Meet an Alumnus
Not long ago, many AppState RMI graduates were in your shoes, in search of a future career path and the knowledge, tools, network, and credentials to support them along the way. While our alumni posses a wide variety of skill sets, career trajectories, and personal backgrounds, they share something very important: remarkable success in the insurance industry and the business world.
Meet an Alumnus: Kimberly Anselmo
Kimberly Anselmo graduated in 2020 from App State with a major in Risk Management and Insurance. Since she graduated, she’s worked with Travelers Insurance in Charlotte, NC. Currently, Kimberly holds the title of Technology & Life Sciences Account Executive.
Kimberly initially got interested in the insurance industry due to the networking events and Gamma Iota Sigma meetings she attended at App. These events added a sense of community and belonging, which inspired her to pursue risk management and insurance as a major. During her college career, Kimberly engaged with the Brantley Risk and Insurance Center which helped her feel confident through events focused on professional development and networking. Through the Brantley Center, Kimberly was able to meet with representatives from Travelers Insurance, which led her to an internship and later a full-time offer upon graduation. After 8 years with Travelers, she still interacts with those representatives she met as they have evolved into mentors and meaningful colleagues in her career. Additionally, Kimberly fondly remembers the Women in Financial Services trip to New York City because she was able to meet with accomplished women in the financial services industry, which inspired her and gave her a clear vision of her future in the insurance industry could be.
When asked about advice she would give to current students interested in studying Risk Management and Insurance she said, “I would encourage them to take full advantage of the networking opportunities the RMI program offers and connect with professionals across various areas of the industry. RMI is a broad and dynamic field, with career paths ranging from marketing and sales to underwriting and analytics. There is truly something for everyone in this industry.”
Meet an Alumnus: Avery Fink
Avery Fink graduated from App State in 2019 with a double major in Risk Management and Insurance and Finance and Banking. Upon graduation, she started in Markel’s Underwriting Trainee Program and is currently the Associate Underwriting Manager in Excess Casualty.
Avery was drawn to insurance due to the wide variety of opportunities and the support the industry provided to students and those early in their careers. Being able to grow her network and knowledge so early excited her to pursue a dynamic career field. Avery started her academic career studying finance and banking but shifted gears towards insurance after meeting the Faculty and Staff in the Brantley Risk and Insurance Center. She took advantage of the opportunity to meet with many people in the industry, which led her to applying to Markel’s Underwriting Trainee Program. Additionally, all of the networking she did in college has paid off as she interacts with those people she met regularly in her career. Her favorite part about insurance is the people and the community that is built.
Avery suggests that students get involved in any way they can! She said “My biggest piece of advice would be to get as involved as you can. Between school, work, and personal commitments time is always at a premium, but there are no lack of events, speakers, etc. hosted by the Brantley Center. Get involved in whatever way you can!”
Meet an Alumnus: Lee Koonce
Lee Koonce graduated from App State in 2018 with a major in Risk Management and Insurance. Upon graduating, Lee started his career with Beazley and is currently a US Commercial Property Underwriter.
Initially, Lee was drawn to the faculty and the Brantley Risk and Insurance Center when he started exploring the Risk Management and Insurance major. Once he was able to explore the career field he found a tight-knit community and growth opportunities which have kept him interested in this insurance field. Building strong relationships has also been an important component to Lee’s career. He likes the ability to work with like-minded people, and has found that most are willing to provide support when he wants to learn something new or expand his network.
Lee advises students to “say yes to every opportunity that you're able to. You'll never know who you might meet or what you might learn when saying yes to travelling on that trip, hearing that guest speaker, or taking that class.” By taking this advice, Lee was able to attend conferences and study abroad experiences during his senior year. He found it cool that his time networking through his internship would pay off as he knew people at the conferences and was able to meet with others as a result of his networking. Additionally, during his trip to London, he was able to visit Beazley’s headquarters and learn more about what his day-to-day life would look like with Beazley.
Meet an Alumnus: Harrison Cameron
Harrison Cameron graduated from App State as a double major in Risk Management & Insurance, and Finance & Banking, with a minor in International Business. Since graduation, Harrison has worked with RPS (Risk Placement Services) and is currently a Production Underwriter.
Harrison was fortunate to meet with upperclassmen majoring in RMI during his freshman year, which exposed him to the variety of career paths available to students studying RMI. Harrison mentioned “Being able to work in an industry that helps repair people’s lives during some of the most devastating times seemed very rewarding. Not only does insurance help indemnify those in need, but it also allows for our world to operate and continue to grow – without insurance, we wouldn’t be able to take large risk that drive growth for our society.” Additionally, in his role focusing on transportation exposures, he enjoys working with agents to customize and deliver coverages that benefit the insured and help build relationships with the agent as it is a rewarding experience. Harrison likes the ability to build his work day, build very close relationships and help people find coverage that allows their businesses to thrive.
Harrison would advise students to get involved with Gamma Iota Sigma and the Brantley Center. Being involved allowed Harrison to travel the U.S and London to attend various networking events and conferences which helped him discover all that the risk and insurance industry has to offer. Additionally, due to his involvement, he was able to acquire many scholarships to help him cover the cost of his education. Finally, Harrison was able to build long-lasting relationships with his classmates due to the amount of time he spent with them in the classroom, doing community service, and hanging out in the Brantley Center. These relationships have continued into his adult life and his professional career.
Meet and Alumnus: Teo Piper
Teo graduated from App State in 2022 with a major in Psychology but was heavily involved with the Brantley Risk and Insurance Center throughout his academic career. Teo interned and started his career with RPS (Risk Placement Services). Currently, he is a Broker Placement Specialist with RPS.
Teo found an emphasis on growth in the insurance industry, which intrigued him into exploring career opportunities with the insurance industry. As a student, he engaged with the Brantley Risk and Insurance Center, which connected him to RPS. When he met with RPS ahead of his internship, he found an organization that also valued professional growth and gave him a clear path of promotion within the organization. Due to this connection, Teo’s advice for current students is, “Take every opportunity that the Brantley center gives you as there is always an opportunity to meet a future employer!”
Teo’s favorite experience during his college career was the opportunity to travel to Ohio for a conference where he was able to grow his network with brokers and underwriters. As a professional, being able to travel is one of his favorite parts of his career.