Her Story
About Patti
Patti Williams is a respected workers' compensation and risk management consultant with more than 30 years of experience serving public agencies throughout California. Her career began while working part-time as a mother of a preschooler, where she quickly discovered a passion for helping others navigate medical claims issues. Through her dedication to continuous learning, she was able to achieve many professional accreditations and certifications. Patti built a distinguished career that led her to become a Risk Manager for the City of Huntington Beach.
During her 27-year tenure with the City of Huntington Beach (City), her various duties required expertise in workers' compensation administration, litigation management, fraud investigations, return-to-work programs, industrial disability retirement matters, and organizational risk management.
Known for her collaborative leadership style, active listening skills, and ability to build strong partnerships. She consistently worked to improve efficiencies, resolve complex challenges, and strengthen operational outcomes for the organizations she served. She also built relationships with the various Unions for the City.
Following her retirement from public service, Patti continued her commitment to the profession as an independent consultant specializing in workers' compensation and risk management for public agencies. She currently serves as an Accreditation Consultant for the California Association of Joint Powers Authorities (CAJPA), evaluating risk-sharing pools to ensure excellence in financial stability and operational performance.
Patti also serves as a Co-General Manager and educational leader with the Council of Self-Insured Public Agencies (COSIPA), where she helps guide statewide training initiatives, industry updates, compliance strategies, and professional development programs for workers' compensation professionals across California.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Patti
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
To help someone interested in a career in workers’ compensation, I would tell her that you need to start talking to professionals in our field. There are classes available through the Insurance Educational Association, and “The Institutes Knowledge Group” Also gain experience by listening to the conversations that the adjusters are having with their injured workers. There needs to be an advocacy approach for your injured workers. Always treat them with dignity and respect and know who your audience is. By gaining knowledge of their situation and showing concern, you can build a mutual relationship of trust. Think before your talk, sometimes it is the way you are saying something, rather than the words themselves.
02What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
For the last few years, the public agency risk management profession is losing a lot of experienced professionals due to retirement. It is difficult to find individuals who wish to have a career in Risk Management and Workers' Compensation. This creates both a challenge in maintaining experienced professionals as well as an opportunity to mentor and develop new professionals in the field.
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