworth's HIPAA Privacy & Security Officer and managed benefits compliance requirements.

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  Allegiance Health

  • Jackson, Michigan Area

  • Benefits Consultant/Contractor

    • Jan 2013 - Mar 2013
    • Jackson, Michigan Area

    Assisted Allegiance Health on various benefits projects such as health care reform, adoption assistance, education assistance, health & welfare nondiscrimination testing and benefits benchmarking.

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  East Lansing

  • East Lansing, Michigan

  • Compliance, Training and Insurance Professional

    • Dec 2011 - Dec 2012
    • East Lansing, Michigan

    June 2012 to the present - Began actively searching for a new position in Michigan. December 2011 until June 2012 - Took a 6-month sabbatical to travel extensively, spend time with family, formulate a plan and determine next steps. Also sold my home in Seattle and began the move to Michigan.

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  Mercer

  • United States
  • Professional Services
  • 700 & Above Employee

  • Senior Compliance Officer and Principal

    • Jan 2008 - Dec 2011

    My successful career with Marsh and Mercer (13 years and 4 months) included positions as Senior Compliance Officer and Principal, Training and Communications Leader, Lead Compliance Reviewer and Health & Welfare Consultant (Mercer/Marsh) and Analyst (Marsh).As the Senior Compliance Officer, I was the channel through which about 2,000 Mercer Health & Benefits (H&B) US colleagues received training, communications, monitoring and support on a wide range of internal compliance areas as required by state and federal regulations, Marsh & McLennan Companies and Mercer. Leading about 45 C&PS experts throughout the US, we ensured adherence to all business reforms, professional and business standards. My team dispersed relevant information through information streams including meetings, the intranet, and training and communications, all of which I managed.I was fortunate to be a founder who established compliance standards, policies and procedures for Mercer H&B US beginning in 2005. Included were transparency and disclosure requirements as necessitated by agreements with the New York State Attorney General’s office and the New York State Insurance Department, state and federal regulations (e.g., licensing, Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, etc.) and internal policies and procedures (e.g., engagement letters and statements of work, gifts and entertainment, market security, stop loss, etc.). Of course, once established, said policies and procedures needed to be posted on the intranet, effectively trained on and communicated, regularly updated and monitored; these were my responsibilities. Such activities were coordinated while acting as the Senior Compliance Officer as well as the Training and Communications Leader (see below for details).

  • Compliance & Professional Standards (C&PS) Training and Communications Leader

    • May 2006 - Jan 2008

    Ensured adherence to all business reforms, professional and business standards by developing and managing C&PS training, communications and intranet support H&B initiatives for the Americas. • Created, coordinated and delivered communications and training to ensure colleagues have what they need to comply with all business and professional standards• Collaborated with members of the C&PS team––and others such as Legal, Accounting and the Business––to ensure delivery of appropriately targeted, effective communications and training • Partnered with compliance and H&B business leaders to ensure that communications and training efforts are coordinated and leveraged• Liaised with C&PS Americas’ colleagues, to develop and deliver training globally, personally focusing on the Americas• Partnered with Mercer and Marsh & McLennan Companies training and communications leaders to coordinate and leverage all compliance-related training and communications• Managed, reported and tracked training and communications initiatives• Functioned as a Compliance Reviewer

  • Lead Compliance Reviewer

    • Jul 2005 - May 2006

    One of the founders of the C&PS group which established compliance standards, policies and procedures for Mercer H&B US beginning in 2005. Included were transparency and disclosure requirements as necessitated by agreements with the New York State Attorney General’s office and the New York State Insurance Department, state and federal regulations (e.g., licensing, Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, etc.) and internal policies and procedures (e.g., engagement letters and statements of work, gifts and entertainment, market security, stop loss, etc.). In this function, I:• Assisted with the design and development of the compliance monitoring program and procedures• Led compliance file reviews for Mercer H&B’s 60 US offices which included physical file reviews, colleague interviews, and exit interview meetings with senior office staff• Produced office-level reports on monitoring, including identification of strengths, weakness and recommendations for improvement• Assisted in compiling senior management reporting for Mercer H&B and MMC corporate• Evaluated and identified improvement opportunities and modifications of compliance monitoring tools • Trained business leaders and colleagues on comprehensive compliance requirements, initially emphasizing transparency and disclosure and growing over 13 years to approximately 50 policies and standards as well as associated procedures (see next two positions from 2006 through 2011)

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  Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.

  • Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

  • Health & Welfare Consultant (Mercer/Marsh) and Analyst (Marsh)

    • Aug 1998 - Jul 2005
    • Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

    Employee Benefits Services Consultant and Analyst (promoted after about two years) with major responsibilities in the areas of health and welfare and compliance brokering and consulting. Extensive brokering, consulting and compliance experience for employers with 50 to 10,000 employees. Achievements included:• Attained significant savings for clients’ benefit plans• Achieved 100% client retention in 2002, 2003 and 2004 and 90% client retention in 2005o Organized, facilitated and spoke during client seminarso Designed, implemented and acted as editor to Benefits Break, a Marsh EBS publication for clientsIn this position, I:• Ensured client employee benefit program integration with compensation strategies and business objectives• Developed cost-effective plan designs• Evaluated funding and risk transfer alternatives• Selected appropriate vendors and develop and maintain successful vendor relationships• Identified outsourcing opportunities• Created communication strategies• Facilitated COBRA, HIPAA, DOL and IRS compliance • Peer reviewed analyst and operations coordinator work• Functioned as the HIPAA specialist for the Marsh Minneapolis office

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  Aon Consulting

  • Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

  • Associate

    • Dec 1989 - Aug 1998
    • Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

    Associate in the Health and Welfare practice with major responsibilities in the areas of communications, health and welfare and compliance consulting. Extensive consulting and compliance experience for employers with 500 to 3,000 employees. Areas of expertise included:• Created communications pieces for health and welfare, 401(k) and FSA plans• Written SPDs and SMMs• Audited plans for compliance with COBRA, HIPAA, DOL regulations, etc.• Reviewed contracts for client- and plan-specific requirements • Performed renewal analyses for health and welfare plans• Executed provider searches for health and welfare plans (local and national)• Prepared Forms 5500 and Summary Annual Reports• Managed administrative staff of 5Achievements include:• Promoted three times in nine years• Implemented a successful employee medical plan satisfaction survey for a city government body• Reviewed plan documents (contracts, SPDs, and certificates of insurance) for 17 plans (medical, dental, life and LTD) for a client with 240 locations around the U.S.• Trained the practice on learning styles