WHO WE ARE.
Diversity Network Spotlight: Disability & Allies
In 2008, Travelers created Diversity Networks — voluntary organizations led by employees dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. Open to all employees, the networks help foster the retention, development and success of our employees through networking, mentorship and community volunteer opportunities.
We recently sat down with members of our Disability & Allies Diversity Network to learn more about the impact of their involvement.
Tara DiBilio
Claim Account Executive Tara DiBilio pours drive and passion into the Disability & Allies Diversity Network (D&A DN) at Travelers. Residing in Dallas, Texas, Tara has left an everlasting mark on the program.
The D&A DN originally caught her attention because of her degree in education and her interest in the neurodiverse community. She is now the Learning and Development Co-Lead for the D&A DN and currently spearheading an American Sign Language program for all eight Travelers Diversity Networks. She also attended the Disability:IN conference where she and two other employees accepted the DEI 100 Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion honor for the fifth year in a row on behalf of Travelers. She says the conference has expanded her knowledge and understanding to an even greater degree. Shortly after joining the D&A DN, Tara was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Her personal experience led her to create the MS group within the DN which serves as a support system for herself and other members that have or know loved ones with the condition. She says, “It created the desire in me to become much more involved.”
Since her enrollment, Tara says her involvement has completely changed her perspective on disabilities and everyday life. It’s become important to her to make sure that even newer members within the DN feel included enough to share the same sentiment. She assures, “I have a deeper understanding of the need to spread acceptance, empathy, and a safe place for everyone.”
Saphire Hathorne
State Product Director Saphire Hathorne, from Ricardson, Texas, connects her personal life to her participation in two Diversity Networks at Travelers.
As a black woman, she found a supportive community within the Black & African American & Allies Diversity Network that gave her a platform to discuss and overcome challenges in the workplace. Her firm commitment to our Disability & Allies Diversity Network originated from her desire to learn how to best prepare her son with Williams Syndrome for the corporate and social world post-high school. She says, “After he got out of high school it was very difficult for him to find a job, even though I knew the skillset he had.”
She is constantly inspired by working with others who face similar challenges to her son and do not let their disabilities hold them back from achieving their goals. She says, “I hope to one day see more employers realize that a person’s abilities are far more important in the workplace than their disability.”
Since joining the D&A DN, Saphire has developed strong relationships in and out of the company. She’s had the opportunity to be mentored by senior executives and finds it immensely rewarding to volunteer. She also had the chance to attend the Disability:IN conference amongst her peers.
Saphire reminds us, “We’re all human beings. Everybody has something to contribute to this world. I’m glad I have the opportunity to work for a company that encompasses values of people with different walks of life.”
Alan Wirkman
Though he is a loyal member of all eight Diversity Networks, Alan Wirkman has developed a personal and profound connection with Travelers’ Disability & Allies Diversity Network. Appointed affinity coach of the D&A DN, he is constantly creating new strategies to make a difference.
As a parent with a child that has a neurodiverse disability, Alan was motivated to learn more about how to support his family at home and at work. He says, “You spend most of your days at work and the people that you work with become a part of your family. It’s important to understand the challenges they have and to learn about experiences that you may share.”
Alan’s leadership position within the DN has allowed him to grant and receive incredible opportunities. He recently attended the Disability:IN conference. At the conference, he was able to interview people with disabilities and prepared them for a successful job interview. Alan says, “We have to be understanding of accommodations. We need more people comfortable with sharing the accommodations they need. It’ll change our culture, and we will continue to have some really strong talent.”
Alan continues to grow his awareness within the disability community. As a parent, a colleague, a mentor, and a leader, he understands that his support and compassion towards others can foster change and create a safe place in the world and the workplace for people with disabilities to be unapologetically themselves.
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WHO WE ARE.
Diversity Network Spotlight: Asian & Allies
In 2008, Travelers created Diversity Networks — voluntary organizations led by employees dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. Open to all employees, the networks help foster the retention, development and success of our employees through networking, mentorship and community volunteer opportunities.
Learning & Development Lead for the Asian & Allies Diversity Network (A&A DN), Susan M., as well as A&A DN member Varsha D. share their stories of moving to the U.S., growing up, and ultimately finding a community at Travelers.
Susan M.’s Story
“I was born in Taiwan and moved to the northeast United States with my parents and two brothers when I was ten years old. My story is similar to many Asians who moved here at a young age. Learning English and a new culture was a challenge for all of us.
Growing up, I was treated differently at school and in public for just looking Asian. Kids would make gestures pulling their eyes back or pretend to “Kung Fu chop” me with made up sounds poking fun. It became easier to blend in with the people around me than to show my Asian-ness. At that age, it was all about figuring out where and how I could belong. Over time, assimilating to the Western culture made it easier to box up my Asian history and put it away.
When I went to California for college, I experienced a huge culture shock. People all around me were minorities made up of many cultures. I began to notice how much my sense of identity had strayed.
I received my nursing degree and later joined Travelers in 1995. When the formal creation of our Diversity Networks was announced, I had the chance to mingle with other Asian colleagues. I started networking, getting involved, and mentoring others. I reconnected with my community and expanded my range of cultural awareness. Through story-telling, I was lucky to create friendships with employees across all of the countries in Asia, not just my own.
The Asian & Allies Diversity Network has allowed me to become a better mentor, it has allowed me to engage, and it has allowed me to be comfortable as an Asian. Finding my story was so important and with the opportunities to connect and share, it gave me back a true sense of belonging. I rediscovered my Asian voice in an unexpected way. Finding your voice is another way of opening yourself up to the world. It creates a ripple effect that inspires and empowers others to do the same.”
Varsha D.’s story
“I moved to the United States from India when I was 11 years old. We were the only Indians on our street and because of that, we were bullied throughout childhood. It wasn’t easy growing up in a place where you don’t look like everyone else.
In my career, I never quite found a place to connect with others like me until I joined the Asian & Allies Diversity Network at Travelers. In 2018, I went to speed networking event hosted by the DN. I enjoyed it and wanted to get more involved. Six months later, I saw that another speed networking event was coming up. I asked if the committee needed help planning, and now I have been on the committee for the past four years.
Joining a Diversity Network has meant getting outside of my comfort zone, gaining courage and finding a community at Travelers. I’ve grown so much, both personally and professionally. I have gotten the chance to meet people from different backgrounds and learn about their cultures, I’ve expanded my career network, improved my public speaking and I’ve been able to meet senior leaders across the company. I think that it’s very important for people to know that Travelers has this opportunity and that they can easily get involved. If you open up the door, it’s up to you how far you’d like to go.”
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WHO WE ARE.
Turn Your Passion into a Career
Tara Kennedy, Claim Customer Services Vice President, has been at Travelers for almost three decades strong. Starting out as a Claim professional trainee, Tara learned about all lines of business and had the opportunity to network and learn skills that she would adapt to work with anyone. After serving in several different roles at Travelers, Tara now leads the Claim Customer Services organization.
According to Tara, the learning didn’t end with her first role. “Through hard work, curiosity and taking risks, I continue to learn through roles with increased complexity and responsibility,” she says.
When asked to give her top three reasons why somebody should join the Claim Customer Services organization at Travelers, Tara says:
- You will be at the heart of our promise to secure, respect and care for our customers when they need us the most.
- Your path forward is yours to create, and we’ll be there very step of the way. From extensive coaching to hands-on training, your career aspirations and development are a team priority.
- You develop and practice skills that are transferrable in just about every position at Travelers.
“I lead a group of diverse, talented professionals,” Tara said, “We look for hard working, customer-passionate people who want to help our customers after they experienced a personal or professional loss.” Tara says.
One of those talented professionals is Kim Tallard, who currently serves as a Claim Operations Specialist after starting her career at Travelers as a Claim Customer Service Representative.
“The role gave me the opportunity to grow my career within Travelers,” Kim says, “Applying my prior knowledge as a Claim Customer Service representative helped greatly with my transition to the Operations Specialist role I’m currently in.”
Tara and Kim both turned their passion for others into a career, finding growth and opportunity along the way. Their stories are another example of the Travelers Promise – taking care of our customers, communities and each other.
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WHO WE ARE.
Celebrating Advancement: Kourtney Mason Becomes Regional Director for Claim Account Executives
Kourtney Mason, Auto Liability Claim Manager, recently accepted a position as Regional Director for Claim Account Executives at Travelers. As she transitioned into the role in March 2022, we sat down with Kourtney to discuss her thoughts on this significant moment, her passion for diversity, equity and inclusion as well as her dedication to one other area of passion and servitude – mental health.
How long have you been at Travelers and what led up to this moment?
“I have been with Travelers for over 10 years. I’ve been a manager in the Claim organization for a little over seven and a half years. I’ve always wanted to serve in a higher level of leadership, which would be a Director role. This Regional Director opportunity came up and I just went for it. I felt like I could add value.”
Tell us about that moment when you learned you were to become a Regional Director for Claim Account Executives at Travelers.
“To be honest, I’m still trying to process so many emotions and come up with a good way to say how I feel but I’m just still so overwhelmed. I’ve been explaining to people that when you come from a background like mine, a person of color and, more specifically, a Black woman, you have dreams and you go for things but there is still a part of you that isn’t sure if you totally believe in yourself. So, when the moment happened, it was so surreal.”
How does diversity, equity and inclusion roll up into your leadership style?
“To me, diversity, equity and inclusion is far beyond race and ethnicity. It’s gender identity, sexual orientation, age, neurodiversity, there are so many different lanes. So, I’ve always had the leadership style of including everybody, making sure everyone feels they are a part of the team, and adapting my leadership style to whoever I’m with. Having one static leadership style won’t relate to everyone; it needs to be dynamic and adaptive. It’s about being authentic, being genuine, listening, and having empathy. I lead with this at work but it’s not very different from who I am at home, at church, at the grocery store or anywhere else. It’s who I am at my core.”
You’ve noted that mental health is something else you are very passionate about. Can you tell us more?
“Personally, I am very open about having anxiety. It took me several years to understand that I had it, but once I did and I began to unlearn the conditioning and pressure from my upbringing, it opened up a whole world for me. I thought, if I feel this way, I can’t imagine the percentage of the population I’m leading that also feels this way.
I co-lead a Diversity and Inclusion/Community Action group within Claim and for several years I wanted to have a platform to discuss mental health. My leaders supported me and gave me that platform and now we host panels and conversations where people can share their stressors, what they’re doing to cope and understand that they are not alone in their mental health journey.
If we understand what those around us are going through, we can create empathy and lead each other through it. If we ignore that people are dealing with life outside of work, we aren’t reaching them. Mental health shouldn’t be a taboo topic and I think if we keep fostering an open and safe environment, we’ll find that we’re all uniquely made, and we all deserve the resources and support.”
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
“I am just so grateful and blessed. I never thought I’d be where I am today, working in insurance, but here I am. Travelers is a place for everyone, and I mean that. Whether you are an attorney, an actuary, a nurse, you love math, you love science, you simply care for people, whatever it may be, there is a whole world within this company that will support who you are and what you do. The resources and the support are here. There is a place for you at Travelers.”
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WHO WE ARE.
Adventures in Architecture at Travelers
Stephen Brand, Senior Director of Architecture on our Enterprise Architecture and Emerging 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
In the new year, I took some time to reflect on my career journey and how it has led me to my current position. Being in the technology industry, 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, thus far, 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 already started its own agile, digital and cloud transformations. Whether working on the latest cloud technologies, using machine learning to analyze customer correspondence 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.
Supporting Parents and Caregivers through Self-Care and Wellness
Let’s Get Moving
The power of supporting parents and caregivers isn’t just a movement – it will get you moving. For many of us, self-care continues to be a top priority. Travelers’ Working Parent & Caregiver Resource Group introduced its latest event with excitement, focusing on employee balance through mental and physical health for everyday living. Employee Joelle Rees walked our parents and caregivers through a 20-minute ‘Balance of Opposite Forces’ class that included strengthening, stretching and meditation right from the comfort of our home office!
Say Hello to Joelle Rees, your ‘Balance of Opposite Forces’ instructor
Joelle Rees is one of our talented employees in our Claim Operations organization out of the Ontario, CN office. Joelle was on the Canadian National Gymnastics Team and competed internationally for Team Canada. In 2000, she competed as a Junior in the Pan American Games in Brazil and in 2001, she went to the World Championships in Ghent, Belgium. After her gymnastics career, Joelle worked for Imagination Entertainment and was an Acrobat in Cirque De La Mer at Sea World in San Diego.
Joelle’s passion for the arts led her to continue her journey in teaching and coaching. She has taught both competitive and recreational dance as well as coached gymnastics and sports aerobics to children for many years. Joelle is a certified personal trainer, working with adults and designing sport-specific programming for children. In addition to instructing the ‘Balance of Opposite Forces’ class, Joelle has hosted virtual dance parties for the children of the Working Parent & Caregiver Resource Group.
The Power of Travelers is Us
It is because of passionate people like Joelle that this voluntary organization can provide a supportive environment for parents and caregivers. At Travelers, we are all committed to helping our employees be healthy and productive in every aspect of life. The Working Parent & Caregiver Resource Group is just one of the many resources available to all employees and temporary employees at Travelers. Some of the additional resources include:
- Comprehensive benefits package on day one of employment
- Life Balance program available to you and your household family members
- And More!
If interested, learn more about our exciting career opportunities here.
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WHO WE ARE.
What Does Sustainability Mean at Travelers?
Yafit Cohn is Travelers’ first Chief Sustainability Officer, responsible for leading environmental, social and governance (ESG) efforts across the company. Under her leadership and through extensive research and comprehensive conversations with investors and senior individuals across the company – we identified 16 drivers of sustained value, which are discussed on our sustainability website. Each driver contributes to our long-term value, and each is essential to our ability to remain competitive and deliver on the Travelers Promise.
What does sustainability mean to Travelers?
Travelers takes a holistic view of sustainability; we believe that a company’s long-term value creation depends not only on its financial strategy but also on the way it manages various economic, environmental, and social factors.
We recognize that our long-term success requires that we do three things successfully:
- Perform today
- Transform tomorrow
- Make good on the Travelers Promise and fulfill our promise to our customers, communities, and employees – take care of each other
Why is it important for Travelers to put a greater focus on these efforts?
Customers, employees, and prospective hires have been showing greater interest in sustainability-related information. For us, it’s a no-brainer. Showcasing our drivers of sustained value is key to explaining our core belief that our long-term success depends not only on our business strategy and competitive advantages but also on keeping our promise. Only by faithfully keeping the Travelers Promise will we earn the support of key stakeholders essential to creating shareholder value. And only by successfully creating shareholder value will we earn the resources we need to keep the Travelers Promise. One is not possible without the other.
How will Travelers track and quantify the success of our sustainability efforts?
Our success will be apparent when our stakeholders appreciate Travelers’ deeply rooted recognition that long-term success depends on a commitment to all stakeholders. For us, sustainability is not a branding exercise — it’s how we conduct business and create shareholder value.
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Cancer Survivor’s Story of Strength
Kimberly H., Senior Sales Executive at Travelers, went in for a routine colonoscopy in January 2021 and left the appointment with the news that she had stage 4 colon cancer.
“I remember waking up and finding out,” Kimberly said, “I was shocked. These things always happen to someone else, never to you. I had been healthy my entire career.”
In 2019, Kimberly’s doctor had recommended she get the scan the following year as typical proactive health protocol. With the COVID-19 pandemic in full force in 2020, Kimberly pushed the appointment off. When her doctor found out, he urged her to go in 2021. “I called my doctor right after I found out the news and thanked him,” Kimberly explained, “If he hadn’t been so professionally demanding, I probably would’ve put it off for another year.”
Doctors quickly discovered that the cancer had already spread to Kimberly’s lungs. She underwent two surgeries to remove as much as possible and was assigned six months of chemotherapy post-op. “I was fortunate to only have to go through six months of chemo,” Kimberly said, “I saw stage 4 patients who were assigned 12 months ongoing. I had bought two wigs thinking I’d lose all my hair. I didn’t. I was lucky in many ways.”
Kimberly was on medical leave for nine months during treatment and is now in No Evidence of Disease (NED) status, also called remission. She is back at work, assisting Travelers’ agents and doing what she loves.
When asked how she stayed resilient during that time, Kimberly smiled. “My team and insurance industry partners were amazing,” she recalled, “They sent me cards, flowers, emails, prayers, meals – an overwhelming amount of support. Halfway through my chemo treatments my husband said we needed a bigger refrigerator to hold all the cards!”
It wasn’t just the emotional support that assisted Kimberly during this difficult time. It was the financial support as well. “Long-term disability is a benefit that you never think you will use,” Kimberly said, “I was so grateful that I had it. I didn’t have to worry about my job or my income while I was out. I could just focus on my health.”
Travelers’ comprehensive benefits program offers short- and long-term disability coverage, medical, dental and vision plans, paid time off, 401k Savings Program with company match and so much more. “The company has been great to work with,” Kim reflected, “During my leave, they reached out and helped me understand the LTD process, file paperwork, and even connected me with cancer support groups after treatment. I am one of the biggest advocates for our benefits package. I’m so thankful for my colleagues, my agents and for Travelers.”
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WHO WE ARE.
THE POWER OF BEING TRUE TO YOURSELF
In this Power of Travelers Is Us video, you will meet Jhavier L., a Software Engineer at Travelers.
While he understands and values the importance of sharing his authentic self at work, it has been a journey to grow his comfort level. He attributes his Travelers managers and mentors for guiding him along the way.
“Being earlier in my career, I don’t want to overstep or make anyone feel uncomfortable and I’m trying to kind of like find the space between which parts of myself should I leave at home,” Jhavier says in the video. Throughout his career under the umbrella, his membership of the Travelers Pride and Allies Diversity Network facilitated mentor relationships that encouraged him to be more open with his team.
“[My mentor] is teaching me that you bring your entire self to work. So I think the true benefit of Travelers as a whole, even outside of the diversity networks, is that you still have spaces on your day-to-day job with your main team where you can feel comfortable and share who you are.”
Within an inclusive community and with the guidance Jhavier has received, he has found Travelers to be a company where he can grow his technology career and a workplace culture that invites all unique ideas, perspectives and people to the table.
“[My mentor] has helped me to understand the importance of being seen and visible so that people would have more respect for your identity in different spaces.”
Watch the full video to hear more about Jhavier’s journey.
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