A compelling career journey from reluctant intern to dedicated insurance professional, exploring how mentorship, curiosity, and meaningful work in claims and change management shaped an unexpected path in the insurance industry.
Her Story
About Kristina
Kristina Neesam, MBA, CAWC, CL, and CCMP, serves as a Senior Change Management Lead at AF Group, bringing approximately 18 years of experience in the insurance industry. Throughout her career, she has progressed through several roles, beginning as an intern and gaining experience in state filings, workers’ compensation claims handling, and client relations and account management for large national and multi-location accounts. This diverse background has provided her with a strong understanding of insurance operations, customer needs, and the importance of effective communication during organizational transitions. In her current role, Kristina focuses on supporting organizational change by helping employees and customers understand, prepare for, and adopt new processes, technologies, and ways of working. Her expertise includes change management, stakeholder engagement, business readiness, process improvement, and communication strategies that encourage successful adoption and minimize disruption. She holds a Master of Business Administration with an emphasis in Organizational Leadership from Ashford University and a bachelor’s degree in Communication from the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh. Her professional credentials include Certified Authority in Workers’ Compensation (CAWC), Competent Leader (CL), and Certified Change Management Professional (CCMP). She is also active in the Association of Change Management Professionals and has participated in the RISE Professionals mentorship program as both a mentor and a mentee. Beyond her professional responsibilities, Kristina is committed to compassion, integrity, continuous learning, collaboration, and community involvement. Since 2017, she has served on the board of Peyton’s Smile, a nonprofit organization that supports Wisconsin families who have experienced the loss of a child. Her dedication to helping others is reflected in both her leadership approach and her community service. Through her work and volunteer involvement, Kristina strives to make a positive difference by guiding people through change with empathy, understanding, and a genuine commitment to their well-being.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Kristina
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the people I have met and worked with throughout my career, as well as my willingness to learn, embrace new opportunities, and take on challenges. My career began with an internship opportunity encouraged by my sister and grew through various roles within insurance, account management, and organizational change management. I value collaboration and understanding people's individual circumstances, recognizing that successful change requires engaging stakeholders, addressing their needs, and helping them adapt to new ways of working.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I would share is to remain open to opportunities, keep learning, and be willing to step outside your comfort zone. My own career began with an internship encouraged by my sister, which opened the door to a long-term career in insurance and opportunities across different roles. This experience taught me that taking a chance on something new can lead to unexpected professional growth.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I encourage young women to give the insurance industry a chance, step outside their comfort zones, and never stop learning. Recognize your strengths, advocate for yourself, and remain open to opportunities beyond your initial expectations. The industry offers diverse career paths, from claims and account management to operations, technology, and change management and so much more! Build relationships, invest in your professional development, and stay curious because your career may lead you in directions you never expected.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in the insurance industry is keeping pace with technological advancements, including AI, while helping employees adapt to new systems and processes. I see an opportunity to bridge the gap between technology and people through effective communication, stakeholder engagement, and change management. My experience has taught me that successful implementation requires careful planning and collaboration. In one project, we merged two company technology environments in six to nine months instead of the typical 18 months, with minimal disruption. I hope to continue growing as a strategic leader who helps people embrace innovation while keeping people at the center of change.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are compassion, integrity, continuous learning, family, and community involvement. I believe in treating people with empathy and understanding, recognizing that everyone has unique circumstances and challenges. I value collaboration, adaptability, and making a positive difference in the lives of others. Whether supporting colleagues through organizational change or contributing to Peyton Smile, I strive to balance business goals with genuine care for the people affected by decisions and transitions.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Kristina
From Intern to Change Management Lead: Kristina Neesam’s Journey in the Insurance Industry
From Reluctant Intern to Insurance Professional: A Journey of Discovery and Growth
Most experiences in your life start and end with a story. Whether positive or negative, the story helps convey the experience in detail and enables others to relate. This is especially true for insurance, where you will be hard-pressed to find a person who knew they wanted to work in insurance! I am no different. This is the story of how I entered the insurance industry.
While I was about to enter my senior year of college, I learned that one of my requirements for graduation was to complete an internship. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my degree after I graduated, but I knew that I needed to find an internship. I reached out to my older sister, letting her know about my requirements, and luckily, her company, a workers' compensation insurance company, was looking for interns for the summer. As a 21-year-old, I had no clue what my sister did, but I was open to the opportunity. After all, she worked there, so it couldn't be that bad, right? I applied, went through the interview process, and eventually was offered the internship.
I had very little knowledge of the insurance industry, and honestly, I thought it was probably going to be boring. In the back of my mind, I knew that it fulfilled my college requirement and that I had a free place to live for the summer with my sister. As many say, you do not seek out a career in insurance; it ultimately just falls into your lap, or someone you know influences you to pursue it. I was no different.
Throughout that summer internship, I learned about claims, loss control, underwriting, the mailroom—you name it, I was open to learning about it. This summer experience helped me determine whether I wanted to continue in the insurance industry and what I wanted to do after college graduation. After the summer ended and I returned to college, I knew that I wanted to go back and work full-time for the organization. I returned during winter break and helped out, again learning something new: medical billing.
The people and the opportunity to learn a variety of things were what I looked forward to. When I graduated, I was lucky enough to accept a position in the state filing area. I was learning more about the laws and regulations governing workers' compensation, but I did not want to stop there.
I saw the work being done by the claims representatives day in and day out. They were there for individuals during some of their darkest days. They were there to help injured workers recover and return to full capacity, allowing them to get back to doing jobs they loved. I wanted to be a part of that, so I moved into a claims representative role. I felt that I could make a difference and help injured workers when they were hurt on the job. I handled everything from smaller laceration claims to catastrophic claims for about seven years. I enjoyed working with the people, but I knew it was time for a new challenge.
Next up on my career path was joining the Client Relations/Account Management team. I was able to work with the largest accounts the organization had. I built relationships, listened to the needs of these large accounts, and helped make things happen. I worked with a variety of departments involved with each account, including claims, loss control, underwriting, and agents. After being in that role for about six years, I decided it was time to learn more about the corporate side of the industry.
In 2022, I had the opportunity to move to the Business Readiness/Change Management team. In this new position, I have been able to learn more about the different departments within the parent company, meet new team members, and participate in projects. Change can be a challenge for some, but having someone from change management involved in the project team can help ensure that people are ready, willing, and able to adapt to upcoming changes. People are important and vital to an organization's success. Without team buy-in on a project, it will be difficult for people to adopt the changes.
As I have learned throughout my years in insurance, it is really important to get involved. Join that project team, lead a group to ensure the organization's success, provide feedback, or attend seminars—you will be amazed at what you learn. In 2023, I joined RISE's Mentorship Program. I have been matched with industry experts who have shared their knowledge and stories of how they got involved in insurance. Listen to the stories people are willing to share; doing so will help build connections. It may also spark an interest in what you can see yourself doing next. Learning is growing, and there is always an opportunity for growth.
What is your story, and how did you get involved in insurance? If you have not shared your story with someone, I encourage you to do so. You never know whom you might influence or help determine their next career step. If you are a young adult considering the insurance industry, I highly recommend job shadowing, asking questions, talking with people in the industry, or reaching out. We are friendly insurance professionals who are always looking to help the next person succeed.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.