NAIC Names 2013 Consumer Liaison Representatives

November 27, 2012

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) recently named 29 consumer liaison representatives for 2013. The 20 funded and nine unfunded consumer representatives begin their terms Jan. 1. All 20 of the funded consumer representatives participated in the program in 2012.

Established in 1992, the program promotes consumer interaction with the NAIC’s members, the insurance industry and interested parties through the individuals’ dedication and commitment to serving the public interest.

“This program recognizes the importance of consumer viewpoints in our regulatory discussions,” said Jim Donelon, NAIC president-elect and Louisiana insurance commissioner. “The consumer liaison representatives provide valuable insight that is instrumental in our goal to improve the insurance regulatory system.”

The following are the 2013 NAIC funded consumer liaison representatives:

  • Elizabeth Abbott: project director, Health Access
  • Amy Bach: executive director, United Policyholders
  • Birny Birnbaum: Center for Economic Justice
  • Brendan M. Bridgeland: director, Center for Insurance Research
  • Bonnie Burns: training and policy specialist, California Health Advocate
  • Sabrina Corlette: research professor, Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
  • Brenda J. Cude: professor, University of Georgia
  • Joseph P. Ditre': executive director, Consumers for Affordable Health Care
  • Kathleen Gmeiner: project director, UHCAN Ohio
  • Timothy Stoltzfus Jost: professor, Washington and Lee University School of Law
  • Karrol Kitt: associate professor, University of Texas at Austin
  • Peter Kochenburger: executive director, Insurance Law Center, University of Connecticut School of Law
  • Sonja L. Larkin-Thorne: consumer advocate
  • Adam Linker: health policy analyst, North Carolina Justice Center
  • Sarah Lueck: health policy analyst, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
  • Jennifer Mishory: deputy director, Young Invincibles
  • Andrea Routh: executive director, Missouri Health Advocacy Alliance
  • Daniel Schwarcz: associate professor of law, University of Minnesota Law School
  • Barbara Yondorf: board member, Colorado Consumer Health Initiative
  • Cindy Zeldin: executive director, Georgians for a Healthy Future
In addition, there are nine unfunded consumer representatives (Seven returning from 2012 and two new as noted with an asterisk*):
  • Christine Barber: senior policy analyst, Community Catalyst*
  • Stephen Finan: senior director of policy, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
  • Carrie Fitzgerald: senior policy advisor for health, First Focus
  • Howard Goldblatt: director of government affairs, Coalition Against Insurance Fraud
  • Marguerite Herman: project healthcare, Consumer Advocates
  • Stephanie Mohl: government relations manager, American Heart Association
  • Lincoln Nehring: senior health policy analyst, Voices for Utah Children*
  • Lynn Quincy: senior policy analyst, Consumers Union
  • Stuart Spielman: senior policy advisor and counsel, Autism Speaks


Contact ALTA at 202-296-3671 or communications@alta.org.