In this episode, host Olivier Lafontaine speaks with Ann Mengelson-Clark, Vice President of Technology at Kuvare, and Chief Technology Officer at Guaranty Income Life, United Life, and Lincoln Benefit Life on Kuvare’s journey of growth and digital transformation.

Ann explains that Kuvare evolved from its early acquisitions to exploring new technologies for core systems, while restructuring teams to keep up with change. She walks through the company’s digital transformation efforts, from consolidating policy administration platforms to creating a unified portal for financial professionals and policyholders.

She describes the path toward advanced data strategies for more efficient processes. The discussion also covers how Kuvare experiments with AI, operationally and for customer service, which is guided by a governance model that includes compliance from the very beginning.

Key Takeaways:

1. Aligning business and IT teams accelerates decision-making and creates stronger digital outcomes.

2. Modernizing data systems gives leaders immediate insights that were locked in legacy platforms.

3. Calculated AI adoption for operations and customer service requires both governance and creativity.

Jump Into the Conversation:
(00:00) Meet Ann Mengelson-Clark

(02:23) What fuels Ann outside of work

(04:19) How Kuvare grew through acquisitions and bold expansion

(08:01) Ann’s unexpected career path from HR receptionist to CTO and VP

(12:33) Turning paper processes into digital systems that scale

(16:15) Breaking silos by aligning business and IT teams

(20:57) Results from modernization projects that changed daily operations

(21:48) Launching a unified digital platform for advisors and clients

(24:04) Making smarter business decisions through data dashboards

(26:31) Practical ways AI is already helping at Kuvare

(28:39) Balancing compliance and innovation with AI governance

Resources:
Connect with Ann Mengelson-Clark: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ann-m-c/

Check out Kuvare: https://kuvare.com/

Check out Guaranty Income Life: https://www.gilico.com/

Check out United Life: https://www.unitedlife.com/

Check out Lincoln Benefit Life: https://www.lbl.com/

Connect with Olivier: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivierlafontaine/

In this episode, host Olivier Lafontaine speaks with Amanda Turcotte, SVP and Chief Actuary at Amalgamated Life Insurance Company, and Darwin Larrison, VP and Chief Information Security Officer at Modern Woodmen of America, about how their teams are navigating the changing landscape of artificial intelligence in life insurance.

Amanda shares how her company is applying tools like Amazon Q and Intelligent Document Processing to streamline customer support and data handling. Darwin explains how governance frameworks, vendor partnerships, and licensing decisions are shaping how AI tools like Copilot are being deployed securely and responsibly.

Throughout the session, Amanda and Darwin bring their unique perspectives from actuarial and security leadership to highlight what AI can realistically deliver today, and how insurers can prepare for what’s ahead.

Key Takeaways:

1. Adopting AI in insurance requires more than tools. It demands structure, governance, and cultural buy-in.

2. Licensing strategies and vendor partnerships can quietly shape how innovation spreads inside an organization.

3. AI can help small carriers scale smarter by turning everyday data into operational advantage.

Jump Into the Conversation:
(00:00) Meet Amanda Turcotte and Darwin Larrison

(02:18) Why insurance leaders are cautious with AI

(06:44) Using Amazon Q to speed up service

(08:11) Building a centralized CRM with AI features

(11:27) Who gets access to Copilot and why

(14:50) AI’s role in institutional memory and training

(19:00) Building a governance group for responsible AI

(23:29) How to upskill non-tech employees on AI

(29:17) Why transcription still faces internal resistance

(38:15) What startups do differently with AI adoption

(40:31) Predictions on how AI will transform insurance jobs

Resources:

• Connect with Amanda Turcotte: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-turcotte-7a436413/
• Connect with Darwin Larrison: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darwinlarrison/
• Check out Amalgamated Life Insurance Company: https://www.amalgamatedbenefits.com/amalgamated-life/
• Check out Modern Woodmen of America: https://www.modernwoodmen.org/
• Connect with Olivier: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivierlafontaine/

In this episode, host Olivier Lafontaine sits down with Yolanda Austin, Senior Director of the Life & Annuity Program at ACORD, to talk about the organization’s role in building smarter, standardized systems for life insurance.

Yolanda breaks down how ACORD is addressing inefficiencies in medical underwriting by creating digital formats for electronic health records. She also walks through the work behind ACORD’s standardized life insurance application, which was developed with input from distributors, carriers, and the Interstate Insurance Compact. And now, it is being adopted across the industry.

As the conversation unfolds, it’s clear that progress in this space doesn’t come from technology alone, but through thoughtful coordination and collaboration across all parts of the ecosystem.

Key Takeaways:

1. Standardization only works when carriers, distributors, and regulators build it together.

2. Reducing redundant and non-relevant data improves efficiency and unlocks smarter underwriting decisions.

3. Creating digital forms that create good experiences requires both technology and behavioral science expertise.

Jump Into the Conversation:
(00:00) Meet Yolanda Austin

(02:28) How ACORD began solving problems in insurance

(03:35) Turning Microsoft’s data model into an ACORD standard

(04:59) Collaborating with DTCC and the Interstate Compact

(05:53) From high school co-op to insurance leadership

(08:44) Fixing inefficiencies in underwriting with EHR data standards

(10:54) How ACORD reduced medical data by 93 percent

(13:36) Will AI reshape how underwriters use health records?

(15:14) The mission to standardize every life insurance form

(19:45) How ACORD got carriers to align on questions

(24:37) What e-labels and fillable forms change for insurers

Resources:
Connect with Yolanda Austin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yolandaaustin/

Check out ACORD: https://www.acord.org/

Connect with Olivier: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivierlafontaine/