Our People

The Academy of Life Underwriting (ALU) is staffed by 64 volunteers—62 professional underwriters, most with many years of experience, and two talented medical directors. All of them can serve because of support provided by the companies for whom they work. These volunteers produce the educational program specifically designed for the professional home office underwriter.

They develop and maintain current and appropriate courses of study for use in underwriting education. In addition, they prepare and administer the ALU exams which test students’ underwriting knowledge. In the area of continuing education, the committee members provide several webinars annually which provide training on underwriting topics and they also facilitate an annual underwriting forum which provides a venue for senior underwriting personnel to discuss topics of interest.

ALU Board of Directors

The 2024-2025 ALU Board of Directors:

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Chair

Jodi McDonald, FALU, FLMI, ACS

Hannover Re
ALU Past President

Ann Day, Certified FALU, FLMI, FLHC, CLU, FFSI, ARA, ACS

Woodmen Life
ALU President

 

Secretary

Jennifer Dahl, Certified FALU, FLMI, MBA

Sun Life Financial
Representative of CIU

Treasurer

Jennifer Johnson, Certified FALU, FLMI, CLU, FLHC, ARA

RGA
Representative of AHOU

 

Sophie Clement, FALU, FLMI, RHU

SCOR
Representative of OTR

Doreen Brynga, FALU

MassMutual
ALU Treasurer

 

Catie Muccigrosso, Certified FALU, FLMI, ARA, ACS

RGA
ALU Secretary

Melissa Forburger

AMS
ALU Interim Managing Director

 

 

 

 

Chris Cunningham

Publishing Manager, OTR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALU Executive Group

The 2024-2025 ALU Executive Group:

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ALU President

Ann Day, Certified FALU, FLMI, FLHC, CLU, FFSI, ARA, ACS

Woodmen Life

ALU Past President

Jodi McDonald, FALU, FLMI, ACS

Hannover Re

Secretary

Catie Muccigrosso, Certified FALU, FLMI, ARA, ACS

RGA

Treasurer/Meeting Planner

Doreen Brynga, FALU

MassMutual

Director of Curriculum

Norm Leblond, Certified FALU

Swiss Re

Director of Exams

Michael R. Hill, FALU, FLMI

RGA

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Director of Underwriting Development and Education Committee

Julia Wysong, Certified FALU, FLMI

New York Life

Director of Marketing

Angie Reedy, FALU, FLMI

Country Financial

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Website Manager

Andrew Langemeier, FALU, FLMI

John Hancock

 


Director of Forum

Amy Rider, Certified FALU, FLMI

Sammons Financial

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Director of Survey

Kristine Amen, Certified FALU, FLMI

Assurity

 

ALU Coordinators

The 2024-2025 ALU Coordinators are:

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Coordinator ALU 101 Coordinator ALU 101B
Sabrina Porter, Certified FALU, FLMI, ACS Christine Klein, Certified FALU, FLMI, CLU, ACS, ARA, AIRC, AIAA
Swiss Re United Life Insurance Company
Coordinator ALU 201 Coordinator ALU 202
 Andrea Lovelady, Certified FALU, FLMI, ACS Marcel Padilla, Certified FALU, MBA, FLMI, ARA, PCS
Penn Mutual iA Financial Group
Coordinator ALU 301
 Debbie Dias, Certified FALU, FLMI, ARA
Canada Life Reinsurance

ALU Past Presidents

There have been 15 presidents of the Education Committee. The past ALU presidents are:

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  • Art Taylor (1974)
  • Ben Currier (1977)
  • Bill Phillips (1980)
  • Bob Hale (1983)
  • Dale Johnson (1987)
  • Joe Dahl (1990)
  • Barb Lutz (1993)
  • Gloria Flattum (1996)
  • Roland Paradis (1999)
  • Brian Pray (2002)
  • Marty Meyer (2005)
  • Lee Janecek (2008)
  • Margaret Taff (2011)
  • Frank Goetz (2014)
  • Jennifer Johnson (2017)
  • Jodi McDonald (2020)

In 2012, the Education Committee incorporated as a separate organization. Ann Day (2023) is the current ALU President.