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, Certified 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, Certified 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, Certified FALU, FLMI, ACS
Hannover Re
Secretary
Catie Muccigrosso, Certified FALU, FLMI, ARA, ACS
RGA
Treasurer
Doreen Brynga, FALU
MassMutual
Director of Curriculum
Norm Leblond, Certified FALU
Swiss Re
Director of Exams
Michael R. Hill, Certified FALU, FLMI
RGA
Director of Education Committee
Julia Wysong, Certified FALU, FLMI
New York Life
Director of Marketing
Angie Reedy, Certified FALU, FLMI
Country Financial
Website Manager
Andrew Langemeier, FALU, FLMI
John Hancock
Director of Forum
Amy Rider, Certified FALU, FLMI
Sammons Financial
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.