Meet the Candidates - Simone Renee Walker

Education:

University of Illinois at Chicago

• BS – Statistics and Operations Research, Cum Laude

Current Employment:

Sr. Actuarial Consultant, Edgewater Actuarial Insights (Itasca, IL, 2023 – Present)

CAS Activities and Publications:

• Webinar Presenter (2024): Intersectionality of LGBTQ+ and Black Experiences in the Actuarial Profession
• CAS Diversity Reception – SAGAA Presenter (2023)
• CLRS - Acknowledging and Addressing Invisible Struggles Within Diverse Teams – Presenter (2021)
• High School Actuary Day at DePaul University – Presenter / Mentor (2019)

Other Actuarial Organizations:

• Sexuality and Gender Alliance of Actuaries – Board Member & Treasurer (January 2021 – Present); Mentor; Presenter; Newsletters; Social Media
• International Association of Black Actuaries – Website Manager (2005); Chicago Affiliate Leader; Atlanta Affiliate Leader (2005 – 2010); Mentor (2020 - Present); Fireside Chat with Leaders Moderator (2021); Annual Meeting Presenter (2023);
• Actuarial Foundation – Modeling the Future Challenge Judge (2020)
• Member of the American Academy of Actuaries

Employment History - Prior Employers:

Edgewater Actuarial Insights |Itasca, IL | 2023-Present
Sr. Actuarial Consultant – Group Captives Lead Actuary

CNA |Chicago, IL | 2019-2023
Actuarial Managing Director - Reserving and Analytics & Audit

Ameriprise Auto and Home | Chicago, IL | 2017-2019
Regional Manager Ratemaking

Kemper| Chicago, IL | 2015-2017
Sr. Actuarial Analyst

Fireman’s Fund| Chicago, IL | 2011-2015
Sr. Actuarial Analyst

Assurant | Atlanta, GA | 2008-2011
Sr. Actuarial Associate

Allstate Insurance |Chicago, IL | 2004-2008
Actuarial Assistant

Membership and Activities in Other Organizations:

• Sexuality and Gender Alliance of Actuaries – Board Member & Treasurer (January 2021 – Present); Mentor; Presenter; Newsletters; Social Media
• International Association of Black Actuaries – Website Manager (2005); Chicago Affiliate Leader; Atlanta Affiliate Leader (2005 – 2010); Mentor (2020 - Present); Fireside Chat with Leaders Moderator (2021); Annual Meeting Presenter (2023);
• Member of the American Academy of Actuaries

Civic Activities:

• Sexuality and Gender Alliance of Actuaries – Board Member & Treasurer (January 2021 – Present);
• 100 Black Men of Chicago Mentor and Tutor
• Boys Basketball Head Coach
• Boys Tee Ball Assistant Coach
• Cub Scouts of America volunteer
• Girls Who Code – program volunteer / presenter

It is an honor to be nominated to serve on the CAS Board of Directors! This role, along with the other Director and Officer positions, are pivotal in shaping the CAS’s future. With great enthusiasm, I would like to continue to expand upon my many years of volunteerism into this esteemed role, while advancing the pillars of such a rapidly growing society in service of more than 10,000 members! 

In my pursuit and experience of the actuarial career, the CAS and actuarial community have provided ample opportunity for professional, educational, leadership, and social development. I would like to join the CAS board so I in turn can be at the forefront of providing future generations, especially underrepresented communities, with this opportunity as well.

Early on in my career, I held leadership roles within the International Association of Black Actuaries (IABA) as affiliate leader in multiple cities enabling me to strategize on ways to further the mission of increasing the number of black actuaries. This mission was personal for me as a former IABA scholarship recipient who understood the importance of early awareness of the profession and the need for support to become successful as an actuary. As an affiliate leader, I created links between existing community outreach programs offering mentorship and tutoring to black elementary school students and IABA actuaries who volunteered their time to these programs. I established actuarial presence at college fairs for underrepresented groups, hosted career days, and traveled to high schools and colleges to speak about my experiences in the actuarial profession. I continue to “give back” as a mentor in the IABA mentorship program and have recently presented on several panels at the IABA annual meeting before an audience of hundreds of actuaries, offering a unique perspective as one of perhaps fewer than two dozen or so black women FCAS’s of United States origin. 

Sexuality and Gender Alliance of Actuaries (SAGAA) board membership was a natural progression of my passion towards increasing the number of actuaries in underrepresented communities and fostering a more inclusive environment within the actuarial profession. As current Board Treasurer of SAGAA, my volunteerism extends beyond the impactful role of financial management and governance for this non-profit actuarial diversity organization but also delves into philanthropic work through Mentorship; Company Education; Scholarship; and fostering a sense of belonging amongst actuaries in the LGBTQ+ community. I joined the board 3 years ago to bring my previous non-profit leadership experience into a new organization and to deepen my understanding of allyship, transforming my feelings of support for this community into actions of support. I went from being a careful listener in the room to leading educational conversations with companies on inclusivity and developing strategic initiatives to advance and further the mission of SAGAA. Within this role I’ve also liaised with the CAS on developing thoughtful and inclusive communications to CAS membership. 

Earlier this year, I connected with colleagues and friends from both IABA and SAGAA to present a CAS webinar on intersectionality and experiences within the actuarial profession. Upon becoming a member of the CAS Board, I would continue my active partnership with SAGAA, IABA, OLA, SANA and NAWA, and other actuarial organizations, further amplifying all voices within the actuarial community.

These experiences have propelled my career forward as an emotionally intelligent leader of actuarial teams and collaborator with business partners. My broad range of P&C actuarial experience includes personal and commercial lines pricing, reserving and financial audit, staffing, developing, and leading analytics teams on the carrier side, and more recently leading pricing and reserving for group captives, including the writing of actuarial statement of opinions. 

My proven ability to lead in both a technical and strategic capacity within a range of environments and with a diverse perspective along with having prior board leadership experience would aid in driving positive impact as a CAS Board member.

I have spent many years dedicated to increasing awareness of the actuarial profession, particularly among youth and in underrepresented groups, and leading actuarial teams in both insurance and consulting roles. As a CAS Board member, I would aid the CAS in thinking through initiatives with a more inclusive lens by bridging communication with other actuarial organizations with a focus on amplifying the perspectives of all members. I am invested in ensuring the success of CAS members and future potential members as they progress throughout their careers and build skills for the future. 

The CAS must continue to support the differentiation of its members as a leading source for both traditional and emerging P&C actuarial risks. As a CAS Board member, I will support initiatives that help actuaries bridge the gap between technical analysis and business context. By enhancing their ability to communicate with stakeholders, these efforts will empower actuaries to become leaders and key influencers, driving better business strategies and decision-making within their organizations.

Another key area of interest to our CAS members is the evolution of the Admissions Transformation Plan. To be highly sought after in many industries, actuaries must consistently push forward, keeping up to date with AI and seeking to understand and address new challenges that businesses face. Actuarial exams should follow current times in content and format of delivery, with the utmost thought and compassion for the candidate experience. In May of 2024, there was a major challenge with the administration of US exams by our vendor, Pearson Vue, impacting the delivery of exams. Board members had to weigh in on decisions to make our exam-takers and fellow members whole as those impacted faced many hardships to completing the exam sitting. The need for fair and compassionate leaders of the CAS to aid through a tough event is invaluable to its members. Once elected to the CAS Board, I would like to aim to find ways to prevent and improve upon these types of events and be of support and leadership should unforeseen occurrences arise.