Her Story
About Jenna
I started my career in the hotel industry, where I worked for about 5 years before transitioning into insurance. I didn't go to college, but that didn't stop me from building a successful career. Over the past 10 years in insurance, I've held several national U.S. roles, moving up the ladder in my 20s and 30s. I served as Senior Vice President of Strategic Relationships at Prima Insurance Company, an excess and surplus lines carrier, then as National Market Relations Manager at RPS, a Gallagher company, and later as Portfolio Solutions Leader at Allianz Commercial for about a year and a half. Currently, I'm the head of U.S. distribution for an MGA out of London, a role I've held for about 3 months. This position is particularly significant because it's my first role reporting to London, taking my career overseas. My expertise is in distribution for United States wholesale brokers focusing on middle market business in London. I spend my days in meetings with London and U.S. brokers, negotiating contracts and bringing in accounts ranging from $25 million to $1.5 billion in premium. What inspired me to enter this field was the opportunity to always be meeting new people and learning different risk classes. As the world evolves, so do the types of insurance we need, such as cyber insurance and self-driving car insurance. There will always be a new opportunity for new risk and for taking risk.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jenna
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would say learning from leaders in my industry has been key to my success. I've always had a mentality of listening and learning, being a student and asking questions. I believe in navigating all areas of insurance, not just the field that I'm in, to better understand the big picture. Mentorship has been incredibly important to me throughout my journey, and I've always made it a priority to learn from those who have come before me.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is to be firm in decisions and rip the band-aid off. I would say having a rip the band-aid off mentality and making firm decisions has served me well. Another piece of advice that has been invaluable is to always have a mentor. Having someone to guide you and learn from has been crucial to my professional development.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to always speak up and always be noticed. Don't be afraid to make your presence known. Talk to as many people as you can in the field that you're in. Building those relationships and connections is so important. And never burn a bridge. You never know when those relationships will come back around to help you in your career.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I would say the generation gaps are one of the biggest challenges in our field right now. We're dealing with hiring a generation that is not used to making phone calls or being as personable as other generations may be. Finding the right individuals for talent that are still outgoing and hold interest is a big flaw in our industry at the moment. We have a lot of people retiring right now, so there is a real need for talent. It's a critical time as we navigate this transition between generations in the insurance industry.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Mentoring the younger generation is most important to me, and that includes both women and men. I'm always open to helping and giving advice where advice is needed when asked. I find it meaningful to help any individual in my industry get to a better place for an opportunity and to learn more. This is especially important to me because I was very young when I started this career and moved up the ladder in my 20s and 30s. I understand what it's like to be young in this industry, and I want to help others navigate their own paths to success.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.