RIMS Conferences

Thanks to the $5,000 donation from the LA Chapter of Risk and Insurance Management Society (LA RIMS), six Matadors below have been awarded $850 each to attend the RISKWORLD Conference in San Diego, May 5-8, 2024.

Six award recipients: Reese Jovellanos, Erin Hinkley, Justin Martine, Joseph Minahan, David Jingozian, and Max Aguilera-Bachmann. In addition, Daniel Felix also joined the team at the conference. 

Day 1 (5/6/24): Seven CSUN students expanded their horizons at the conference, enriching their understanding of real-life risk management practices by meeting with the Disney Risk Management team: Sharon Antinoja, Corinne Keglevic, Kathryn Christensen, and Jennifer Dominguez, ARM.

In addition, the CSUN team is appreciative of the support from L A RIMS that its scholarships made this learning trip real. In the picture with Scott Ritto ARM RIMS-CRMP, we showed two hand signs of "L" and "A" in our appreciation for his years of support of the CSUN RMI program.

Feel free to leave Day-1 feedback on LinkedIn. 

Day 2 (5/7/24): Lindsey Harris, J.D., ARM empowered the team with her incredible stories on how she almost tripled her RM team from 10+ to 30+ members at Dollar Tree Stores, while Kris Kelly shared the skills she learned from her previous jobs in her new role as a RM director. In a tour of the FM Global booth, Rick Becker and Adam Koonce helped us better understand the focus strategy taken by the company, along with Sean Bishoff (Matador).

Right after the student speed networking luncheon, Nathan Carter(Matador) of AIG took time to open our
In the late afternoon, Peter M. Enos(Matador) kindly invited the team to the Gallagher place, sharing his journey from a music major to an RMI professional, and teaching us a special hand sign for a Matador. The day was concluded at the Bermuda reception party, while we were indulged in the live songs! It was a busy but productive day.

 Feel free to leave Day-2 feedback on LinkedIn. 

Day 3 (5/8/24): Jessica Montero(Matador) of Starr Insurance embraced the CSUN team with her warm hospitality on the last day of the conference, along with her underwriting colleagues: David Herskowitz, CPCU and Mohsen Ali. It was our privilege to learn from their underwriting careers in such a relaxing environment at the Gaslamp Breakfast Company. A hand sign of love on the photo gestures our profound appreciation for Jessica’s beautiful heart!

Feel free to leave Day-3 feedback on LinkedIn.  

Testimonials from students (Click on the name for the link to the LinkedIn post)

• Daniel Felix: "3 days full of pure joy. RISKWORLD 2024 in San Diego last week was a blast! This conference showed me the true scale of the risk management and insurance industry and the passionate professionals who reside in it. It is sometimes hard to visualize how exciting and inviting this industry can be and attending a conference like this illuminates that fact. Thank you to my professor and friend Shane Chang and all those who gave me and my classmates their time and support throughout the conference. I also want to thank RIMS for supporting Matadors and providing us with these opportunities!" 
• David Jingozian: "Beyond grateful that I had the opportunity to attend #riskworld! Speaking with professionals in the industry and gaining insight is priceless. I would like to personally thank Shane Chang for granting us the opportunity to be there and guiding us along the way! It was a great conference and I can’t wait to experience more!" (5/14/2024)
• Reese Jovellanos: "Excited to share that I recently attended the Risk World Conference in San Diego! It was an incredible experience filled with insightful sessions and valuable networking opportunities. I'm truly grateful for the chance to learn from industry leaders and connect with fellow professionals. A special thank you to Shane Chang and Scott Ritto ARM RIMS-CRMP for making this opportunity possible. Your support and guidance have been instrumental in my professional journey. Looking forward to applying the knowledge gained and continuing to grow in the risk management field!" (5/14/2024)
• Justin Martine: "I'm thrilled to share that I recently attended the Risk World Conference in San Diego, which was a fantastic experience packed with enlightening sessions and excellent networking opportunities. I'm immensely grateful to Shane Chang and Scott Ritto ARM RIMS-CRMP, for their support and guidance, which have been crucial in my professional journey. The insights and connections I've gained are invaluable, and I'm eager to apply this newfound knowledge and continue advancing in the field of risk management. Thank you again to Shane for making this possible and for your mentorship along the way. I'm looking forward to more experiences like this at future conferences!" (5/14/2024)
• Erin Hinkley: "Forever grateful for the opportunity to spend 4 days learning more about the amazing career choice of Risk Management and Insurance. I was lucky enough to have to opportunity to attend RiskWorld 2024 in San Diego this past week thanks to LA RIMS Rising Risk Professionals #larimsrrp. I would like to especially thank Shane Chang and Scott Ritto ARM RIMS-CRMP for this amazing experience. I had the chance to speak with many inspiring and passionate professionals who shared important advice and stories from their own personal experience. This truly the most educational and rewarding 4 days in San Diego." (5/14/2024)
• Max Aguilera-Bachmann: "I had the pleasure of participating in the Risk World Conference in San Diego recently, an enlightening event brimming with valuable insights and networking prospects. I extend my heartfelt appreciation to Shane Chang and Scott Ritto ARM RIMS-CRMP for their invaluable support. I'm also deeply grateful for the connections I've made and the generosity of those who have shared their expertise and time with me. This conference shed light on the dynamic and welcoming nature of the risk management and insurance sector, and I'm eager to implement the knowledge gained as I progress in this field." (5/18/2024) 
• Joseph Minahan: "I am grateful for the opportunity to have attended the RiskWorld Conference in San Diego from May 5th-8th alongside my peers and professor, Dr. Shane Chang of California State University, Northridge. This opportunity expanded both my network and perspective with the help of various professionals we met with and speaking engagements attended. A special thanks to Scott Ritto ARM RIMS-CRMP who arranged a donation to CSUN's RMI program, sponsoring this experience for us! I have found the insurance industry to be an incredibly welcoming place for myself as a student and I am incredibly grateful for the RMI early career organizations like LA RIMS Rising Risk Professionals #larimsrrp and the Spencer Educational Foundation for bringing us together." (5/18/2024)

- The End -

Karin Adamian and Daniel Felix have been awarded a sponsorship from LA RIMS to attend the conference. A happy, unexpected gathering of six Matadors in the hallway of the Hythe Hotel where the RIMS Western Regional Conference is held in Vail, CO (Oct. 4-6, 2023). 

Bill Ortgiesen shared his leadership experiences at Allied World with Karin Adamian and Daniel Felix--two CSUN students sponsored by LA RIMS to participate in this meeting. Bill also said that Aysia Yang, a recent CSUN graduate, joined his team this spring.

In addition, both Angela Avakian and Christine Watkins are CSUN alums, working as a team at ESIS, Inc.- A Chubb Company. Both enriched Daniel and Karin with sky-high career opportunities in this field. The CSUN RMI program is grateful to LA RIMS for its sponsorship that made this photo possible!

Feel free to leave your feedback on LinkedIn. 

CSUN team was pleased to meet with Jessica (Souza) Montero, a Matador, at a networking reception at Deca-Bol on Oct. 5, 2023.

As Regional Underwriting Manager at Starr Insurance Companies, she gave Karin and Daniel a role model as they are about to join the labor market for their careers. 

 Below are the key takeaways from two sponsored students.  

• "Attending the RIMS 2023 Western Regional Conference as a sponsored CSUN student was a phenomenal experience from start to finish. It was a privilege getting introduced to and connecting with so many positive and insightful professionals in the risk management and insurance industry. As a student considering a fulfilling career in this field, I find the unique advice and experiences they shared with me invaluable and well-appreciated as I prepare to enter the job force after graduation.  I am grateful that I got to further build upon my network and knowledge by creating connections with like-minded students from other universities and engaging in educational seminars alongside them. Thank you to Dr. Chang and LA RIMS for giving me the opportunity of a lifetime. I feel very blessed to have represented CSUN at RIMS WRC and hope to leave a lasting legacy in the years to come." Karin Adamian
• "Attending the RIMS Western Regional Conference was the pinnacle of my academic career as an RMI student and something that I would encourage all to take part in. What you learn in class is without a doubt valuable, but it is only one part of it all because the risk management industry, like so many other industries, has a focus on relationships. Life is about relationships, and it is conferences like these that help establish those connections and foster those rewarding life-long relationships. From meeting friendly professionals and listening to their experiences on the risk management frontier to becoming enlightened by former Matadors, the entire experience was phenomenal! Putting all these talented people in a room together makes for conversations that have the power to change the world and push the way for innovation. As a student of this industry, becoming a part of those conversations made for an unforgettable experience. Between taking risk management classes with Dr. Chang and Dr. Russell combined with doing a summer internship at an insurance brokerage left me with questions that only these kinds of professionals could answer. They provided me with career knowledge and job market insights that I would not be able to get anywhere else and for that I am forever grateful. Meeting other RMI students from universities across the West was exciting and I have made life-long connections with other rising risk professionals that I will always cherish. I would like to thank LA RIMS and Dr. Chang for providing me with this opportunity along with all the sponsors who helped make this conference possible. Thank you to all those who give back to students and provide us with these experiences to help accelerate our careers!" Daniel Felix

Eight CSUN students receive LA RIMS Scholarships to attend the RIMS annual conference in Denver, 2020.

This event was canceled later because of the pandemic. 

Each of them, the fifth-generation of LA RIMS Scholarship recipients at CSUN, receives a $1,000 award funded by the donation from LA RIMS Chapter.

Scholarship Recipients of the RIMS Conference 2020 in Denver 

• Lindsey Ariza
• Christopher Becerra  
• Ron Ewart      
• Miguel Flores
• Mkrtich Gevorgyan   
• Adrian Martinez        
• Mary Petikyan
• Jada Rozelle

Six CSUN students receive LA RIMS Scholarships to attend the RIMS annual conference in Boston, along with Dr. Mu-Sheng Chang (Apr. 28 - May 1, 2019).

Each of them, the fourth-generation of LA RIMS Scholarship recipients at CSUN, receives a $1,500 award funded by the donation from LA RIMS Chapter.

Several professionals below spent time sharing these CSUN students with the beauty of this risk management and insurance profession. 

• Jeff Stolle, President, LA RIMS chapter; Director - Risk Management, Castle & Cooke, Inc.
• Vincent Monasterky, VP, Fox Entertainment
• Christal Warner, AVP, Paul Davis
• John Barrett, Chairman, Aon West
• Courtney Claflin, Executive Director of Captive Programs, UC
• Patrick Novack, Senior Risk Analyst, Avery Dennison Corp.
• Riki Nieman, VP, CNA Insurance
• Paula Mannion, Product Leader Umbrella & Excess, CNA Insurance
• Katherine Malley, AVP, Swiss Re
• Sean Bishoff, Western Regional Manager, AFM – FM Global (CSUN alum)
• Scott Ritto, VP, Kilroy Realty Corp.
• Byron Stufken, Senior Analyst, Fox Entertainment
• Greg Steffon, Business Development Director, AIG

Testimonials from these six students are as follows (in progress).

• "Receiving a scholarship from the CSUN Center for Risk Management and Insurance, sponsored by the LA RIMS Chapter, was the ultimate opportunity and gift. Not only was this the perfect opportunity to attend seminars and learn from leaders of the industry, but a great chance to network with successful and knowledgeable professionals. I would like to thank the professionals that we met throughout the conference, as the connections are invaluable, and so was the insight that they gave us. It is not common to see genuine interest in a young person's career, but I have met so many risk and insurance professionals at the RIMS 2019 Conference, that genuinely want to learn about and help students. I look forward to lasting relationships with the great people that I was able to meet! Attending RIMS 2019 has only increased my drive to become a successful professional in the industry, and hopefully one day I will be able to give back to future students, and help contribute to provide the opportunities that I have been given. Thank you to Dr. Chang, Dr. Russell and the LA RIMS chapter for this experience, as it would not have been possible without them. Anyone interested in risk and insurance should want to attend the RIMS Conference!" Domonique Aguilera
• “RIMS 2019 in Boston was such a memorable experience! We got to meet so many wonderful professionals who took the time from their busy schedules to share their wealth of knowledge with us. I’m beyond grateful that I had the chance to gain such insight and wisdom from some of the best professionals in the business. This experience reaffirmed my passion and desire to continue my journey in the field of insurance and risk management. When I first arrived, I was nervous, my confidence was low because I was surrounded by so many amazing individuals who are great at what they do, but as time went on, I found myself connecting and learning from individuals who shared their experiences with me and in doing so, I gained the confidence in myself – that I am good enough and on the right path. I would like to thank Dr. Chang, Dr. Russell and LA RIMS for giving us this amazing opportunity to be a part of such an unforgettable experience! I admire Dr. Chang and Dr. Russel for their passion and dedication in making sure their students succeed and I’m forever grateful for that.” Tatyana Simpson
• "It has been both an honor and a pleasure to attend the RIMS 2019 Annual Conference & Exhibition in Boston. I would like to thank MuSheng "Shane" Chang, David T. Russell, Ph.D., and LA RIMS for making this opportunity possible. I would like to extend an additional thank you to all of the professionals that I had the privilege to speak with over the course of the week. Your kindness, words of encouragement, and advice have meant a lot to me as I begin to navigate the waters towards a career in Risk Management." Alec Plotkin
• "Thank you RIMS 2019 for this amazing opportunity! I am astonished by the many opportunities the risk management/ insurance industry offers. This event has made me feel even more excited about pursuing my career in insurance. Meeting professionals from around the world allowed me to network and learn more about the industry. The industry is growing and there are many opportunities for everyone. I would recommend anyone interested in the industry to attend the conference. I sincerely would like to thank CSUN and LA RIMS for the amazing opportunity that was given to the six of us at Boston, MA. This has been one long lasting experience!" Stephanie Pinedo
• "RIMS2019 was one of the most memorable trips of a lifetime experienced. I have worked in the insurance industry for 13 years, but I never had a chance to attend RIMS conference.  Also, attending the conference gave me the opportunity to network with professionals with all aspect of the Insurance and Risk Management industry, as well as allowing me to create friendships that will last for a long time. I highly recommend all future students who are interested in Insurance and Risk Management to take full advantage of this opportunity!" Nancy Assenga-Usude
• "I would like to say thanks, as well, to Professor Russell, MuSheng "Shane" Chang and LA RIMS for providing all of us the opportunity to attend the RIMS conference in Boston this year. It was great to meet all these professionals and learn from their advice and experiences. The conference was a terrific chance to hear about all the different opportunities in the insurance and risk management fields as well as make valuable connections for the future. Thanks again to CSUN and LA RIMS." Eli Fogel

The CSUN team had a good time at the RIMS 2019 Opening Reception in Lucky Strike Social Club. Thanks to Jeff Stolle of LA RIMS Chapter president and Ryan Elkas of FM Global, the team was invited to the FM Global Monday Night Event on Monday, April 29, at the Black Falcon Terminal. The evening included cocktails and a buffet followed by a private concert by Sheryl Crow. 

Hundreds of corporate booths in the Exhibition Hall. 

The photo of Eli, Nance, and Alec is highlighted on the website of RIMS 2020 in Denver. 

Four awarded CSUN students meet Riki Nieman of CNA Insurance (fourth from left), Mark Nieman of Lockton (fourth from right), and Gary Nesbit of Young Life (second from right) along with Dr. Shane Chang at RIMS annual conference in San Antonio (Apr. 15-18, 2018).

Each of the students, the third-generation of LA RIMS Scholarships recipients at CSUN, receives a $1,000 scholarship funded by the LA RIMS donation.

Their understanding of the risk and insurance industry substantially increases as they shared their testimonials below:

• "The 2018 RIMS conference was the best place to network for someone who is interested in pursuing a career in insurance or risk management. It gave me a valuable opportunity to connect and learn from professionals in the industry. I am grateful to CSUN and LA RIMS for giving me this opportunity in San Antonio. It was an experience I will never forget!" Amy Cronkhite  
• "The RIMS conference should be at the top of the list for students who are interested in a risk management career. It gave us insight into the industry that would be impossible to learn in a classroom setting. Not only did we learn from professionals in the field, but it allowed us to network and build lasting relationships that will help us in our future endeavors. It was one of the best educational experiences I've had. I can't thank the CSUN's Center for Risk & Insurance, LA RIMS, and everyone else who helped make this happen enough. You guys rock!" Edmond Petrosyan
• "This was one of the most memorable trips of my life. I highly recommend any future students who are interested in risk management/insurance to take advantage of this opportunity. You get to learn more about the industry while getting a jump start to building relationships with professionals in the field. The connections I have made will carry on past my time at CSUN. I would like to thank RIMS and CSUN for this great experience." Cody Sanders
• "RIMS2018 was such a wonderful experience! This industry is full of opportunities and has so much to offer. Students interested in this field must join the RIMS society to get an in-depth view of the Risk Management world. I want to thank all of the Executives we met over the course of this event for being so kind, and generous with their words of wisdom. We are very blessed to have been able to attend such an event and have this type of hands-on experience. I also wanted to thank the LA RIMS chapter for the donations provided to allow us to make it to San Antonio. We were all able to network with Professionals and managed to learn from each of them. Thank you!" Steve Barzegar
  

CSUN team with Maling Huang, a board member of the LA RIMS Chapter. 

Companies showcase their services and products at the exhibition hall.  

Nazarian College students with Maling Huang of Newegg (third from left) and Dr. Mu-Sheng Chang at the RIMS 2017 Annual Conference in Philadelphia, PA (Apr. 23-26, 2017).

Ms. Huang, a board member of the LA RIMS, kindly invited matadors to network with professionals at the "Big Event" party hosted by WillisTowersWatson on April 24, 2017.  

Each participating student receives an LA RIMS scholarship of $1,100 to attend this conference.

Below is the feedback on their trip from these participating students:

(Their testimonials also appear in the LA RIMS Newsletter Summer 2017.)

• “The 2017 RIMS conference has been one of my most memorable experiences during my time as a CSUN student.  Attending the conference has afforded me the opportunity to network with professionals from all facets of the insurance and risk management industry, as well as allowing me to create friendships that will last a lifetime!” Jared Nassaney
• “The conference is a "must" for any student interested in Insurance/Risk Management. It gave me a better insight into the industry and the endless opportunities available. Also, it was a great platform to network and build relationships with industry professionals. Overall, it was a wonderful learning experience and opportunity.” Romeo Lasam
• "My experience at the RIMS conference was very enlightening. It was much more than learning about Risk Management, but also gave me more insight into the different types of careers in this industry. Everyone I spoke to was incredibly helpful. I received a lot of advice on routes I should take in the future, and I made many connections that would be more than happy to help me after I graduate from CSUN. I want to thank you so much again for allowing me the opportunity to travel to Philadelphia. It was one of the best trips I have taken." Hillary Stargardter 
• "Attending RIMS 2017 in Philadelphia reaffirmed my decision to pursue a career in insurance. Professionals and students from all over the country came into this one space with different backgrounds and it was extremely inspiring to learn about everyone's journeys. There were so many networking opportunities and I met many successful individuals excited about sharing their knowledge with students. I grew both professionally and personally and am so grateful to CSUN and RIMS for the opportunity!" Hasena Nazarzai

 Nazarian College students with Dr. Mu-Sheng Chang at the RIMS 2016 Annual Conference in San Diego (Apr. 10-13, 2016)

Each participating student receives an LA RIMS scholarship of $750 to attend this conference.

 Following are the testimonials from these participating students:

• "I am extremely thankful I was chosen to attend the Conference. I was able to not only learn more about the insurance industry but network with experienced professionals who were willing to give us great advice." Cindy Vazquez
• "Attending RIMS conference 2016 was a true learning experience that allowed me to broaden my horizon in risk management. I also learned about how large scale businesses and industries manage different forms of risks by either retaining or transferring." Nandika Hettiarachchi
• "RIMS was an amazing experience. I met with risk management and insurance professionals, who gave me great advice. I am so blessed to have such an incredible opportunity to network, explore, and learn. Plus, I won the passport trek in which RIMS gave me $2,500." Edwin Franiak
• "I was shocked by how much I did not know about insurance. I enjoyed the fact that the students were not treated any differently than the professionals and that we all got to learn and network together." Milana Medvedeva