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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WHO WE ARE.
Life at Travelers Podcast Ep.1 – Tips from a Recruiter
Kim: Welcome, everybody, to our first Life at Travelers podcast. I have my guest, Brianna Sacerdote, here with me today. She’s a recruiter at Travelers. Bri, thanks for being here.
Brianna: Thanks for having me.
Kim: Of course. I’m going to be, kind of, picking your brain. A lot of questions that we’ve gathered from social media, from our potential candidates, real candidates. So, we’re going to dive deep. You ready?
Brianna: I’m ready. I’m looking forward to it.
Kim: Alright. Awesome. So first, I would just want to, you know, have you explain your role here at Travelers and how you got here.
Brianna: Yeah. So, I’m currently a Senior Recruiter, and I recruit for the Upper Midwest Claim Center. So, all positions within Claim, ranging from trainees to experienced claim representatives. And I started in the PI (Personal Insurance) Call Center back in 2016, networked and held another role in Employee Relations, and ultimately started job shadowing in Talent Acquisition. So, that’s how I got where I am, and it’s been great ever since.
Kim: How long have you been at Travelers?
Brianna: Since 2016. So, eight years?
Kim: Eight years? Yeah. Wow. That’s awesome.
Brianna: I know. It’s gone by so fast.
Kim: So, getting into the nitty gritty of recruiting and your day-to-day, what are the first things that you look at on a resume?
Brianna: So, for me, a resume needs to be visually appealing. So, without even looking at their experience, I want to make sure it looks visually appealing. I look at format, neatness, make sure all the verb tenses are in the right tense. So, if your current job, we want your current job to say all current and present tenses and all prior jobs to say past. So, I look for that, if you have periods, we want to make sure all the periods are there throughout the resume. But I’m not that, I’m not picky if it’s not that consistent. I really want to get to the nitty gritty of what experience they have, and if they could be a good fit for the position that we’re hiring for. Especially if it’s an experienced role.
Kim: So, formatting-wise, if it’s over a page, are there any kind of, like, you know, details you’re looking for there? Should it be one page? Are multiple pages okay? How short should it be?
Brianna: Yeah. That’s the common misconception is that resumes have to be a page. And that’s, that’s not the thing. I mean, people have a bunch of experience
that they want to include on their resume so, I usually recommend anywhere between 2 to 3 is a good, sweet spot. Sometimes five is just way too long and like, you know, we’re clicking back into the resume pages to really see what, where they’re coming from. So, I think 2 to 3 is the sweet spot, but also, tailor it, you know, tailor it to the job you’re applying for. If it’s, if you have experience on there beyond ten years, maybe start to take things away. That’s not always necessary to include.
Kim: So, my camp counselor job from ten years ago could probably go.
Brianna: Yes, that can definitely go.
Kim: Okay, okay.
Brianna: But it could be a skill. That’s cool that you did something like that. Like, we like to see cool skills as well.
Kim: Yeah.
Brianna: Yeah.
Kim: And, and at the top, you know, that objective statement or summary that some folks include, is that important because we’re also submitting a cover letter, you know, what pieces are important there?
Brianna: Yeah. So, the summary I usually recommend it’s not, it’s not important or required unless it’s a very specific, unique job that you want to call out a certain experience level then fine, but I want to get to right to the experience and see what you’re coming with. So, typically it’s not required.
Kim: So, work experience and skills are really top of mind.
Brianna: And education.
Kim: And education. Got it. Okay. And, you know, for the cover letter, because a lot of the time when folks are applying for jobs, it’s required. Is it required at Travelers and, you know, how is it weighted? How important is that?
Brianna: It’s not required to submit an application at Travelers. So, the majority of our applicants do just have a resume. Cover letter is really important for me to see, like, if you’re relocating and you want to let us know that you’re relocating, or if there’s gaps in employment, that gives us an opportunity to see why there’s gaps. If you want to call out, maybe you moved back home for family reasons or something like that, so that’s helpful. Or if you have very specific experience, you want to call out in your cover letter, but otherwise that could be used for your resume, so it’s a hit or miss. It’s not required. I don’t ever, I’m not ever searching for a cover letter when someone submits an application.
Kim: Got it. Okay, so we can use a cover letter for those more personal details.
Brianna: Exactly.
Kim: Okay. Got it. Now, a tip that I’ve heard, from a former recruiter was, you know, talk about accomplishments on your resume versus what you do, right? I remember them saying, if I read your job title, right, I know what you do mostly. So, talk about how you do it and talk about those accomplishments. What is your opinion on that? Should we be putting accomplishments or talking more about our day-to-day?
Brianna: I think a mixture of both is helpful. Like accomplishments as far as if you’re excelling in key metrics in the job you’re performing in, we recommend putting those in your resume. We love numbers, percentages, so definitely include those if you’re excelling in a certain area. But I think a mixture of both is really helpful. You don’t want it all to be accomplishments, you know?
Kim: You don’t want to be too “boasty.”
Brianna: Save that for the interview.
Kim: Yeah, there you go. Okay. So, speaking of interviews, or maybe even a step back before the interview, right? We get together our resume, fill out the application, maybe a cover letter, maybe not, and we send that in. Folks on social media, we see it all the time, you know, there’s memes about it, there’s Reels about it, that the application just goes into a black hole, right? And they’re ghosted or they never hear back. What actually happens at Travelers when somebody submits an application?
Brianna: So, when someone submits an application at Travelers, they are reviewed manually. We don’t have a system where it automatically rejects applicants based off of a word they have or don’t have on their resume. We’re looking at your experience manually. So, a lot of factors go into play. It depends on how long the job’s been posted. If you apply right away, the chances of being considered might be a little bit higher. But sometimes you don’t know if, how long the job’s been posted. Even if it says ten days, it could, that could be inaccurate. It could have been unposted then reposted. So, it is really based off of timing and we try to prioritize as soon as possible, but unfortunately, if you apply late to the game, that’s what might lead to that misconception of a black hole. But we do try to reach out to people as soon as we can.
Kim: Okay. And what is the first step? So, when you do reach out to somebody, kind of, what’s the process look like for them?
Brianna: Yeah. So, we’ll conduct a first initial phone interview. So someone would connect with me, another recruiter on our team and it’d be a lot of those behavioral-type questions. So, definitely recommend folks to come prepared for those. Or we also do more talking about your job. So we just want to, not your job but your experience. We want to hear about your experience, your interest in the position, you know, why? Why Travelers? What about Travelers excites you to leave, to come here, but then to leave your current company? So, it’s more of a ‘get to know you,’ but then also, why are you the right fit for the position as well?
Kim: Okay, so that’s that first step and past that, do they start to meet with the actual team they’d be working with?
Brianna: Yeah. So depending how that goes the team and I will collaborate and then we’ll determine next steps. Usually interviews are on video but a lot of teams are now incorporating a lot of in-person interviews. So, you might go to an office and meet with the hiring team. A lot more behavioral-type questions would be asked during that conversation. So, we really, I try to prep my candidates a lot with those behavioral-type questions because there’s a plethora.
Kim: Okay. Okay so Travelers allows for both in-person interviews and, like, virtual video interviews.
Brianna: Yes.
Kim: Okay. Awesome.
Brianna: And I guess depending on the office and what, you know, it’s dependent across everywhere. But yeah, most offices are incorporating in-person interviews again since COVID because that’s all we used to do.
Kim: Sure. Yeah. I know, life changed so much since then.
Brianna: Yeah.
Kim: And after the interviews, a question we got from social media was, how often do you receive a thank you note, or does a hiring manager receive a thank you note after interviews? And is that important?
Brianna: Yeah, that’s a great question and I actually preach about thank you notes to everybody I talk to. For recruiters, it’s not, I don’t take it as a bad or good thing. If you don’t thank me after a call, it’s really what matters next. So, if you meet with the hiring team and you want to send them a thank you note, we really think that it’s critical. You know, it makes you stand out to the hiring team. You highlight 2 to 3 sentences on why you’re the right candidate for the position, maybe call out a certain level of experience that you have to offer, and it just goes a long way. You might not always get a response from the hiring team, that’s totally normal, but just going that extra step to put yourself out there, let them know you had a great conversation, it does go a long way.
Kim: Now if you don’t hear back, right, on your thank you note, is that because they’re trying to maybe hold back bias or is there something along those lines, or is it more just, right, thank you notes come and go and, you know, what is the response rate and why might they not answer?
Brianna: Honestly, I see more non-response rates. It’s probably because they just don’t want to give any indication. Like if they were to say something like, ‘Oh yeah, it was great meeting you,’ that maybe someone would take that as, ‘Oh, I think I’m going to get the job.’ So, I think they’re really just trying to keep it very high level and neutral.
Kim: Yeah. Okay. That makes sense. That makes sense. So, regarding the interview, some of those hard questions, hard for the candidate to ask, usually around negotiations for salary, benefits. How should a candidate go about asking those questions or can they find that information publicly?
Brianna: Yeah. So, it’s a good mixture of both. So, Travelers I like to think we’re very transparent about putting our benefits out there, what our salary is. Benefits you can find on our Travelers website, so, careers.travelers.com. You can go on there under Life at Travelers, then Benefits tab, all the way at the bottom you’ll see a brochure that you can open up and see all the benefits we have to offer. There’s also a benefit rate calculator that’s on there. So, if you wanted to play and plug and chug information to see how much they’d cost you on average, that’s available.
Kim: Okay.
Brianna: Salary expectations, those are posted on all of our jobs. So, we have a nationwide range, a low all the way to a high number, but it’s not including where any of our candidates are located. So again, it’s nationwide, but you don’t know where your number could fall because we haven’t chatted yet.
Kim: Right.
Brianna: So that comes when you talk to us. One of us recruiters will narrow that down for you a little bit more on what salary we’re going to offer and if it’s in, not exact numbers, but kind of like a range, and if it’s in their range. If it’s not, we ask you to be transparent with us because we would hate to make an offer to you, and then it’s not the number you want. So, we set those expectations very clearly on that initial phone call.
Kim: Okay, so that’s not a taboo subject.
Brianna: No. We’re very transparent and open. It’s a question that we, that we ask you.
Kim: Okay. So other questions outside of salary, benefits, what other questions should a candidate be asking a recruiter? What’s important for them to know that they might not think of?
Brianna: Yeah, those are good questions, too. So, I’ll start with ones that, maybe to avoid with a recruiter. I recommend staying away from the technical kind of questions about the job. Like anything that is very specific about the job, save those for the hiring team. What I do recommend you ask the recruiter, is anything about Travelers, like the culture or career growth, networking opportunities, volunteer opportunities, anything like that is really helpful. If you wanted to talk about the team environment, the team make-up, you know, work flexibility, we will have all that at our fingertips.
Kim: Okay.
Brianna: We feel like we could do every job that we talk about because we talk about it so much but, you know, we’re not that skilled in it. So, we do recommend to keep it more high-level or ask the recruiter, you know, how we got started here, what’s our career journey look like. Same with the hiring team, you know, put the questions on them and what they like most about Travelers.
Kim: Okay and then for the hiring team, it’s more the nitty gritty of the day-to-day of the role.
Brianna: Yeah, because they’re the experts. You know, most managers on the team have done the role themselves. Most. So, you know, I would definitely Save it for them for sure.
Kim: So, from personal experience, I remember people mentioning working at an insurance company. Right? I live near Hartford, insurance capital of the world. Travelers was mentioned and I thought, ‘I’m never going to work for an insurance company,’ right? Sounds boring. Sounds like paperwork. Sounds like there’s just not a role there for me, right? I’m not an underwriter. I’m not in claims. You know, it’s not for me.
Brianna: Right.
Kim: So, you know, we obviously both found our way here, you know, what would you tell folks about the roles we have here? What would people not expect to find as a role at an insurance company?
Brianna: Yeah. And it’s crazy because I didn’t have that idea either that I would work for an insurance company. My dad worked in insurance his whole life, and I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’m not going that route.’ And here I am and, like, loving it, obviously.
Kim: Yeah.
Brianna: So, a few roles that you wouldn’t expect that we have to offer at Travelers are pilots, we have a couple of private jets, so we would need to hire a pilot for that.
Kim: Right.
Brianna: Nurses, we have nurse case managers mostly in claim. We have architects. We have fitness and wellness instructors, event planners, forensic scientists.
Kim: Wow.
Brianna: Chemists in Risk Control.
Kim: Yep.
Brianna: So, yeah, it’s a wide variety that you wouldn’t think of.
Kim: You just think of, you know, underwriters and claim reps. So, yeah, very interesting.
Brianna: It’s awesome.
Kim: And recruiters.
Brianna: And recruiters for sure. Yeah, the opportunities are endless. It really does not matter what you went to school for. You can find a place for you here.
Kim: Yeah. And is there a lot of movement internally in the company? I know you joined via the call center, right? And now you’re a recruiter. Does that happen a lot?
Brianna: I think it does. And it’s also what you make of it. So, that’s what I tell candidates, too. It’s like, you know, where can I go here? Well it’s really where you want to go. You make the most out of your career. You make that career path for you. You make your own networking opportunities. So, if you wanted to do whatever you want to do, you have that opportunity here. We have so many different people and departments to work with.
Kim: Yeah.
Brianna: So, yeah.
Kim: We got a question from social media regarding being an undergraduate, right? You’re not currently applying yet. How can folks who are in college now, prepare for a role at Travelers?
Brianna: Yeah, so, there’s a couple different ways that I recommend. I mean, number one, and it’s the most convenient, is attending your college career fairs. I think that’ll give you a wide variety of different companies, maybe what areas you’re interested in, or might not even be aware that you’re interested in yet.
Kim: Right.
Brianna: So, definitely start there. Set up your LinkedIn profile. I’m sure you can talk a lot about LinkedIn.
Kim: Yeah, we talk a lot about LinkedIn.
Brianna: LinkedIn is so important. You can network with people. Start there and you never know who you’ll be connected with. We have tons of internships here, so, just browsing our careers website, seeing if there would be anything you would be interested in after college is helpful. We have so many trainee and entry-level job opportunities so, checking out our website, seeing if they ring a bell to you, and if so, have that be your way in when you graduate or before. Start applying like a month before or something like that.
Kim: Yeah. And I’ve heard you mention networking a lot. Would you say networking is a big part of it?
Brianna: Yeah, networking is huge. I mean, I don’t think I’d be where I am without networking, so, I try to advocate that for everybody else and I try to be that network for other people as well.
Kim: Yeah. So, for folks who are getting ready to, you know, come to Travelers or they’re currently interviewing.
Brianna: Yes.
Kim: We talk about the culture and that sort of thing, but, some of those specific questions, right? Is there a dress code at Travelers?
Brianna: Oh, yeah. So, I think, I think you and I started around the same time in Talent Acquisition. So, it was somewhere around that time they changed the dress code to ‘dress for your day,’ where you were now able to wear jeans and just like, you know, dress for your day. What’s on your calendar that day? Do you have all virtual meetings? Do you know you’re not going to be on camera? Just dress appropriately. If you are meeting new clients or a new team or anything in-person, have an interview, then dress appropriately for that. So, that’s the guidance that we do tell our candidates.
Kim: Yeah.
Brianna: When they ask about dressing appropriately for work. But there’s no defined, like, you have to wear a business attire every single day. There’s nothing that outlines that.
Kim: Again, it’s just that insurance, kind of, stigma. Right? It’s suits and, yeah, the whole deal.
Brianna: I wear jeans every day.
Kim: Yeah.
Brianna: So, I mean, yeah. It’s awesome.
Kim: Yep. Okay, awesome. Bri, any cool recruitment stories? I mean, you’ve obviously talked to so many people. Have you had interesting backgrounds or folks, you know, come from, you know, different places and end up where they didn’t think they were or?
Brianna: I have. So, one of them actually, I, someone reached out to me on LinkedIn. I wasn’t even searching for anybody.
Kim: Okay.
Brianna: He reached out to me and told me he applied to a position within Worker’s Comp. So, I spoke to him and we had a great conversation. He ended up getting the job for that position and, before that, though, he’s an ex-police officer, which we do see a lot within claim.
Kim: Wow.
Brianna: A lot of ex-police officers or ones that are retired, want a change in career, they’re interested in Claim because there’s a lot of transferable skills.
Kim: Yeah.
Brianna: So, he ended up getting a job and then let me know that he got another job in TIS, which is, like, our investigative services.
Kim: Yep.
Brianna: So, it just goes to show that a background in being a police officer can translate to Claim, but then also the investigative team. And I’m sure he never expected to work at an insurance company during his career. So, that was pretty cool.
Another one, one person I hired, he applied for, I believe, a Property Trainee position, which are very common entry-level positions. And he, the day I called him to extend the offer, he got told that his job was getting, like, eliminated or realigned. Something along those lines.
Kim: Yep.
Brianna: And it was going to be effective on our start date. So, he was like really emotional that we offered him the job effective the day that his job was going to change and it was just a really cool opportunity.
Kim: Yeah, that eased his mind there.
Brianna: Yeah.
Kim: Yeah.
Brianna: It really eased his mind and you just, it makes you, like, really appreciative of the work that we’re doing and, you know, it goes a long way.
My last one is cool. I went to this local gym in town and the woman I worked out with, I never knew that her husband applied to a job that I screened him for, and it was a great conversation. He ended up getting the job. I never met him, but I saw him at a local grocery store and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, that’s the guy I hired.’ So, it was really cool, full circle to see him.
Kim: Yes.
Brianna: In person. And he’s thriving and he’s been here for a couple of years but, like, you would never expect someone you work out with to now have their husband working at the same like, so.
Kim: There are just folks from Travelers in your local community.
Brianna: Yeah, just a small world. You just realize how small of a world it is.
Kim: Totally.
Brianna: So, so many opportunities is the main point.
Kim: Yeah, during COVID, I had signed up to grocery shop for an elderly couple.
Brianna: Oh yeah, I remember that.
Kim: Yeah, and, I think I had been delivering groceries to them for maybe a month before we talked and the woman I was literally giving groceries to was a Travelers retiree.
Brianna: That’s crazy.
Kim: It was just a wild story. And, yeah, so, we bonded pretty hard over that, after that point.
Brianna: Oh, that’s awesome.
Kim: They still email me now and they’re like, you know, ‘How’s Travelers? It’s been five years but, you know.’ So yeah, I agree, it’s a small world.
Brianna: It is.
Kim: It’s a tight network.
Brianna: It really is. And everyone knows us. So it’s awesome.
Kim: Absolutely. So, personal question for you.
Brianna: Yeah.
Kim: You’re sitting here with me. You are seven months pregnant right now?
Brianna: Yeah. Six, seven.
Kim: Six, seven months. Okay, so, and you already have a little one at home.
Brianna: I do, my daughter.
Kim: And you had her while you were at Travelers? Is that correct?
Brianna: I did.
Kim: So this is your second time, going through a pregnancy while working at Travelers.
Brianna: Yeah.
Kim: What is it like, you know, being a mom at Travelers? What support do you have? And your maternity leave, your team, all that sort of stuff?
Brianna: It is. It’s truly awesome. I never feel like I’m not supported. My management, leadership, I just feel so supported and I cannot imagine being in this situation anywhere else.
Kim: Yeah.
Brianna: You know, obviously with kids, things come up, they get sick, daycare closes. We have to be flexible, so, the work arrangement, the flexibility, is amazing for us. The three days in the office, two days from home, it’s super nice. We just implemented, I think within the last two years or so, a new diversity network called Working Parents and Caregivers (& Allies) and I’m a part of that, which is awesome, but you don’t have to be a parent or a caregiver to be a part of it. It’s just for you to come to and be supported.
Kim: Be an ally as well.
Brianna: Yeah, and be an ally. We have speakers come from the hospital, Hartford Hospital, to talk about just daily things parents go through and ways to cope with it.
Kim: Yeah.
Brianna: So, I just feel really supported in that sense because we have another group here who is focusing in on that now.
Kim: Yeah.
Brianna: I think we need that.
Kim: You have your village at work, too.
Brianna: Yeah you have your village, other other moms on my team, obviously dads, so, we’re all going through the same stuff and it’s so nice to be a part of it here.
Kim: That’s awesome. I’m so glad to hear it and congrats on the upcoming baby.
Brianna: Thank you. We’re so excited.
Kim: We’ll miss you while you’re on maternity leave.
Brianna: I know, I’ll miss you guys.
Kim: But, we’ll be excited. We need pictures, so, send them our way.
Brianna: Alright. Definitely will.
Kim: Bri, anything else that, you know, we didn’t cover today? Kind of, like, more informally that you think we should, candidates should know? Or do you think we, kind of, covered the gamut?
Brianna: I do, I think we covered everything, but, Travelers is, the opportunities truly are endless. And I say that all the time on LinkedIn, like, to check out this job. The opportunities are endless. It’s true, I’m an example of that. I’ve started in the call center and here I am recruiting. You would never think that those two correlate, But, if you’re looking for something or you just want to grow and have a lifelong career, I mean, this is the place. So. Yeah, I have nothing but good things to say.
Kim: Well, thanks for being here and, for our listeners, can they connect with you on LinkedIn if they want to know more? Okay.
Brianna: It’s under Brianna Sacerdote, so.
Kim Okay.
Brianna: I look forward to getting a bunch of requests.
Kim: Alright. Awesome. We’re going to make you an influencer.
Brianna: Thank you. I hope so. Thanks for having me.
Kim: Thank you.
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WHO WE ARE.
My Travelers Journey – Anna Daley
A Path of Perseverance, Leading to Cybersecurity Excellence at Travelers
Anna Daley, AVP, Data and Application Security at Travelers, took risks to find her place in the world, then found her career home protecting others from risk.
When Anna immigrated from Poland at age 20, she put herself through college by waiting tables. “America was seen as a place where opportunities are endless, and all you need to do is work hard and persevere to be successful in life and have a bright future.”
Although Anna had never seen a computer growing up in Poland, she instantly discovered joy in technology and found great reward in writing programs that helped people do their jobs. She was hired to write a data loss prevention program for a friend’s company – her first foray into cybersecurity. She took to it instantly, and from there, Anna was hired to create the entire security program for a local start-up company.
When Anna joined Travelers in claim – she has never looked back. In fact, she only wishes she had found Travelers sooner.
“I love the work I do. We are using tech to simplify our cybersecurity, making it easier for people to do their jobs. And I love that Travelers is a very caring company, generously giving to the community and invested in employees’ growth and happiness. Diversity is highly valued and supported here, and Travelers puts a lot of energy into developing and promoting women.”
After creating and implementing a risk and security program for a large Travelers business unit, including a multi-year strategy, she went all-in, earning a master’s degree in cybersecurity.
Cybersecurity is what truly captured her interest, and her wealth of IT knowledge gave her a unique advantage in understanding and avoiding cybersecurity pitfalls. Fully understanding risks requires an understanding of how web applications are built, how information travels through systems, and how everything is connected and works together.
“Cybersecurity and technology are evolving at a rapid pace. It’s really intriguing to me – there is always something exciting to learn about. Travelers enables my professional development by providing the latest technologies and tools, whether it is for application development or security concepts.”
As a leader in Travelers’ Cybersecurity team, Anna is implementing new cutting-edge product development tools that will be used by the entire engineering community to both identify and repair vulnerabilities while simplifying the engineering experience.
“It’s a great opportunity to make an impact on a large scale, on something very important: preventing security issues. It feels wonderful to give people a tool that they can use every day, to make sure that the product is sound from the time they start writing the code to the time they push it to production.”
As Travelers transitions more technology to the cloud, enhancing its service offerings, Anna is making sure that its systems and information remain secure.
“The cloud brings in new areas of focus from a security perspective, but also provides a powerful functionality.”
To supplement her on-the-job learning, Anna studies tech trends in her spare time and stays closely connected with peers.
She is also an active member of T200, a national community of women in tech that was co-founded by Mojgan Lefebvre, EVP and Chief Technology & Operations Officer at Travelers.
“It is amazing to work with a team of truly talented individuals who gel together – our team is really close. We genuinely like working with one another, and there’s a level of professional comfort that we have with each other. We can have transparent discussions, give each other feedback and ultimately come up with the best solutions.”
Anna’s family – her husband and two children – enjoy “outdoorsy” activities year-round; especially snowmobiling, skiing and hiking, which means lots of vacation time in Vermont. You’ll also find Anna outdoors at home, tending to the backyard garden oasis she created – where there are no risks; only peace, tranquility and relaxation and a world away from it all.
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WHO WE ARE.
Discovering Common Purpose: Veterans and Military Families on the Rewards of Civic Engagement
America’s military veterans and their families have a unique perspective on how service helps create a sense of common purpose in our nation. How can their experience and example help us strengthen that purpose to build a more unified democracy? Ellen Gustafson, Executive Director and Co-Founder of We the Veterans and Military Families, and Cory Johnson, Co-Chair of the Travelers Military/Veterans and Allies Diversity Network, joined Janice Brunner, Group General Counsel and Head of Civic Engagement at Travelers, to explore the rewards of civic service and engagement.
What did we learn during the webinar?
Here are the top takeaways from Discovering Common Purpose: Veterans and Military Families on the Rewards of Civic Engagement. Watch the full webinar replay here.
Military life can create a culture of unity. Gustafson was inspired to found We the Veterans and Military Families after a challenging experience raising three young kids during a pandemic while her husband was deployed: “My best assets were my fellow military spouses, many of whom I had nothing in common with on paper. We were not from the same places. We didn’t have the same backgrounds. We didn’t have the same politics.” The unity that emerged from such a disparate group got her thinking, “What else could happen if this community got together in the way my small unit did?”
Military service is a natural bridge to civic service in communities. Johnson noted that people join the military for many reasons, but no matter why you join, the military helps create common ground surrounding service to your community. “Something that is amazing about the armed forces is that regardless of the reason why you joined the military, when you’re done, you’re always going to have this innate sense of patriotism. That’s actually one of the reasons I joined my local school board,” Johnson said. “I got out of my 14-year career in the military, and I still had a need to give back.”
Veterans and military families offer a unique skill set. “Skills that you learn in the military, like being able to listen and talk with people regardless of their background, can really be an asset when you’re moving into a civic engagement role,” Johnson said. Veterans and military families also often need to be adaptable. “I think an amazing skill is the ability to bloom where you’re planted and see what’s best in different areas of the country,” Gustafson said.
Community is key. In the Travelers Military Veterans and Allies Diversity Network, employees with many different connections to the military come together with a common goal. “We support military veterans, military-connected employees, spouses and family members. What’s interesting is 60% or more of our members at Travelers are allies, or what we consider maybe not a directly military-connected employee,” Johnson shared. “One thing we do as a diversity network is to help veterans and military-connected families in the community.”
There are many ways to make a positive impact. If you’re looking to strengthen a community, Gustafson suggested that helping to support and connect with military families can be a great place to start. “No matter what sort of things you’re interested in or passionate about, there are military family and veteran groups connected to them,” Gustafson said. “The other thing is cross-cultural collaboration. I think the bridging of the civil/military divide is just as important.” Johnson said that offering an individual perspective can also be very helpful. He added, “There are many opportunities to give back to your community. School boards, counties, cities, townships and states all have advisory councils where they need input from people that want to donate their time to talk about real issues.” He also shared some advice: “If you’re out there right now thinking: I want to give back. I want to be more civically minded. Should I do that or not? I would say yes, you should, and you can start now.”
This dialogue is part of the Travelers Civic Conversations series in which Citizen Travelers – Travelers’ industry-leading, nonpartisan civic engagement initiative – and the Travelers Institute are teaming up to host discussions examining critical questions among leading thinkers in civic engagement and learning. We look forward to showcasing more fascinating and important convenings in the months ahead. Stay tuned and thank you for supporting the important work of the Travelers Institute and Citizen Travelers.
Learn more about Citizen Travelers.
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WHO WE ARE.
Zack Maxey: The Transition from U.S. Navy to Travelers
Travelers is home to more than 1,000 veterans and former service members in various roles directly related to the skills and knowledge gained during their military careers. This blog is a part of a series that showcases our military employees and their career stories.
As U.S. Navy veteran Zack Maxey approached the end of his 20-year military career, he participated in two veteran programs that afforded him the time and the stability to establish connections and gain valuable civilian work experience. This ultimately led him to employment at Travelers.
Read on to discover how Zack, now a Business Systems Analyst, navigated his transition and the advice he offers those who are approaching or beginning the process of bridging the gap between military service and civilian work.
What is your military background?
“I served just over 20 years in the U.S. Navy as an Aircrew Survival Equipmentman, retiring as a Chief Petty Officer. Throughout my career, I worked on aircraft and personnel-mounted survival gear for five type/model/series aircraft across three platforms at six different duty stations. Additionally, I completed six deployments on aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships.”
Describe your current role at Travelers and how the work of you and your team answers the Travelers Promise.
“I am a Business Systems Analyst, currently supporting an Agile team, aligned to the Work Orchestration Circle within the Business Capabilities Office. We deliver key functionality in task management and support to customers, stakeholders and end users, while communicating with business units to ensure a smooth and effective product flow throughout the lifecycle.”
What are some of the skills that you gained in the military that continue to help you in your role at Travelers?
“Some of the easy answers are communication, time management, adaptability, and accountability, but there are many others. Collaboration is one. The military includes people from vastly different backgrounds working closely together. The ability to collaborate effectively, while still accomplishing the larger mission is vital in the military and in any workplace.
Another one is attention-to-detail. Understanding and following instructions and procedures we bring an added dynamic to the team.”
Why do you think insurance is a good career path following military service?
“Insurance is a good career path following the military for many reasons. It offers stability and great benefits for people and their families. Despite being perceived as a ‘hard pivot,’ there are numerous transferable skills from the military to the insurance industry, making the transition smoother.”
Describe your transition from military to civilian workforce.
“During my retirement process, I received approval to enrol in the Department of Defense (DoD) SkillBridge program. The program, designed to facilitate gap coverage as service members transition, allows them to partner with approved host companies for their last six months of active-duty service. It is a win-win because the military member continues to receive their normal pay and health benefits while getting acclimated with a host company to determine if it’s a good career fit. After I was approved for SkillBridge, I enrolled in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Program Office for the Hiring Our Heroes (HOH) Corporate Fellowship Program.”
What’s the Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program?
“The Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship Program partners with transitioning service members through the DoD Skillbridge program, it expands the resources available to members during the separation process. They offer services such as resume writing, interview preparation and assistance in connecting service members with potential host companies in the civilian sector as they prepare to separate.”
How did you learn about working at Travelers and land on a Travelers fellowship role?
“During the screening process, HOH does a mass resume release to potential host companies. I was contacted by the head military recruiter at Travelers who wanted to discuss the possibility of partnering up with me. His first question to me was, “Have you ever considered working in the insurance industry, and what do you know about Travelers?”
Truthfully, I hadn’t considered it. Given my training and experience, I thought that I would end up working as a civilian in the defense industry, but my wife and I knew we wanted to retire to Connecticut, so learning more about Travelers opportunities made sense.
My Travelers recruiter really went above and beyond for me. He reviewed my resume, discussed what I hoped to gain from my second career and then provided me a high-level overview of various positions within the company. I then interviewed with three different Travelers departments to get an idea of what would be interesting and beneficial to my career.”
What’s working at Travelers like? Describe the workplace culture.
Everyone that I have encountered at Travelers, both during my fellowship and since becoming a full-time employee generally cares about the personal well-being of the people at work. There seems to be a collective understanding that we are all important and that we play a part in a much bigger system, but it begins and ends with the individual and how they are feeling.
From wellness programs to financial benefits and adequate time off, people in managerial roles seem to be concerned with the people instead of the bottom-line.
What is your favorite part about working at Travelers?
“The work life balance. This is something that all service members understand and probably seek when it comes to employment after the military. It was extremely high on my list of what I valued when starting another career, and Travelers has more than delivered. Starting with the hybrid work schedule and resources afforded to employees and ending with engaged and caring leadership, this company has gone above and beyond to help me realize what I’ve always known in the back of my mind: that work life balance is an important aspect of professional life.
Additionally, Travelers places a high value on the skills and determination acquired through military service. Our leaders recognize and celebrate the distinct perspectives that veterans bring, appreciating their invaluable contributions to the team.”
What advice would you give to transitioning or currently serving military members thinking about their next career?
“Start planning early. The process to join the military took a lot of paperwork, and leaving the military can seem just as daunting. Fortunately, you can have the time to do it all, but you have to plan ahead. Different branches may have different requirements for members that are separating, but with advanced planning, identifying what needs to happen and working to align your schedule with any personal goals will make the entire process (and all the paperwork, screenings, and physicals) that much easier.”
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WHO WE ARE.
Travelers Predictive Modeling Competitions: Bridging Business Trends with Learning Experiences
The Travelers Enterprise Data & Analytics (ED&A) team recently held its ninth-annual Predictive Modeling Competition with record participation, yielding a winning model poised to enhance the understanding of auto bodily injury trends over time.
Hosted by Business Insurance (BI), the competition challenged teams to develop predictive models using internal policy-level and claim-level data. These models were aimed at providing accurate predictions and explanations to elucidate the drivers of trends within the business.
Kevin Zech, Senior Director and Data Scientist for BI, emphasized that the Modeling Competition isn’t just for data scientists.
“It’s a great learning experience for predictive modeling concepts, but also an excellent way to keep on top of the leading tools and technology in the industry,” he said.
Participants were given structured access to necessary tools and technologies, including gitlab repositories, clean datasets and cloud resources, enabling them to focus on the core task of building and refining models.
Claiming the top spot was team “import pandas as pd,” a nod to programming language Python. Consisting of Hansook Choi and Ben Veasey from ED&A, along with Will Duke from Claim, the team’s model identified key words and patterns indicative of complex and often costly claims.
Ben Veasey, Senior Associate Data Scientist with ED&A, highlighted the team’s approach of simplifying their model for easier optimization.
“We focused on delving into the data and crafting features that could better understand and rectify the data, leading to improved prediction of claim payouts,” he explained.
Despite being new to analyzing Claim Notes data, the team leveraged their experience in processing text data and building machine learning models to develop an automated, quantitative method for identifying claim issues.
Elvis Martinez, Director & Data Scientist for Personal Insurance, celebrated winning third place alongside fellow Take it EC teammate High Seng Chai. “The real win for me is the opportunity to collaborate outside my usual scope,” Elvis remarked. “Working with individuals like Chai allows me to learn from diverse ideas and approaches.”
The Predictive Modeling Competition is one of many initiatives hosted by Travelers to foster collaboration and innovation among employees to solve real-world business challenges. Over the years, outcomes from such events have influenced various products and procedures benefiting customers, employees and the insurance industry at large.
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Diversity Network Spotlight: Working Parents/Caregivers & Allies
Travelers recently announced its Working Parents/Caregivers & Allies Diversity Network (WPCADN) as one of its newest diversity networks available to employees.
The Working Parents/Caregivers & Allies Diversity Network (WPCADN) began in 2020 as an employee resource group and has now expanded to provide a forum for amplifying the resources and benefits available to employees who balance their professional roles with parenting, caregiving or both, and for connecting with colleagues in similar life situations.
Lisa Melillo, Group General Counsel of Personal Insurance at Travelers, currently serves as the Senior Advisor to the Working Parents/Caregivers & Allies Diversity Network.
“What we hear from our members is that this is really a community,” Melillo said, “It’s a safe space where people feel as though they can share their unique challenges that they’re going through with their parenting and caregiving responsibilities and know that they’ve got a village behind them that’s facing similar issues.”
The group holds monthly caregiver meetings, a monthly peer-to-peer support group for parents of LGBTQ+ youth as well as special topic speaker events and collaborative events with other diversity networks at Travelers.
“Our members really believe that our events are a combination of educational opportunities to learn about a specific topic and to understand it more deeply so that it can help them deal with their personal situation,” Melillo said.
The group was announced as a formal diversity network in the second half of 2023 and has grown to have almost 2,200 members as of spring 2024.
“We’ve created a really amazing group,” Melillo said, “Whether it’s quick recipes or places to get cheaper diapers or helping out with some of the baby formula shortages, they’ve found a place where they can feel as though they’re not going through things alone.”
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Try Something New to Boost Your Wellbeing
The holidays have ended, winter is ramping up and we only see the sun for a short time each day. Because of all that and more, the beginning of the year is a great time to make new goals for your wellbeing.
Instead of trying to make a change, our Europe Mental Health First Aiders recommend adding something new to your routine and life to boost your wellbeing and outlook on the year ahead. If you are looking for inspiration, members of our team shared activities that lifted their spirits. Perhaps their experiences may motivate you to try something new.
Alexa J.: “Learn a new language”
“I’ve been doing an evening course in French – it has been superbe! French was a subject I really enjoyed at school and I have always regretted not studying it further. I love the language, and although we don’t travel there often, I really wanted to be able to understand and converse more when we are there. After thinking about it for 25 years, I took the plunge and signed myself up for a virtual evening class. It’s been a lot harder than I thought, but I’ve really enjoyed it.”
Mike L.: “Return to an old hobby”
“As Monday night is the only weeknight that I am at home, I decided that I would get back into cycling. Almost every Monday, I get out on my bike with my best mate, and we cycle for 15 miles along the Trans Pennine Trail to Warrington. Then we sit in a pub, have one pint, talk about football and cycle home. It’s particularly brutal weather at this time of the year, but I love it.”
Helen W.: “Make new connections with like-minded people”
“I joined a crime book club last year, which has been lots of fun and got me back into reading fiction. We meet monthly to eat together and discuss a book. The subject matter might be a bit gruesome, but it’s been great meeting other crime fiction fans. Our latest book had a great twist, and next month we are getting a local crime author to come and do a Q&A with us.”
Antony S.: “Celebrate the small wins”
“Last year, I was dealing with some difficult issues with my parents and my son. I worked on being kind to myself and trying to keep challenges in perspective so that they didn’t overwhelm me. Something I found really helpful was enjoying simple pleasures and small wins when I got the opportunity, such as getting my dad out of the house for the first time in months or celebrating my son getting a ‘Shining Star’ award from college.”
Eloise G.: “Travel to a new destination or learn about one”
“My family hadn’t been abroad since before the pandemic, so we decided to go to a French island called Noirmoutier-en-l’Île in August. Even though we didn’t travel far, it felt surprisingly exotic, with beautiful beaches, lovely towns and lots of salt flats. Because the island is so flat, it is great for cycling around, which was a real highlight. My children (aged 11 and 13) absolutely loved it – especially going to the boulangerie every day to buy baguettes and getting a chance to try out their ‘school French’ in real life!”
Travelers Mental Health First Aiders are fellow employees who are professionally trained to provide support to colleagues that may need it. They are knowledgeable about Travelers Europe networks and benefits and can help guide employees as needed. They also offer general education and events to encourage us all to make our wellbeing a priority.
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My Travelers Journey – Amy Knowles
This article is part of an ongoing series to highlight our people by showcasing their path to Travelers, as well as their skills, interests and experiences.
Amy Knowles has built an impressive career at Travelers over the past 22 years, guided by a simple but powerful question: “Why not?”
When Amy joined Travelers as an Account Manager in Commercial Accounts in Phoenix, her manager supported her desire to go back to college. “Why not?” her manager would ask when Amy was unsure about taking on a new challenge. Amy finished her degree, supported by the Travelers Tuition Reimbursement Program, and saw new doors open. She also began to think differently: “If a senior leader has confidence in me, I probably should, too.”
When she had the opportunity to become a Director for Small Commercial in the Denver field office (because why not?), she worked as an Operations Director there for five years. And then, when asked if she wanted to move across the country to take on a different experience – Why not!
In one of her recent roles in Hartford, she was Operations Director for Small Commercial, managing six leaders, spanning four business units and 80 colleagues across the country.
“I like to empower my leadership team to ensure that our front-line employees feel supported and advocated for, removing obstacles, aligning our day-to-day operations with objectives and key results, and meeting our customers’ needs,” Amy says.
While changing roles to grow and advance is one method of career advancement, Amy says there are many avenues available at Travelers for employees to develop in their careers. “Your career path here is not just one single line. There are so many different opportunities in front of you. You really own your career, determining your own path based on how driven you are and how much you want to explore, try new things and continue to grow and develop yourself.”
Amy continued to pursue her “why not” themed career journey when she made one of her biggest career jumps in 2023. After 22 years in Operations, she made the leap to the Business Insurance Business Capabilities Office, where she leads the Process Engineering Team.
Aside from the day-to-day work on her team, Amy is a proud member of every Diversity Network and particularly enjoys events that involve cooking and sampling cuisines from different cultures. She also works with the Tech & Ops Leadership Development program, advocating for, coaching and mentoring future leaders.
“The people I work with across the organization are the best thing about Travelers – there’s such amazing talent. It’s great to feel that others are invested in my career as much as I am. The advocacy and support I’ve had here has been fantastic.”
When it comes to her personal timeline, 2001 was a banner year for Amy: It’s when she joined Travelers and when she married her husband, Trip, who was her childhood next-door neighbor. They’ve since had two children, Zach (19) and Ava (13), and live with their two dogs, Sammy and Maverick. The adventurous Knowles family loves escape rooms, taking cruises and traveling anywhere there’s a beach. Amy shares that she’s “very short” (five foot two) yet played volleyball in college.
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Travelers EDGE® Graduate Series – Belma Pehratović
In 2022, we marked the 15-year anniversary of Travelers EDGE® (Empowering Dreams for Graduation and Employment). Since 2007, Travelers EDGE has provided a unique, sustainable school-to-career pipeline for hundreds of students. As we mark this milestone anniversary, we look back on the extraordinary achievements our alumni have accomplished and the legacy they have left behind. We reached out to Travelers EDGE graduates to hear their stories and learn about the success they forged for themselves and their families.
“Strength in Diversity” – Belma Pehratović (2020 graduate)
“How you do one thing is how you do everything.”
That’s Belma Pehratović’s piece of advice for future Travelers EDGE scholars. Belma says Travelers EDGE instilled a sense of pride in her that she now carries with her everywhere.
“Travelers takes diversity and inclusion seriously,” Belma said. “And I take that seriously. They don’t just put their name on things and provide financial support – they foster their programs to be inclusive, impactful and helpful to those they affect.”
Belma is a first-generation refugee. She came to the U.S. in 2000 from Bosnia and Herzegovina and has lived in Hartford ever since. She learned about the Travelers EDGE program in her junior year of high school and made it her mission to be selected as a scholar.
The next summer she succeeded and started her first internship with Travelers.
After being selected as a Travelers EDGE scholar, Belma decided to attend the University of Connecticut (UConn), a Travelers EDGE partner school. Not only was she able to choose a school that was the right fit for her, but the program also helped her to choose without immense financial pressure.
“If it wasn’t for [Travelers] EDGE, I wouldn’t have been able to choose UConn,” she said. “The financial burden was lifted.”
Belma emphasizes that Travelers EDGE opened many doors for her but acknowledges that being a Travelers EDGE scholar is also a lot of work.
“We had to start college classes before everyone else through summer bridge programs,” she said. “We had monthly meetings and we constantly had to revise our resumes to ensure we stayed ready and prepared for the job we wanted.”
The program’s mentoring resources also helped sharpen her professional skills. This guidance helped her navigate her way through the corporate world, not just as an employee, but also as a woman working in technology.
“The mentorship that Travelers EDGE provides is great because it teaches you everything,” Belma said. “When I was in college, I struggled with finding mentors from similar backgrounds, that understood the challenges that come with being from a minority group. Travelers EDGE helped me see that the differences in my background can be my strength. I am happy to be here, and I am grateful to work in a company that celebrates and leverages my diversity.”
Belma now works at Travelers in PI as a Data Engineer on the Machine Learning Operations team within Data and Analytics and says she loves it. She reiterates how low the odds are for first-generation refugees to make it as far as she did. She often thinks about how different her life would have been if she had stayed in Bosnia, or if she had not been introduced to Travelers EDGE. This realization has shaped what success looks like to her.
“I didn’t have professional role models to look up to – now I have little cousins, ages five and eight, who follow everything I do,” she said. “Now, I measure my success in and outside of work by how good of an example I can set for them. You have to believe in yourself, trust your abilities, and set the tone for generations to come.”
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