Meet the Women Driving Innovation in InsurTech

• February 27, 2026

By Kasey Connors

Women occupy 27% of tech occupations, compared with 49% of all occupations, according to the “State of the Tech Workforce 2024,” published in March 2024 by CompTIA, a nonprofit professional and IT certification association.

This gap matters because diverse teams consistently build better technology. In tech-driven industries like insurance—where success depends on trust, usability and long-term relationships—women bring critical strengths as problem solvers, translators and connectors between business needs and technical execution.

And yet, across the insurance technology landscape, there is no shortage of remarkable women doing exactly that—moving innovation, companies and agencies forward every single day. 

Their perspectives reveal that the future of InsurTech isn’t about flashy tools or disruption for disruption’s sake. It’s about connection—between systems and data, vision and execution, innovation and empathy.

From practical advice to hard-earned insights, these conversations show how women are not just supporting the evolution of InsurTech, but defining where it goes next.

• Daniela Ivey
• Shannon Churchill 
• Malou Soriano
• Tammie Hoard
• Angela Ford
• Kimberly Fox
• Kathy Hrach
• Sharon Kern
• Rose Hancock
• Angela Adams
• Brenna Johnson
• Kari Hoover
• Linda Anderson
• Ashley Engl
• Marianne Policastro-Wik

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 Advice for women in InsurTech? 

First, don’t wait for permission. Insurance loves committees and consensus. Waiting for the perfect alignment is a barrier to producing anything meaningful. Second, own the connective tissue. The most powerful leverage in this industry sits between business, technology and operations—and women already occupy a lot of those spaces. Product gives that leverage structure. 

What’s one app you couldn’t live without? 

My calendar. I run a high-velocity product organization and a high-velocity household with two competitive sports kids. If it’s not on the calendar, it doesn’t exist. Women across this industry are running two invisible jobs at once. Tools are essential to make that work effortlessly. 

Predictions for InsurTech?

The last decade of InsurTech was defined by point solutions—tools that solved a single challenge or addressed an individual moment in the distribution channel. The next decade of insurance technology will be defined by platforms, shared services, data connectivity and user experience. 

The operational backbone of that future is overwhelmingly female. Women have always been critical to how this industry functions. The opportunity now is for them to be equally critical in how it evolves. 

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Most important InsurTech leadership skill?

Successful leaders must be able to translate innovation into meaningful impact. This helps people understand how technology improves efficiency, supports growth and strengthens long-term sustainability.

Equally important is leading with empathy. Listening to challenges and feedback and recognizing the realities of change builds trust and buy-in. Encouraging experimentation and creating a culture where people feel supported to learn and adapt allows innovation to take hold in a way that is practical, scalable and lasting.

What’s one app you couldn’t live without?

ChatGPT, the paid version, is an essential tool in my daily routine. I use it as a strategic assistant for everything from content development and problem-solving to brainstorming and continuous learning. It allows me to work more efficiently and thoughtfully, freeing up time to focus on higher-value initiatives and leadership priorities.

Advice for women in InsurTech?

Trust the value of your perspective and be intentional about your growth. Your voice matters and your ideas deserve to be heard, especially as our industry continues to evolve through technology and innovation.

Your approach to InsurTech?

By fostering open dialogue, sharing best practices and advocating for greater efficiency and interoperability, we work to ensure technology serves agents, not the other way around. Through strong partnerships with organizations such as the Big “I” Agents Council for Technology (ACT), Catalyit and 101 Weston Labs, we are able to provide agents with resources, insights and tools that help create a sustainable competitive advantage in an increasingly digital marketplace.

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 Most important InsurTech leadership skill?

For me, successful technological transformation depends on fostering trust with decision-makers and an openness to change. Implementing new technologies is as much about people as it is about tools, so we connect regularly with team members at all levels to encourage diverse perspectives and collaboration.  
 
Trust and a shared vision will enable you to achieve complex transformations while setting the pace for future improvements. By prioritizing people, you can create a lasting impact on the future of your organization as well as the greater industry. 

Advice for women in InsurTech?

Be authentic and purpose-driven. Know your values, do your research and pursue work you’re genuinely passionate about. Without it, true success and happiness will be hard to find. Build strong relationships, seek mentors, keep learning and stay adaptable. Embracing new opportunities and challenges is often the greatest catalyst for growth and advancement. 

What has your experience taught you about effective organizations?

Throughout my career in the expanding world of insurance technology, I have found that the best quality of an organization is its ability to listen and learn. My tenure at ACORD has been shaped by our core pillars of collaboration, community and consensus—values that extend far beyond our sphere.  

Looking ahead? 
  
As we continue to shape the future of our industry, I am eager to bring awareness to the great work that has already been accomplished, as well as what’s on the horizon. It is through strong partnerships, meaningful conversations, and a steady sense of trust that we will grow in a digitally evolving world.  

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Most impactful InsurTech investment?

Our agency management system (AMS) has been our most significant tech investment, and consistently re-evaluating its capabilities has been a game-changer for our workflow. It’s easy to fall into routine, so as a team we challenge ourselves to avoid complacency. Every time a system enhancement is introduced, we review it collaboratively and look for ways to improve processes. This ongoing commitment to optimization allows us to maximize technology without incurring unnecessary costs for a new system.

Why are women’s voices important in InsurTech?

Women often begin their insurance career in a supporting role within an agency. So, who better to provide creative solutions for improvement than those actually doing the job, right? Women bring different experiences and perspectives to the collaboration process, thus improving decision-making. 

Advice for women in InsurTech?

Go for it! The insurance industry needs more women in leadership, ownership and stakeholder roles. To be successful, build your network by joining industry groups, such as Women in Insurance. Subscribe to the online insurance journals and participate in forums. Join tech associations. Read and get involved with tech forums related to the insurance world. And don’t forget to mentor your team. Leaders are nothing without a good team. 

Insurance as a career path?

The insurance industry provides a great opportunity. For those starting a career, or those looking to change careers, consider making insurance your next chapter. You’ll meet amazing people and be challenged in the best possible way. 

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Your current role?

I have spent over 25 years working with independent insurance agencies, focusing on technology solutions that enhance operational efficiency and mitigate risks. With 30+ years in the insurance industry, I have demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing technology and improving business processes. 

I utilize my expertise to provide strategic consulting to independent agents. My goal is to empower them to optimize critical workflows, proactively address errors & omissions risks and enhance their overall operational strategies by integrating both existing and new technologies.

Balancing innovation with day-to-day operations?

Ensure the innovation addresses a potential challenge, opportunity, risk, security or growth opportunity. A simple question: What is it solving, enhancing or replacing?

What do organizations misunderstand about InsurTech?

You should focus on your product, teams or companies. Being a woman is a bonus because we are creative, caring and determined when we know it’s the right thing to do. 
Most people have gotten smarter and are focusing on the right things: Solutions, results and opportunities offered by technology products and services. 

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 Most impactful InsurTech investment?

When we started looking at incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) in the agency, we were overwhelmed with options. While we didn’t know exactly what we were looking for, we knew we wanted it to have a positive, meaningful impact for both the agency and our clients. We found exactly that when we started working with Sonant to create our AI voice assistant, Quinn, who quickly became an invaluable part of our team. She answers and routes incoming calls and assists our clients with questions that come in after hours.

Why should women be included in InsurTech conversations?

Could you imagine what technology and agency leadership would look like today without them? Or if you had only ever listened to half the people you’ve ever met or worked with? 

Your journey into insurance?

My first insurance role was with a small independent agency in my hometown. I was only 20 at the time, had no insurance experience, and had never even worked in an office setting. Thankfully, they were willing to take a chance and hired me as a commercial lines assistant. I’ve always been drawn to technology, so over time I became increasingly involved with it at the agency. I started working with our IT vendors and setting up new workstations, helping coworkers troubleshoot phone or computer problems, then helping choose and migrate to a new management system.

As I transitioned in my career, I found that no matter what role I stepped into, it always organically evolved into working with tech.

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 Biggest misunderstanding with InsurTech?

Every organization has different internal, financial and technical constraints that affect how quickly it can adopt new solutions. InsurTech isn’t one-size-fits-all, and success often depends on meeting organizations where they are, rather than assuming they can move at the same speed or in the same way. 

Advice for women in InsurTech?

For women specifically, I would emphasize the importance of using your voice. I think women sometimes hesitate to speak up, ask questions or challenge assumptions, even when their perspective is valuable. Product and technology leadership need diverse viewpoints, and progress stalls when people hold back. Communicate openly, stay curious and don’t underestimate the impact of your point of view. 

What’s one app you couldn’t live without? 

Messaging, without question. Whether it’s Slack or text, the ability to communicate instantly has completely changed how we work and live—I honestly don’t know how we managed without it. Beyond that, I’ve really enjoyed exploring AI tools like ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini. They’ve made it possible to quickly research, synthesize ideas and explore what’s happening in the market—tasks that used to take hours or even days.

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What drew you to insurance?

My journey into insurance wasn’t about the ‘tech’, it was about solving the ‘pain.’ Having spent years in the insurance and financial services verticals, I saw firsthand how much administrative friction existed between a great idea and a satisfied client. I was drawn to the Insurtech space, and specifically Patra, because it offered a way to marry deep industry expertise with scalable technology. What keeps me here is the ability to transform the ‘back office’ from a cost center into a strategic and profitable engine for growth.

Balancing innovation with the real-world insurance operations?

Innovation in insurance cannot happen in a vacuum; it must be “insurance-literate.” We balance this by following a “human-in-the-loop” philosophy. In my work with top-tier agencies, we don’t just throw AI at a problem and hope it works. The goal isn’t to waste a lot of time for no reason, but to grease it. By automating the repetitive, high-volume tasks, like policy checking or data extraction, we allow insurance professionals to focus on what they do best: complex decision-making and relationship-building.

Advice for women in InsurTech?

Lean in to your empathy as a business tool. Understanding the daily frustrations of an account manager or a carrier rep is a superpower when designing solutions. Also, don’t be afraid to be the translator. The bridge between complex insurance requirements and technical code is where the most value is created. Finally, build your network with intention. The Big “I” and ACT communities are full of brilliant women who are eager to lift others up. Find those mentors and, eventually, become one yourself.

One app you couldn’t live without?

Libby. I’m a big believer in continuous learning and having instant access to audiobooks and magazines from my local library is a daily essential. It’s the perfect way to stay inspired during a commute or while decompressing after a day of driving customer success.

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InsurTech philosophy?

In insurance, the constraints are innovation opportunities. Regulations, compliance, data quality, legacy systems and manual workflows aren’t obstacles—they’re design inputs. We’re not here to build cool technology; we’re here to solve valuable problems that actually work in the real world. 

Misconceptions about InsurTech?

One of the biggest misconceptions about InsurTech, among both insurance carriers and agencies, is that it’s here to replace people or dismantle the traditional model. Nothing could be further from the truth. The best InsurTech elevates human performance. 

Technology should empower the people in insurance, not replace them. When we strip away the friction and the busy work, we give agents and underwriters the freedom to do what they do best—and what technology can’t replicate—deliver expertise and empathy when it matters most. That’s not disruption. That’s evolution.

Advice for women in InsurTech?

Trust your voice. Insurance can feel like an industry where you need decades of experience before you’re allowed to have an opinion. Fresh perspective is valuable. Don’t let anyone make you feel like you need to apologize for asking questions or taking time to deeply understand the business.

Also, focus on impact over perfection. Women often wait until we feel 100% ready before stepping forward. But leadership requires taking risks before you have all the answers. Apply for the role. Ship the product. Start the company—and bring other women with you. You’ll figure it out along the way. 

One app you couldn’t live without right now?

The Find My app. My current peace-of-mind tool, tracking my teenage daughters, finding my car keys or ipad—and playing the sound.  

Recently, my 15-year-old accidentally took my car keys on a weekend trip with her grandparents. Instead of tearing the house apart in frustration, I simply opened Find My and saw exactly where they were. Problem solved in seconds! Find My isn’t just about lost items; it’s about reducing stress and saving time. In a world where we’re juggling family, work, and everything in between, that’s priceless. 

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InsurTech investments that have made the biggest impact?

For me, investing in technology isn’t just about purchasing software—it’s about investing the time and effort to use it the way it was designed to be used. While we’ve had the same agency management system for years, the real shift came when we stopped underutilizing it and started fully embracing its capabilities.

Its like owning a smartphone and only using it to call and text. Phones are packed with features—apps, calendars, cameras, email—but if you never explore them, you miss much of the value. That’s exactly what we were doing with our AMS.

Once we began using the tools we were already paying for—integrations, workflows, marketing automation—it opened up entirely new possibilities. Our system is now integrated with our website, supports outbound client communication, provides insights to our client base and book of business and drives targeted campaigns.

Just as importantly, using the system properly forced us to improve data hygiene. As the quality of our data improved, so did the quality of our decisions. That combination has made a meaningful difference in how we operate and plan.

Why do we need women’s voices in InsurTech?

Women often approach problem-solving differently, and in insurance, that difference matters. Many women lead with empathy, curiosity, and collaboration—and those qualities are strategic strengths in an industry built on trust, relationships, and long-term thinking.

Technology will continue to evolve, likely at a pace faster than we’ve ever experienced. The leaders who thrive will be those who are willing to learn, adapt, and harness technology rather than resist it. When you blend strong people skills with the right tools, you create a powerful and sustainable business model.

Advice for women in InsurTech?

Always stay curious. Curiosity fuels learning, and learning builds confidence. When you allow yourself to be curious, you reduce the fear and resistance that often hold us back. You don’t need to know everything—you just need to be willing to learn.

One app you couldn’t live without right now?

For me, it’s Hallow. I start every morning with a routine I’ve built into the app, and it helps ground me before the day begins. That intentional start positions me to handle both the challenges and the wins that come with leadership. Staying grounded and reflective makes me a better decision-maker, leader, and listener.

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InsurTech investments that have made the biggest impact?

Our core platform is Applied Epic, so we’ve been very intentional about strengthening our training, ensuring proper configuration, and making sure we’re fully leveraging the capabilities already available to us. We want to build a strong foundation and lean into what we have before layering on additional technology. At the same time, we’re continuing to learn about and explore tools that integrate well with our Agency Management System and the Microsoft products our team relies on.

One of the most impactful steps we’ve taken has been forming a cross department group of Epic champions. We meet monthly to align on priorities, brainstorm enhancements, test workflows, and hold each other accountable. After each meeting, champions bring updates and best practices back to their teams, which has helped create more consistency and shared ownership across the organization.

Why do we need women’s voices in InsurTech?

Women make up nearly 60% of our industry, and in my agency the majority of processing and service roles are filled by women. That’s why it just makes sense that their voices are part of leadership and technology conversations. We’re often the ones closest to the day-to-day realities of how these systems actually get used. In my own career, I’ve seen how the right technology can make someone’s job easier, and how the wrong setup can create a lot of frustration.

Advice for women in InsurTech?

Stay curious and stay connected. You also don’t have to be a tech expert to step into leadership. You just need to be willing to ask questions, explore new tools, and keep learning!

We also have to be willing to lead by example. When we show openness to trying new systems or workflows, it gives everyone else permission to do the same. Some of the best insights in my career have come from simply talking with others who were solving similar challenges in different ways. The Big ‘I’ community is an incredible place for that kind of learning and support.

One app you couldn’t live without right now?

Monday.com. It’s become an essential part of how I manage projects and keep our team’s technology strategy organized. I love that I can capture ideas quickly, stay on top of tasks, and easily share updates, documents, and deliverables with the team. Everything stays in one place and is accessible across devices.

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How is your organization approaching InsurTech?

There’s a broader shift toward simplifying the agent’s experience. Instead of expecting agents to move between disconnected systems, we are focusing on more integrated digital platforms that bring key tasks and information into one place. That connected foundation not only improves efficiency but also enables smarter use of data and emerging AI capabilities.

Just as important, we are involving agents earlier in the design process to ensure new tools reflect real-world workflows. The goal is straightforward: Technology that helps independent agents work faster, serve customers better and stay competitive as the market evolves.

Most important InsurTech leadership skills?

Driving technology transformation at scale requires a blend of strategic vision and practical execution. The most critical leadership skills include guiding teams through uncertainty and helping them embrace new processes and tools. Transformation isn’t just about technology; it’s about people adapting to change.

Also, communicating complex technical concepts with language that resonates with non-technical stakeholders. It is important to articulate the “why” behind the change and the benefits it brings. Ultimately, leadership in technology means blending expertise with empathy because the agent’s experience should always lead the way.

Advice to women in InsurTech?

Approach your career with confidence, curiosity and a commitment to continuous learning. Technology and insurance are evolving rapidly, and leadership opportunities often come to those who are willing to adapt and grow.

Invest time in understanding evolving trends and their impact on your organization and customers; don’t hesitate to share ideas or challenge processes. Your perspective is valuable, and innovation often starts with asking “why” or “what if.”

Embrace change. Transformation can feel uncomfortable, but it’s where growth happens. Position yourself as someone who helps others navigate change. The industry needs more women leading innovation and shaping the future. Your voice matters. Step forward with confidence and help drive the change you want to see.

App you can’t live without?

Fullstory. This app has been a game-changer in my daily business. It helps us uncover issues agents face—whether it’s a system bug or a needed enhancement – so we can be proactive in fixing them.

Its session replay feature shows exactly how agents interact with the system, pinpointing friction points and improving the user experience. Plus, the AI-driven insights identify patterns, surface inconsistencies and even predict potential problems, allowing us to prioritize fixes and enhancements quickly.

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Balancing innovation with the real-world constraints of insurance operations?

That can sometimes be a challenge, but technology is a tool that should be used to enhance the experience your clients have, such as being able to take care of their concerns or questions more quickly, so they can get back to what they do. When we had paper files, it could sometimes take time to find their file and even many times require “phone tag” to get back with them. With automation and agency management software, we can access their information quickly and document more easily.

InsurTech misunderstandings?

Traditional insurers often misunderstand InsurTech as a technology upgrade rather than a business-model transformation. InsurTech isn’t just digital tools. It’s a shift toward data-driven, customer-centric models. Some agents are so busy they don’t think about what could help them be more innovative and bring in more opportunities.  

Advice for getting started?

Start with the basics. Get a good agency management system and really learn what it can do. Agency management systems are the be-all and end-all of programs, so be diligent in creating goals and how you want to manage and service your customers. Look at which programs would help you achieve your goals and continue building your tech stack aligned with your values. 

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Balancing technology and the human touch?

One of my favorite definitions of innovation is solving old problems in new ways. In insurance, the core challenges have remained consistent over time—what’s changed is the technology available to help us address them. While technology can dramatically improve efficiency, I firmly believe that humans must remain at the center of insurance operations. Building relationships and connecting with customers are areas where people excel, and no technology can replace that fundamental human touch. Our approach to innovation is about using technology to complement, not replace, the irreplaceable value that people bring.

Integrating AI?

As AI continues to reshape the way work gets done, we see three types of work emerging: ‘Hero’s work’—the high-value, relationship-driven tasks where human judgment is essential; ‘Administrative work’—the repetitive, routine tasks that technology can automate; and ‘Work not done’—important but often overlooked tasks that, without intelligent systems, may never be addressed. Our goal is to elevate the hero’s work, automate the administrative grind, and bring attention to the work that often slips through the cracks.

InsurTech misconceptions?

There’s a leftover misunderstanding from the early days of InsurTech that it exists to replace the traditional insurance distribution channel, and to cut out carriers or independent agents. That first wave of InsurTech talked a lot about “disruption,” and that, understandably, made the ecosystem defensive. And in our highly regulated industry, it quickly became clear that the “everything has to go” style of disruption wasn’t the right path.

Today, meaningful InsurTech innovation isn’t interested in replacing insurance—it’s about upgrading how insurance works. Modern InsurTech is focused on platforms, shared services, data connectivity, and workflow automation—the things that make underwriting, servicing, renewals, submissions, and client engagement faster and more accurate.

Advice for women in InsurTech?

Women in insurance technology should recognize that their femininity is a strength, not a liability. Qualities often associated with women—such as emotional intelligence, empathy, resilience, adaptability, and authenticity—are invaluable assets that define effective leadership. Having a leadership style that differs from male colleagues should be seen as a unique advantage, not a shortcoming.

Early in my product career, I was often the only woman at the leadership table. Like many, I felt pressure to imitate the styles of successful male leaders. Over time, I learned that the most impactful leaders are those who embrace their authentic selves. The very qualities that might sometimes be perceived as weaknesses are, in fact, what enable women to deeply understand customers, connect with teams, inspire and motivate others, and unite people to achieve common goals.

It’s important to acknowledge that breaking through the glass ceiling can be challenging and, at times, painful. However, overcoming these barriers only strengthens your resolve and leadership abilities in the long run.

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Approach to InsurTech?

Innovation only works if the people using it understand why it matters. Start with the why. Explain how a change will make day-to-day work easier, reduce friction, and ultimately improve the client experience. When end users see that innovation supports them—rather than disrupts them for the sake of novelty—they’re far more likely to adopt it and make it successful.

Misunderstandings about InsurTech?

Many traditional insurance organizations underestimate how far behind the industry already is.  Consumers use customer portals, AI, and self-service tools every day—in banking, retail, travel, and healthcare. Insurance is often the one place where that experience breaks down. Insurtech isn’t about being cutting-edge for its own sake; it’s about catching up to the expectations customers already have and delivering the experience they assume should exist.

Advice for Women in InsurTech?

Play to your strengths—not to a male model of leadership. Women excel at collaboration, empathy, and inspiring others. In insurance technology, those strengths translate directly into better products, stronger teams, and deeper client trust. Build solutions by listening closely to customers, bringing diverse voices into the room, and leading with care. Those qualities aren’t soft—they’re strategic advantages in an industry built on relationships and long-term confidence.

Favorite app right now?

Power BI. It turns complex data into clear, actionable insights—so decisions are based on facts, not gut feel. Whether I’m tracking performance, spotting trends or telling a story with data, it’s indispensable to how I work right now.  I use it every day to understand my own business more clearly. It helps me see what’s actually happening, not just what I think is happening.  

Kasey Connors is executive director of the Big “I” Agents Council for Technology.