Agency Nation Meets: Daniela Ivey

• November 1, 2026

Get to know the individuals that ignite the insurance industry as they answer our icebreaker questions. 

Daniela leads strategic product initiatives focused on transforming how insurance agencies work through connected, customer-centered technology experiences. With almost 20 years of experience across software, mobile, web and platform products, she has built a career around solving complex problems, leading high-performing teams and delivering products that create measurable customer value.

At Vertafore, Daniela plays a key leadership role in shaping AgencyOne and launching new artificial intelligence (AI) agents on the Velocity AI platform. Passionate about innovation, customer advocacy and team development, Daniela is committed to building products that make a meaningful impact while helping teams do their best work.

Hi, Daniela! What is your favorite book?

“The Name of the Wind” by Patrick Rothfuss. It’s a fantasy novel about curiosity, resilience and lifelong learning. I’ve reread it several times and always find something new.

If you had to do karaoke, what song would you sing?

“The Gambler” by Kenny Rogers. Not because I can sing it well, but because it’s basically a life lesson disguised as a country song. Knowing when to hold ’em, fold ’em, walk away and run applies to a lot more than cards.

What one piece of advice would you give to your great-grandchildren?

Don’t spend too much time worrying about what other people think. Most people are too busy worrying about what everyone thinks of them.

Right, save your energy for real problems. What is your favorite season and why?

Summer. Give me a lake, a boat, family and a sunny day, and I’m pretty much in my happy place.

What is your dream vacation?

A month-long road trip with no schedule and no meetings. Just fishing rods, campfires and seeing places I’ve never been with my family.

When no itinerary is the itinerary. What’s your biggest pet peeve?

A lack of curiosity. I love working with people who ask questions, challenge assumptions and want to understand how things work and solve problems.

Questions are free. Here are some more. What superpower do you wish you had?

Flying. No question.

And no airport security would be awesome. Tell us about your morning routine.

Grab my phone, check my calendar, get caught up on what happened overnight and get the kids moving for the day. The morning goes a lot more smoothly when everyone knows the plan.

If you could appear on any game show, which one would you choose?

“The Price Is Right.” Maybe those days I stayed home sick from school yelling prices at my TV could finally pay off.

What’s one productivity tool you couldn’t live without?

My calendar. If it’s not on the calendar, it doesn’t exist.

100% agree. What is the moment you realized you were an adult?

The day I started getting excited about lower insurance premiums and better interest rates. That’s a level of adulthood nobody warns you about.

What is something you’re looking forward to?

I’m excited about everything we’re building with AgencyOne. From AI-powered experiences to making everyday workflows like renewals and certificates easier, my team is focused on helping independent agents spend less time wrestling with technology and more time serving their clients. Being part of that journey is incredibly rewarding!

Thanks, Daniela!

This is a monthly column for Independent Agent magazine and iamagazine.com. To be featured, email hello@agencynation.com.