Gatlinburg Exchange Biographies
Commissioner
Commerce & Insurance
Carter Lawrence serves as the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance and the State Fire Marshal. Before his appointment to Governor Lee’s cabinet, Lawrence served in a variety of roles in the Department, including Chief Deputy Commissioner, Chief Operating Officer, and Assistant Commissioner. He has spearheaded initiatives to lower fees on licensed professionals, increase customer service through better tools for customers, and has advocated for the removal of overly burdensome regulations.
As Tennessee’s Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance and State Fire Marshal, Lawrence is responsible for the divisions of insurance, fire prevention, regulatory boards – including twenty-six regulatory entities, TennCare Oversight, Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy, Tennessee Police Officer Standards and Training Commission, and the administratively attached Tennessee Emergency Communications Board.
On behalf of the Governor’s administration, Commissioner Lawrence has served on several initiatives including: the Tennessee Economic Recovery Group, Law Enforcement Training Advisory Council, and the historic economic development announcement of Ford Motor Company’s Blue Oval City.
Lawrence is an attorney who studied law at the University of Tennessee, where he also obtained a Master of Business Administration. For undergraduate studies, he obtained a Bachelor of Arts from Wheaton College in Illinois. Lawrence is a Nashville-area native. He and his wife, Amy, are the proud parents of three children and attend Nashville’s Church of the Redeemer.
Lawrence remains focused on leading Commerce and Insurance to protect Tennesseans through balanced oversight of insurance and regulated professions while enhancing consumer advocacy, education, and public safety.
MICHAEL WISE - South Carolina Commissioner of Insurance
Michael Wise was appointed Director of the South Carolina Department of Insurance in May 2023. A South Carolina native and graduate of Furman University, Wise has spent most of his career fostering a well-functioning insurance market that benefits both consumers and insurers alike through fair and responsive regulation. Prior to his appointment as Director, he served as Deputy Director of the Actuarial and Market Services Division, responsible for actuarial analyses, policy form and rate reviews, and the monitoring of traditional insurance markets. He has also been an active participant in the National Association of Insurance Commissioners meetings and initiatives.
Wise believes consumer protection is at the heart of insurance regulation and seeks to balance the affordability and availability of insurance products to ensure South Carolina consumers are protected by strong, solvent carriers. He began his career at the Department in 2009 as a rates analyst before moving into various actuarial and management roles. He has sought to guarantee transparency throughout the rate filing process by encouraging open communication with carriers. He believes a competitive marketplace is key to consumers having access to the insurance products they need at prices that are as affordable as possible while ensuring companies are able to pay claims and remain solvent.
Wise holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics-economics from Furman, is an Associate of the Casualty Actuarial Society, is a member of the American Academy of Actuaries, and is a recent graduate of the South Carolina Executive Institute. Wise is also a recent recipient of the American Academy of Actuaries’ Rising Actuary Award.
Director Wise resides with his wife and three children in Richland County in Columbia, SC
ADAM DZURICKY - ERIE INSURANCE
Adam Dzuricky is the Information Security Enterprise Architect for a Fortune 500 company with over 20 years of cybersecurity experience. He is responsible for establishing the strategic technical direction for all cybersecurity efforts within the enterprise across on-premise data centers, end user computing, private, and public cloud environments. He is also actively involved in artificial intelligence governance and leading the Information Security consulting service for the enterprise.
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MYRA GOLDEN KEYOTE OUTLINE
Rising Above: Embracing Resilience in Challenging Times
Another inspiring keynote from Customer Service & De-escalation Expert and Mindfulness Muse Myra Golden
Imagine a world where challenges become stepping stones to success and resilience becomes your superpower. That's exactly what our keynote, 'Rising Above: Embracing Resilience in Challenging Times,' offers. Join us and discover the essential tools and insights you need to not just survive but thrive in the face of challenging customers and heavy caseloads
Customer Service & De-escalation Expert and Mindfulness Muse Myra Golden will guide you through self-discovery and empowerment in this captivating session.
Here’s what you can expect:
Empathy as a Shield: Empower yourself in the present moment by leveraging empathy to understand and support your customers without taking on unnecessary emotional burdens. This will be a game-changer, especially for empaths!
Mindfulness Moments: Stress-busting techniques to use between calls to help you unwind from intense interactions.
The R.A.I.N. Technique: Four steps to going from setback to comeback when customers and caseloads feel overwhelming.
The Outcome: ICAE members will leave with eye-opening realizations about their roles and how to achieve a better equilibrium between work and self-care.
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DIANNA NELSON
Structurer – Vice President
Alternative Risk Transfer
Swiss Re Corporate Solutions
Dianna is currently a Structurer with the Alternative Risk Transfer team at Swiss Re based in Washington, D.C. In this role, she develops non-standard solutions for corporate and public entities in order to provide solutions that are not addressed by traditional insurance products. Prior to her current role, she worked for Swiss Re Corporate Solutions as an underwriter for the general property team and was a member of the Catastrophe Perils team before that. Preceding her time with Swiss Re, Dianna earned her Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.
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Catherine Collinson is the founding CEO and President of nonprofit Transamerica Institute and its division Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies. She is an expert on longevity, retirement, and market trends. She champions Americans who are at risk of not achieving a financially secure retirement. She oversees all of the organization’s research and outreach initiatives, including the Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey.
With almost three decades of experience, Catherine is regularly cited by top media outlets on aging and retirement-related topics, speaks at industry conferences, and authors articles. She co-hosts the podcast ClearPath: Your Roadmap for LifeSM in collaboration with WYPR, Baltimore’s NPR news station. In 2024, Catherine received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Plan Sponsor Council of America for her contributions to the retirement plan industry and dedication to improving retirement outcomes for employees
Catherine serves on the leadership council of the Milken Institute’s Center for the Future of Aging, the executive committee of the Defined Contribution Institutional Investment Association (DCIIA), the advisory board of WISER, and the editorial review board of the Retirement Management Journal.
Catherine is employed by Transamerica Corporation. Since joining the organization in 1995, she has held a number of positions and has identified and implemented short- and long-term strategic initiatives, including the founding of the nonprofit Transamerica Institute and its Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies.
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BERNADETTE SPENSER
Bernadette Spencer is a multifaceted professional specializing in education, success mindset development, leadership empowerment, entrepreneurship, coaching, speaking, and training. She works with leaders, entrepreneurs, organizations and individuals to foster personal, professional, and leadership growth, emphasizing the transformative power of mindset.
Bernadette's diverse background includes roles as an educator, corrections officer, and advisor in domestic violence prevention and support. She has served on the board of several non-profits, including the Chesterfield Chamber of Commerce where she served as Chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and is currently the Chair of the Board of Directors.
Bernadette is a certified Speaker, Coach, and Trainer, and a member of the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team and has certification at the University of South Florida in Diversity Equity and Inclusion. She co-owns Destiny Designed Unlimited LLC, a consulting agency, with her husband.
Bernadette holds degrees in Sociology and Criminal Justice from Seton Hall University and a Masters in Education from Virginia Commonwealth University.
To promote professionalism and shape the standards of behavior in relationships between insurance organizations, regulators and customers through proactive dialogue, research, communication, and education.