Banco Popular de Puerto Rico

Joe Maier is senior vice president and director of wealth strategy at Johnson Financial Group.

Ellen Graper, CPA, is a partner at StoneTurn. She has almost 20 years of experience assisting accounting firms navigate regulatory and industry requirements. Her expertise draws from her tenure as both an accounting regulator and a financial statement auditor.

Linda McCormack is the VP of client engagement at Clarity Benefit Solutions.

As Vice President, Decision Science and AI at RGA, Petr Vaclav leads data analytics, machine learning (ML), and artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives for business units, clients, ventures, and acquisitions across RGA's Europe, Middle East, and Africa region.

An expert in data science, he specializes in digital distribution, bancassurance, predictive underwriting, and other topics and serves as a bridge between the reinsurer's Global Data and Analytics team, its internal and external clients, and partners.

Beth Bafford is vice president, syndications and strategy, at Calvert Impact Capital.

Kenneth Byrd serves as Vice President and Head of Protection New Business Operations for Protective Life Corporation, where he is responsible for leading telelife, submit, case management, policy issue, 1035 exchange, new business accounting, exception handling, compliance, customer guides, and policy revisions. Byrd, a 20-year financial industry veteran, oversees more than 250 teammates as well as third-party vendor relationships. With a budget of over $20 million, he develops and authors strategic plans, works to improve customer and distributor experiences, and delivers significant cost savings. Byrd achieved a bachelor's degree in accounting and management information systems as well as his MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Dana L. Wilson is the founder and CEO of CHIP (Changing How Individuals Prosper), a financial services marketplace connecting individuals and small businesses to financial professionals of color.

Beth Pinkser is a certified financial planner and freelance journalist.

Pam Smith is VP of account management at Corporate Synergies, a benefits consulting firm.

Kristen Warfield is an editor at Employee Benefit News. Her coverage interests include mental health, modern parental benefits and empowering women in the ever-evolving workplace. Most recently, Kristen was an editor at Eat This, Not That!, where she focused on health, wellness and trending food content. Before joining EBN, Kristen also wrote for national media outlets such as Reader's Digest, The Dodo and iHeartDogs.com. She earned a bachelor's degree in digital media and journalism from SUNY New Paltz, and as a native of the Hudson Valley region of New York, Kristen spends a lot of her time outside gardening and hiking.