WHO WE ARE.
Guiding Careers, Building Connections: Hina Bennett’s Story of Mentorship
Since 2010, Travelers has partnered with American Corporate Partners (ACP), a national nonprofit dedicated to helping returning veterans and military spouses transition into the civilian workforce. Through one-on-one mentoring, networking, and online career advice, ACP empowers veterans to discover their next career. Together, we’ve supported over 900 life-changing mentorships for post-9/11 veterans. Hina Bennett, an AVP in Business Transformation at Travelers, is one of the experienced ACP mentors making an impact. In her role, she oversees transformation and information technology projects while leading a team of more than 100 people. She’s also a dedicated career coach, committed to helping veterans succeed.
Hina shares her perspective on mentoring, the meaningful connections it creates, and how her own experience has shaped her professionally.
Guiding Careers, Building Connections: Hina Bennett’s Story of Mentorship
By Hina Bennett
AVP, Business Transformation, Travelers
I have had the honor of mentoring service members, military spouses and veterans through Travelers’ partnership with American Corporate Partners for the past 14 years.
When I initially decided to sign up for the ACP program, I had little to no knowledge of what I was getting into or how my efforts would impact someone’s life. I’ve always had an affinity for social work, community connections and giving back. This opportunity was intriguing and just…different, so I figured I should give it a shot and see where the journey took me.
I started reading all the materials ACP provided as guidance and familiarized myself with the process in anticipation of my first mentorship. Admittedly, I was somewhat nervous about the engagement, wondering what I would possibly say to an active military member or a Veteran. What could we possibly have in common, and what would we talk about – me having spent double-digit years in insurance and tech in an office setting, while my protégés were coming out of combat, a battalion or marine forces? I learned very quickly that the valuable experiences we were sharing in our conversations were a two-way street to learning.
Fast forward to multiple years of mentorships, I found these relationships so utterly rewarding that no matter how busy my work schedule or personal life got, I kept picking up new protégés. Each protégé offered something unique in their profile, whether it was helping them refresh their resume and navigate the job market, helping translate military experience to civilian life or simply assisting in organizing their thinking through upcoming changes in their personal life and career path. Proud moments of immense achievement for me were when, under my guidance, my protégés landed jobs at companies like Microsoft, Meta, Oracle and other Fortune 100 companies. Owing to the immaculate discipline and work ethic military personnel possess, this was no surprise.
All these conversations were fully virtual, as none of my protégés were in close proximity to Minnesota or Connecticut, which would be convenient meeting places for me. One such mentorship started when my protégé was stationed in Okinawa, Japan. We would need to meet either very early in the mornings or very late in the evenings to accommodate time differences. As a Deputy Chief Information Officer for the Expeditionary Strike Group-7 – US Navy, my protégé was nearing retirement after 20 years at age 41. Based on his senior military experience and top-level security clearance, he was looking to launch into a full corporate career in a related field and needed guidance on career paths in organizational leadership with a strong link to technology and cybersecurity. Originally from Guam and with a Japanese wife, he really hoped he would land a job in Hawaii so he could be close to family and the mainland U.S. as well.
He managed to land a role in Honolulu contracting through Peraton as a Senior Naval C4 Planner, consulting to re-org Marine Forces Pacific. We continued to connect throughout his relocation and transition out of the military into the new role.
After 14 years of mentoring Veterans, I had the surreal experience of meeting him recently in Honolulu while I was vacationing with my family in Hawaii. We arranged to meet at a local quaint Hawaiian coffee shop and chatted for a couple of hours about kids, family, life in Hawaii, and where he would go next in his career. I had previously introduced my husband (who is an Aerospace engineer) to him as well to help him network within the Aerospace industry while job searching. So I brought my husband along, who was also very eager to meet him. They both had a lot in common!
Words cannot describe the joy I felt shaking his hand in person and thanking him for his service. As we parted ways, we also assured him that we would host him and his family any time he wants to experience snow in the North! I will be sure to keep in touch.
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WHO WE ARE
Growing a Career as an Operations Account Specialist at Travelers
Amanda Grueter’s career in the insurance industry has been a winding path, marked by various roles and learning experiences, ultimately leading her to Travelers, where she has worked for nearly seven years. Now a Lead Operations Account Specialist, her journey shows how Travelers supports growth and career progression. Here’s a glimpse into her journey and the steps that brought her to our team.
Starting with a background in customer service at another insurance provider and later at an agency, Amanda was drawn to the stability and advancement opportunities at a company like Travelers.
“When I saw the job for Travelers, I thought it sounded like a great place to work,” she recalls.
Beginning as an Operations Account Specialist (OAS), she managed new business submissions and worked closely with underwriters, learning the ropes of the industry with the help of Travelers’ thorough training program.
“You don’t need a lot of prior knowledge to come in and do the job—the training program is so great,” she says, emphasizing how accessible the role is to those new to insurance. Her dedication quickly led to a promotion, allowing her to oversee a nationwide new business team and mentor new hires.
The supportive culture at Travelers has been a key part of her positive experience. “I feel valued—my opinions and ideas are really respected,” she shares, underscoring a workplace that truly listens to employees.
Actively involved in the Women & Allies Diversity Network and Young Professionals & Allies Diversity Network, she’s found both community and growth opportunities within these groups, reinforcing her commitment to a career at Travelers.
Recently promoted again to Lead Operations Account Specialist, Amanda’s story reflects the real potential for growth that Travelers offers. She highlights the value of the Operations Account Specialist role as a starting point for anyone seeking a long-term career in insurance, praising Travelers’ culture of mentorship, continuous learning, and internal mobility.
“This role lets you learn about all lines of insurance and move into any department within Travelers,” she notes.
With a strong commitment to employee development and retention, she adds, “They actually want to keep all of their people,” making Travelers an ideal place to build a rewarding, impactful career.
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WHO WE ARE.
Travelers Awarded Code Platoon’s 2024 Partner of The Year
Travelers recently had the honor of being named Code Platoon’s 2024 Partner of the Year, an award given to a company whose leadership significantly advances Code Platoon’s mission to empower the military community to transition into civilian careers in software engineering.
It’s no secret that military veterans and spouses often face challenges transitioning into civilian professions and finding lasting careers. With the help of Code Platoon—a coding bootcamp that teaches software development skills to veterans and their spouses—Travelers has helped bridge that gap.
Over the past year, Travelers has hired several Code Platoon graduates who went on to complete the Travelers Engineering Development Program (EDP), equipping them with the tools and confidence to find meaningful roles within Travelers’ Technology & Analytics department.
The EDP offers four distinct engineering tracks: Software, Cyber, Data and Infrastructure, and Cloud. Upon completing each track, participants hone their technical and self-leadership skills, preparing them for successful careers in technology.
“I think the EDP is a good fit for Code Platoon graduates because it provides a robust, structured training approach,” explained Bruce Soltys, VP of Emerging Talent and Talent Acquisition at Travelers. “Within your assigned track, your experience includes a combination of hands-on opportunities, immersive learning accelerators, and a mentoring program to prepare you for a dynamic career at Travelers.”
With over a century of experience helping veterans transition into the workforce, Travelers recognizes the unique talents these professionals bring, which are highly transferable to civilian careers. “I believe that transitioning out of the military brings a sense of uncertainty—and Code Platoon helped me adjust, to say the least,” shared Suhail Hameed, EDP Software Engineer at Travelers, US Marine Corps Veteran, and Code Platoon alum.
At Travelers, more than 1,000 current and former military professionals have found meaningful, lasting careers. Since 2020, increased hiring initiatives have resulted in the employment of over 300 military spouses in portable careers.
“I work with Travelers now because I started at Code Platoon, and the sky is the limit for me,” stated Chris Rances, EDP Software Engineer at Travelers, US Army Veteran, and Code Platoon alum. “I’m really glad that I am here now, and it all started because I went with Code Platoon.”
Watch the full video to learn more about Travelers’ Code Platoon 2024 Partner of the Year Award.
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Life at Travelers Podcast Ep.2 – Career Development
Kim: Welcome, everybody, to our second episode of the Life at Travelers podcast. I’m here today with my guest, Ellen Vyce. She is a career development expert and we’re so excited to have her. I’m going to pick her brain all about career growth at Travelers and what that means. Ellen, why don’t you introduce yourself?
Ellen: Yeah. Great. Thanks, Kim. My name is Ellen Vyce, and I’m a Senior Consultant in Enterprise Talent Management.
Kim: Awesome. Well, thank you for being here.
Ellen: Yeah, thanks for having me.
Kim: And talking all about career development with me, but before we get to career development at Travelers as a whole, I want to talk about you.
Ellen: Yeah.
Kim: So you have, kind of, quite the journey from starting, you know, as an intern at Travelers all the way through to, you know, working here full-time and working in Enterprise Talent Management. So, how did you first find out about Travelers?
Ellen: Yeah. Good question. So, my dad has actually worked at Travelers for about 23 years now.
Kim: Wow.
Ellen: So, growing up, you know, it was always a household name. So, I have always been familiar with Travelers, the Travelers Championship, the red umbrella was everywhere. So, when it came time to thinking about, you know, potential first jobs and careers, Travelers was at the very top of my list from early on.
Kim: That’s great. And what did you major in in college?
Ellen: I majored in industrial organizational psychology.
Kim: Wow. Okay. What does that mean?
Ellen: Basically, workplace psychology, very closely related to human resources, but more so the behavioral side.
Kim: Gotcha. Okay, so, so when you interned at Travelers, what did you focus on for project work?
Ellen: Yeah. So, the majority of my internship at Travelers focused on building out the career path and job family for the agile deliveries job family. So, I was working on putting together the experiences and the different career options for that job family specifically.
Kim: Yep.
Ellen: So even as an intern, I was working on career development focused work.
Kim: That’s awesome. Okay and so that was just agile delivery but this was happening across every job family?
Ellen: Primarily tech and ops, but yeah, throughout all of Travelers, a lot of job families were going through some restructuring at the time, and that was the one that I was tasked with, kind of, re-orging and figuring out. Let’s see, if I’m a scrum master, where should I go next? What are the skills and experiences needed to help me get there?
Kim: Yep. And did you feel like your internship at Travelers, did it bring your education into the experience? You know, did you walk away feeling like that real-world experience was valuable?
Ellen: Absolutely. It really put things into perspective for me and allowed me to take what I learned in grad school and apply it to my internship. And a lot of the terminology was the same. A lot of the concepts were directly applicable to each other. And I felt even more capable and ready to go back to grad school in between my internship and my school time because Travelers had prepared me really well to be able to take that knowledge back and apply it to my degree.
Kim: That’s great. That’s great. And was your, your master’s degree, was that in the same major you had?
Ellen: It was, yeah.
Kim: Alright, so you went all the way through a master’s.
Ellen: I did.
Kim: You loved it.
Ellen: I really did. It’s such an interesting field and so much of what we learn about in industrial organizational psychology is directly applicable to talent management. You’re thinking about, you know, what can we do to retain our talent? What can we do to ensure our talent is continuously learning and growing? And overall, making the workplace a better place to be.
Kim: That’s great. That is awesome and congratulations, all the way through master’s.
Ellen: Yeah, thanks.
Kim: That’s something to be proud of for sure. So, post-grad, found your way back to Travelers.
Ellen: I did.
Kim: What was it about Travelers that brought you back?
Ellen: Honestly, the rotational nature of the leadership development program that I was in, the Human Resources Leadership Development Program.
Kim: Yeah.
Ellen: Knowing that Travelers valued careers so much and a lot of continuous learning, the leadership development program was a no-brainer for me. Through the leadership development program, I got to rotate through four areas of human resources over the course of a three-year period.
Kim: Okay.
Ellen: So I got to spend time in Talent Acquisition, Compensation, Employee Relations and Talent Management, which is where I landed.
Kim: Wow. Okay, so you got a taste of, like, every part of human resources.
Ellen: Indeed. Yeah.
Kim: And leadership development programs, there’s more than just HR. There’s several.
Ellen: There are eight, I believe.
Kim: Wow. Okay. And that was something that you applied directly to?
Ellen: Exactly. Yes. As result of the internship that is through the HRLDP, they also offer the full-time program, so, as soon as I got a taste of the internship, I knew that I wanted to come back full-time as a full-time participant.
Kim: That’s awesome. And I know it has a rotational nature, like you explained, but outside of the experience in LDP, is there, you know, is there work and play? You know, is there networking opportunities, team bonding, like, what happens outside of the day-to-day?
Ellen: Yeah, I think the leadership development programs are, kind of, the best of all worlds combined. You get not only the, you know, rotations and you get exposure to various lines of business, various leaders, but you also get to interact with other LDPs across the place. So, you can interact with Finance Leadership Development Program folks or Business Insights and Analytics Leadership Development Program folks.
Kim: Yeah.
Ellen: And yeah, you really get to put yourself out there and join different committees. And you get to network a lot. So, you know, a lot of us become friends outside of the program as well. So, it’s a really holistic experience.
Kim: That’s great. And then when you join full-time, it’s like you have a whole community already.
Ellen: Absolutely. Yeah.
Kim: Oh, that’s wonderful. And you said you landed in talent management?
Ellen: Indeed.
Kim: Okay, so what do you do now? What’s your day-to-day and what’s your team like?
Ellen: Yeah. So, in Enterprise Talent Management I’m primarily responsible for our top talent practices. So, think talent pools, think talent review, think succession planning in addition to career and leadership development.
Kim: Okay. And is your team small, large?
Ellen: Yeah. Enterprise Talent Management is about 12 to 13 people right now. Yep.
Kim: Yep.
Ellen: My immediate team is three. So, we’re small but mighty. We’ve got a lot going on, a lot of really exciting work.
Kim: That’s great. So, can you talk to me about some of those initiatives that your team works on for career development at Travelers?
Ellen: Yeah, absolutely. Right now, we have a really great platform that employees can use that is driven by AI and it will provide mentorship matches, it will provide available job matches and even some learning courses for employees to take based on employee skill sets, what they’ve entered as an interest or development area.
Kim: Okay and so, so this is geared toward all employees, right? Not just… Like, growing in your area or growing into a different space, it works either way?
Ellen: Absolutely. It’s actually great for both employees, whether you’re looking for a new opportunity or looking to grow in your current role, there’s really something for everyone at all levels.
Kim: That’s awesome. So career development is really a priority at Travelers, you’d say?
Ellen: It absolutely is. We’ve heard from Alan saying that our talent is our greatest asset, which means our people are our greatest asset. So, investing in our people and their career development is 100% a priority for the place.
Kim: Yeah. That’s great. I love to hear it. It’s, you know, it’s something that… You don’t know, you know, where you’re, where it’s going to take you when you start at a company and it just sounds like not only through your experience, but through the work that you do, exposure, right? Exposure to the different places in Travelers because it’s huge. There’s so many places you can go.
Ellen: There really are. And, you know, one way that employees are able to continue exploring what might be available is through our Map Your Career process. Which is the Travelers framework for career development.
Kim: Okay.
Ellen: Those four phases of map your career are explore, identify, plan and act and each one of those phases allows employees to focus on a different piece of the career development journey.
Kim: Yeah.
Ellen: So, you know, that was created to help our employees really explore what’s out there, hone their skills and get ready for whatever’s next.
Kim: Yeah, because I know in episode one, when I was talking to Brianna, she cited, you know, we have pilots, we have nurses, we have chemists. You know, I mean, you and I work in HR, right? And it’s yeah, it’s really amazing. And I think what you just laid out right there, map your career, it sounds, like, structured but simple, right?
Ellen: Absolutely. It’s meant to be a repeatable process for employees. You know, you learn the process once and then you’re able to go back and use it as needed as you continue along your own career development journey.
Kim: Yeah. Yeah. Repeatable, right? That’s a great resource. So, for folks listening to this episode right now who are potential candidates for us, right? They might be interested in working at Travelers. What would you tell somebody who was interested in working at Travelers?
Ellen: Yeah, I’d probably tell them quite a few things. But, the first thing that I tell them is to really invest the time getting to know the job that you’re applying for.
Kim: Yep.
Ellen: Read through that job description, think about the skills and experiences that you have and the skills and experiences necessary for the role that you’re applying for. And, you know, if there’s something that’s missing, think about how you can go about closing that gap and, you know, seek out some mentors to help you close that gap before you apply. And once you get here, we’ve got plenty of resources for you to help grow your career.
Kim: Yeah, I know, it’s like, now we’re at the point, I feel like where somebody could read a Travelers job description and think, okay, this is just where I’m starting, though.
Ellen: Yes. Oh, yes. It’s really just the ground floor and then, the sky’s the limit for employees now. Whether it’s, like I said, growing in your current role or exploring future leadership roles, we’ve got it all.
Kim: Yeah. That’s great. Ellen, thank you so much. Is there anything today that we didn’t cover that you feel is important to say?
Ellen: I don’t think so. I think we’ve covered it.
Kim: Okay. Good stuff. Alright. Well, well, thank you for being here today. And I’m sure you’ll be a resource to plenty of our listeners. If they connect with you on LinkedIn, is that okay?
Ellen: Absolutely.
Kim: Okay.
Ellen: Ellen Vyce on LinkedIn.com that’s me.
Kim: Alright, alright. Awesome. We will, we’ll definitely tag you in the social post.
Ellen: Thank you so much for having me.
Kim: Absolutely.
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My Travelers Journey – Chris Munoko
Taking care of our customers, our communities and each other is Chris Munoko’s middle name (literally). That name — Mobunda, in Chris’ native Kikongo— translates to “he who puts others’ needs in front of his.”
“I’m a caring person by nature, so The Travelers Promise encapsulates what I love most about this company,” says Chris.
Chris relocated from the Democratic Republic of Congo — where his parents and two of his six siblings still live — in 2016, when he became a student at the University of Wisconsin River Falls. Several of his computer science classmates had internships at Travelers, and Chris noticed how much they had grown and learned over the summer. So when a friend recommended Chris for a job at Travelers just after graduation, he jumped at the chance, and was hired into its Technology Foundational Development Program , which has been renamed the Engineer Development Program.
Now, as an Associate Software Engineer, Chris has helped the CAT Tech Team transform third-party and on-premise applications to internal apps hosted in the AWS Cloud, including the Catalyst Underwriter, which estimates losses from natural or man-made catastrophes. He gained experience with AWS Cloud on the job and went on to get AWS certified.
Day-to-day, Chris provides ongoing support for the workflow automation and catalyst underwriter apps after they launch. “Good is not good enough. I always try to find a way to use customers’ feedback to create features that make the user experience better.”
He also loves sharing knowledge with others; helping people get over hurdles to get into the cloud journey and achieve their goals.
Moving applications to production is a rewarding accomplishment: “It makes me stop and think, ‘Oh, wow, this thing we have been building for two years, it’s working and people are using it!’”
Outside of work, Chris loves spending time with his wife, Kaitlyn, who he met in college. He also enjoys watching and playing soccer, and he’s an anime afficionado, with a particular fondness for Naruto, Dragon Ball Z and Bleach — noting that these hobbies have taught him the importance of teamwork, the will to never give up, and the drive to strive for excellence.
With these values in mind, it’s no wonder that Chris also dedicates spare time to learning more about coding.
“I have always been fascinated by technology and how we can use it to impact today’s society. And, now as a Travelers employee, I get to see how we can use technology to push our business to new heights.”
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WHO WE ARE.
Explore Enterprise Architecture Careers at Travelers Insurance with Stephen Brand
Stephen Brand, Senior Director of Architecture on our Enterprise Technology Team, has been with us under the umbrella since April of 2021. During his time on our team, he has discovered the company culture we are proud of, opportunities to learn and grow and our commitment to innovation, technology and the growing field of architecture.
He is glad he chose to bring his career to Travelers and wants to share why you might also consider exploring a career on our team.
My Adventures in Architecture at Travelers
By Stephen Brand
Senior Director, Architecture
As I approach three years with Travelers, I’ve been reflecting on the professional decisions that led me here and the journey that continues to shape my career. Being in the technology industry and in technology at Travelers, I have made a series of professional decisions that led me to one choice that I’m glad I made – joining the Enterprise Architecture and Emerging Tech team at Travelers.
While thinking about my time at Travelers, I have come up with three key factors any architecture job seeker should consider when choosing a career path with a new company:
- Company Culture
- Learning & Growth Opportunities
- Commitment to Architecture
Company Culture:
As any good architect or architecture leader will tell you, relationships are the lifeblood of the work we do. Yes, in a technology group, we always have our eye on the technology and the future directions it will undoubtedly take us, but it’s really the people who help drive you.
Joining an organization full-time, remotely, during a pandemic was undoubtedly a risky proposition. That being said, to say that my manager and team embraced me when I joined is an understatement. I have been able to have conversations with colleagues from across the organization – from engineers to chief architects to CIOs and everyone in between.
When you work at Travelers, you will work with talented technologists who are innovating products that are impacting the lives of our customers and employees. What’s even more refreshing about Travelers’ culture is that all ideas are encouraged and welcomed by everyone at all levels. Hackathons, Competitions and Innovation Jams are commonplace and have resulted in incredible patents, product offerings and awards. The tech, collaboration and teamwork I have experienced at Travelers thus far has been exceptional.
Learning & Growth Opportunities:
When choosing a company, learning and development opportunities are paramount, particularly in the technology field that is constantly changing and evolving. It is important to understand how a company supports its employees’ development so everyone can learn and grow.
Not a day goes by where there hasn’t been something new to learn and a team of leaders who support education along the way. When I took this role as a Senior Director of Architecture supporting Bond & Specialty Insurance (B&SI), it was one of the few remaining areas of insurance technology in which I had no prior experience – but I was determined to learn.
Early on, I attended training courses designed to educate employees on the B&SI business. During these sessions, key executives from the unit were on hand to discuss business strategy and what differentiates Travelers in the market. This type of interaction also provided another opportunity to build relationships within the community. The learning tools I acquired during these courses will continue to come in handy as my career journey at Travelers progresses.
From a technology learning perspective, I’ve also seen a huge commitment to modernization efforts and the upskilling needed to get there. Travelers is funding the education and certification for AWS and our leadership is leading by example in this regard.
Commitment to Architecture:
I knew I was walking into something special from my first interview with the architecture teams and leaders at Travelers. I’ve been at big companies most of my career, including several Fortune 100 companies, but I’ve never been at a place that values architecture quite like Travelers does.
Travelers has continued its own agile, digital and cloud transformations. Whether working on the latest cloud technologies, using artificial intelligence to assist and empower employees or helping to ensure our systems are modernized and reliable for our customers and employees, I’m proud that my team is at the forefront of these critical initiatives.
As Travelers focuses on performing for today and transforming for the future, it’s not only about our current work. We are focused on what’s next in architecture and technology, and our business is committed to ensuring that we have the talent to succeed by expanding roles and career opportunities for architects across the company. This considerable investment in architecture is really exciting.
I couldn’t be prouder of being here at Travelers and going through this journey with my team. I truly hope some of you will join us on our adventure.
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WHO WE ARE.
A Commitment to Customer Service: Spotlight on Travelers In-Synch Award Winners
Travelers is committed to being there for our customers and agents when they need us most. Fulfilling this promise begins with the dedication of our front-line, customer-facing Claim and Operations professionals, whose efforts are recognized through the In-Synch Service Award program.
Launched in 2006, the award honors those from Claim, Billing, Personal Insurance (PI) and Business Insurance (BI) Customer Service, Premium Audit and PI Underwriting who demonstrate high-quality service, timeliness, innovative problem-solving, and, most importantly, a commitment to consistently meeting the needs of our customers, agents and brokers.
In 2023, more than 100 employees from the U.S. and Canada were recognized with an In-Synch Service Award. Below, we highlight three outstanding recipients.
Christopher Mackey
BI Operations Interaction Centers
Chris is known for his friendly demeanor, patience, professionalism and for going the extra mile to not only help, but to provide valuable education on our processes. He focuses on building meaningful relationships that positively impact the lives of agents, brokers, customers and injured workers. Customers have shared that Chris is “great, helpful, and willing to go above and beyond to help,” and is a model for others.
Q&A with Chris
How does it feel to be honored with an In-Synch Service Award?
I’m extremely grateful to belong to a company that celebrates their employees so well.
Tell us about your Travelers career journey.
I was brand new to insurance when I joined Travelers. I’ve learned everything I could during my time on the Business Insurance Agency Help Desk and continue to learn every day.
What is most meaningful about your work?
Knowing that whether clients are getting insured for compliance reasons or peace of mind, our work matters. Getting to use my skills to empower agents is a privilege I don’t take lightly.
If you could go back to when you started at Travelers, what is one piece of advice you would give your younger self?
Soak up as much wisdom as possible from your colleagues. Always remember your team has a lot of experience and boasts a wealth of knowledge.
What motivates you?
The opportunity to add value where I see it is needed.
Jay Mehta
Canada Billing
When it comes to working with agents and brokers, Jay is described as “fast,” and is ahead of the pack with it comes to response time. Not only does Jay prioritize speediness, but he also ensures that the quick information is accurate, clear, thorough and easy to understand. Agents and brokers have shared that Jay is “outstanding and a pleasure to deal with,” and that his responses are prompt, simple and clear.
Q&A with Jay
How does it feel to be honored with an In-Synch Service Award?
It feels amazing! It’s such an honor and I am so grateful to work for such an amazing company.
Tell us about your Travelers career journey.
I was hired as a Customer Service Agent before moving to Billing a couple of years after that. I am currently a Senior Billing & Payment Specialist.
What is most meaningful about your work?
Helping my team, coming up with solutions to broker inquiries and building relationships with brokers.
If you could go back to when you started at Travelers, what is one piece of advice you would give your younger self?
The more you reach out to learn, ask questions and take initiative, the more you will improve your skillset. Be a good listener!
What motivates you?
Positive results motivate me to keep going.
Melissa Sampson
Personal Insurance Operations
Melissa Sampson is not only a “three-peat” In-Synch Service Award honoree, but she is also the first person to achieve the honor.
Customers have shared that Mel is “amazing and kind, “wonderful,” and a “huge asset to Travelers.” We agree as she approaches each customer interaction with efficiency and empathy, going above and beyond to deliver the Travelers Promise.
Q&A with Melissa
How does it feel to be honored with an In-Synch Service Award?
Amazing! It’s an honor to be an In-Synch honoree. I am so proud to work for such a wonderful company that truly values and honors their employees.
Tell us about your Travelers career journey.
I started as an Insurance Service Representative in our Massachusetts Business Center and am now a Senior Insurance Service Representative. I mentor and assist with training our new hires and internal partners.
What is most meaningful about your work?
I am passionate about helping others! I love to help my customers and peers learn, grow, and feel respected and cared for.
If you could go back to when you started at Travelers, what is one piece of advice you would give your younger self?
Don’t fear change. Embrace it. Don’t be afraid to try new experiences and push yourself out of your comfort zone.
What motivates you?
My son is my primary motivation! I want to be a positive role model for him, show him that hard work pays off and that he can do anything he wants to do if he puts his mind to it. My customers and manager also motivate me. I love being the best employee I can be, reaching my goals and getting that warm feeling when I hear feedback from my customers.
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WHO WE ARE.
Embracing Accessibility: Kathryn Weber-Hottleman’s Journey of Advocacy and Support at Travelers
The Travelers Promise is to take care for our customers, communities, and each other. One of the best ways to demonstrate this is by sharing employee stories that highlight the work, experiences, and spirit that bring our Promise to life every day.
Kathryn Weber-Hottleman, a Senior Accessibility Lead in Personal Insurance, began her Travelers career over a year ago. In her role, she focuses solely on the digital accessibility of Travelers’ products used by customers, agents, and employees.
“To have an accessible product at the end means that any user with a disability can access our user experiences without needing any additional help,” said Kathryn. “For example, users who may be blind or who have low vision, might use screen readers. Basically, it reads all the text of a site out loud to you so you can hear whatever a sighted user is seeing.”
What makes Kathryn and her position unique is that accessibility is important not only in her role but also in her personal life. Since her late teens, Kathryn has lived with congenital back issues that impact her comfort while sitting and standing, requiring workplace accommodations.
“I spent over a year in physical therapy wearing back braces on pain medication. It was a lot. This kind of thing doesn’t just go away – it stays with you for the rest of your life. And then it still impacted me once I got into the working world.”
Even before joining Travelers, Kathryn built her career in disability services, where she often advocated for accommodations and accessibility for others. Despite this, she found it challenging to advocate for herself and ask for the chairs or desks that would make her work day more comfortable.
“It made me think that how sad is this? That I’m creating this environment for others, and I don’t believe in it for me. So, it made me think a lot about stigma and the stigma that we have around disabilities and asking for the support that we need as individuals with disabilities.”
When Kathryn came to Travelers, she faced the same personal challenge of asking for accommodations, and initially found workarounds. However, when her manager became aware, she advocated on Kathryn’s behalf, ensuring that getting the right chair was a priority.
“It wasn’t just me advocating for myself anymore – it was my manager and she followed up with everyone required until a new chair was sitting at my desk. It was an amazing experience to have somebody else advocating for me so strongly.”
Kathryn’s experience emphasized the importance of being open about her needs and asking for help without fearing stigma.
“Self-identification is the first step in receiving accommodations. In this case was not just me checking that box for H.R. saying, yes, you have a disability. It was also talking to my manager about it and having her on my side,” Kathryn said. “Finding that I had that support not just in my organization but in my own unit and with my direct manager made me feel like this is a natural part of being part of the Travelers community.”
Through her work in digital accessibility, Kathryn embodies the Travelers Promise. She’s also experienced it firsthand through the compassion and support of her team and the broader community.
“I love having time carved out of our day to day to go engage with the people around us. Travelers isn’t something that just separates itself from the whole rest of the community. Travelers really takes time to invest where we are,” said Kathryn.
“We’re trying to develop this community where people can feel comfortable sharing any part of their identity. So, in my case, sharing that I have a disability and finding such strong support to get what I needed to thrive in this environment.”
Watch the video to hear more of Kathryn’s story.
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WHO WE ARE
My Travelers Journey – Sarah Haugaard
Sarah Haugaard, Sr. Director of Business Process Management on the Enterprise Operations Effectiveness (EOE) team, never imagined herself in the insurance industry. She studied liberal arts at the University of Minnesota and intended to pursue law, supporting victims of violence.
Life had other plans for her.
Sarah was introduced to property & casualty insurance while working in an administrative role for a law office. She left to join The St. Paul Companies, one of the firm’s clients, as a Claim customer support representative and then a workers compensation claim adjuster. St. Paul’s merger with Travelers in 2004 brought her “under the umbrella,” where she joined Operations (Ops) as a billing and receivables manager.
“Operations provided me the opportunity to dip my toes into leading people and leading projects, and my career development really took off from there,” Sarah said. She was able to pursue these interests, thanks to her leaders’ encouragement to try out different roles and take on new responsibilities.
“If you demonstrate that desire for growth and development, they will do anything in their realm to help you.”
She cultivated skills on the job – learning by doing, partnering with mentors, seeking new opportunities, exploring Travelers’ career development resources, having the courage to pitch ideas on process improvement (and not being afraid to learn from occasional failure) and seeking support from colleagues.
As Sarah reflects on her career, she shared, “I can’t tell you how much I have learned from people in various departments across Travelers. Everybody is so willing to help you, encourage your development and provide feedback. They genuinely care and want to see you grow.”
Sarah is now at a point where she can pay it forward – and does so regularly. “I love to help people. I try to provide support, advice or encouragement to make challenging situations and change a little more palatable.”
The EOE team of seven – which ultimately impacts more than 4,000 employees across Tech & Ops – partners with Ops business and functional areas to drive strategic initiatives, ensure business readiness and manage change. The team also helps Operations by optimizing analytics reporting practices and protecting Travelers through business resiliency.
Sarah is excited about being part of a variety of project teams leading ongoing strategic efforts where she has the opportunity to partner with many subject matter experts on a variety of different topics. One recent project includes an increased focus on learning and development for Operations professionals.
She explained, “The work we are doing will help support Ops employees in reaching professional goals. It includes focusing on opportunities to increase employee engagement and taking a holistic approach to development at the Enterprise Operations level.”
On the personal side, Sarah loves to travel, especially Italy. At home, she loves gardening, party planning, baking, spending quality time with her family and “project-managing everything” (according to her kids), including her Christmas shopping list, which is an Excel spreadsheet organized by person, item count and dollar amount, and her meticulously documented bathroom remodel.
She enjoys slapstick comedy, especially films starring Will Ferrell or Jason Sudeikis. One of her favorite movies is “Horrible Bosses” – something she is confident she will never encounter at Travelers.
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WHO WE ARE.
Creating Career Opportunities For Military Spouses
Military families often face unique challenges, including frequent relocations, disrupted careers, and the need to rebuild support systems. For many military spouses, these challenges also include difficulty in maintaining stable employment.
“When an employer knows that you are part of a military family, they understand that you’re not going to be staying there long,” said Vicky Egli, Regional Director, Claim Account Executives. “So, they’re hesitant to hire you, which means that the good jobs, the ones that develop into a career, aren’t always available.”
At Travelers, we recognize the unique skills that military spouses bring—such as problem-solving, decision-making, and empathy—qualities that are invaluable in roles involving customers and brokers. Since launching our robust hiring efforts in 2020, Travelers has provided more than 300 military spouses with portable and lasting career opportunities.
Our latest video follows six Travelers military spouses as they share how they have found opportunity, stability, and community across the company.
“It means so much to have a company that cares enough about this community to create a home for us in a world where otherwise we’re kind of just left out on our own and forgotten,” said Lauralee Lambert, Personal Insurance Underwriter.
Travelers’ commitment to military spouses goes beyond providing jobs; it offers the connection of a supportive community of military spouses, fostering camaraderie and understanding both professionally and personally.
“It’s been a privilege to connect with other military spouses throughout Travelers,” said Jordan Reynolds, Senior Insurance Service Representative. “Having that support system has been the best.”
Watch the full video to hear firsthand from Travelers military spouses, Jennifer, Lauralee, Vicky, Ebonii, Jordan, and Maria.
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