URMIA Matters

In this episode of URMIA Matters, Michelle Smith, URMIA’s Executive Director, sits down with scholarship winners Rowela Lascolette of Hood College and Michelle Powell of Florida Polytechnic University to explore the unique challenges and opportunities of being a solo risk manager in higher education. They share their career journeys, lessons learned from the URMIA Annual Conference in Las Vegas, and practical strategies like youth protection programs, risk committee engagement, and scenario planning. The conversation highlights the value of networking, education, and community support, while offering tips for applying to the Jenny Whittington Solo Risk Manager Scholarship and staying active in URMIA’s resources and events. If you’re a solo risk manager, you don’t want to miss this valuable episode! 

Show Notes 

• URMIA Scholarships 
• URMIA Annual Conference Scholarships - Jenny Whittington Solo Risk Manager Professional Scholarship 
• Give to URMIA - Donate to support the future of higher education risk management 
• Spencer Educational Foundation 

Guests  

• Rowela Lascolette, Hood College - Director of Business Services 
• Michelle Powell, Risk Manager - Florida Polytechnic University 

Guest Host 

• Michelle Smith, Executive Director - URMIA  

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In this special episode of URMIA Matters, all URMIA members are invited to listen in and hear the latest updates from the URMIA Executive Committee. Join us for a streamlined business meeting that will include a briefing on the Association by the president, a financial report by the treasurer, and other board officer updates. You will also hear about what the URMIA Office has been working on and what’s next for the URMIA community. Tune in to hear all the updates from the URMIA Board of Directors and what they are looking forward to in URMIA’s near future! 

Show Notes 

• URMIA Specialty Communities Sign-Up 
• URMIA Board Nominations and Elections 
• URMIA Board of Directors 
• About URMIA - Strategic Pillars 
• URMIAmentors 
• URMIAacademy 
• URMIA Matters Podcast - Meet URMIA's Newest Staff 
• URMIA Staff 
• URMIA - GRAC 
• URMIA's updated Risk Inventory 
• URMIA's 56th Annual Conference in Las Vegas (October 12-16) 

Guests  

Sandy Mitchell, Director, Office of Insurance - Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Miguel Delgado, Associate Vice President and Chief Risk Officer - Carnegie Mellon University 

Flo Hoskinson, Risk Manager - Oregon Health & Science University 

Craig McAllister, Assistant Vice President, Risk Management - University of Miami 

Jim Mulholland, Director of Compensation and Risk Management - Grinnell College 

Keesha Trim, Sr. Director, Risk Management & Insurance - University of Richmond 

Guest Host 

Michelle Smith, Executive Director - URMIA

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In this episode of URMIA Matters, Julie Groves, Director of Risk Services at Wake Forest University, hosts an informative conversation with the chairs and co-chairs of the upcoming URMIA Annual Conference: Juan Azcarate, Susie Johnson, Michael Tabije, and Courtney Davis. URMIA’s 56th Annual Conference is taking place in beautiful Las Vegas from October 12–16 this year! Our guests share thoughtful insights into their roles and exciting details about the agenda, including a keynote by New York Times bestselling author Dan Heath. The conference offers a rich mix of learning opportunities, peer networking, and social events—from a lively opening reception at the Marquee nightclub to a stunning closing celebration overlooking the Las Vegas Strip. The episode wraps up with helpful travel tips for first-time attendees to make the most of their Vegas experience. URMIA Institutional Members only who listen to this episode can receive $200 off their registration using the code JoinAC2025 at time of registration! 

Show Notes

Register for URMIA’s Annual Conference 2025 in Vegas!

URMIA's 56th Annual Conference Schedule

Volunteer Opportunities at URMIA's 56th Annual Conference

Guests

Juan Azcarate, Senior Director, Risk Management - Dallas College

Susie Johnson, Risk Management Director - Iowa State University 

Michael Tabije, Risk Manager - University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Courtney Davis, Executive Vice President, Global Education Practice Leader - Hub International

Host

Julie Groves, Director, Risk Services - Wake Forest University

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Join guest host Michelle Smith, URMIA’s Executive Director, as she interviews Liebe Meier Swain from Cornell University and Phillip Arrington from HUB International, who discuss how access to healthcare, especially mental health services, is linked to higher graduation rates. They highlight legislative changes, including Medicaid cuts and Affordable Care Act revisions, which may disproportionately affect vulnerable student populations, particularly those in rural areas and on Medicaid. They emphasize the need for campus-wide collaboration, proactive planning, and financial literacy to support students amid rising healthcare costs and shifting policies. Explore the evolving landscape of student health insurance and its critical role in student success in this episode of URMIA Matters.  

Show Notes

ACHA - American College Health Association

The JED Foundation

US GAO Report: Students' Health Coverage Rates Have Improved, but Barriers to Coverage Remain for Some

American Council on Education Healthcare Issue Landing Page

AAU, Associations Raise Concerns on Proposed Medicaid Cuts

Guests 

Liebe Meier Swain, Director, Student Health Plan - Cornell University  

Phillip Arrington, Vice President, Campus Health Solutions and SHIP Segment Leader - Hub International

Guest Host 

Michelle Smith, Executive Director - URMIA 

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Join guest host Michelle Smith, URMIA’s Executive Director, as she interviews four of URMIA’s newest staff members: Carrie Burnett, Project Specialist; Bowen Murphy, IT Manager; Ruth Rauluk, Resource Manager; and Adam Sieracki, Marketing Specialist. Tune in as Michelle interviews URMIA’s four newest staffers about their journey with URMIA so far and what surprised them most about our association! Hear a little about their lives, how they came to work for URMIA, and their favorite thing about working for URMIA so far. Don’t miss out on meeting some of the newest staff who help make URMIA so great! 

Show Notes

URMIA Staff

Guests

Carrie Burnett
Bowen Murphy
Ruth Rauluk
Adam Sieracki

Guest Host

Michelle Smith, Executive Director

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Join guest host Jenny Whittington, former Executive Director of URMIA, on this episode of URMIA Matters as she welcomes two distinguished guests: Eno Oregbesan, Director of Risk Management at Rice University, and Kathy Hargis, Associate Vice President of Risk Management and Compliance at Lipscomb University. Both guests share their extensive involvement with URMIA, highlighting their roles in various committees and task forces since 2009 and 2005, respectively. Take a peek into the workings of the Honors Committee, which celebrates outstanding individuals and achievements in the higher education risk management community. Discover the prestigious awards presented at the annual URMIA conference and learn why your nominations matter! Tune in for an insightful discussion on recognizing excellence and fostering a culture of appreciation in higher education risk management. 

Show Notes

URMIA Honors and Awards – Nominate a Colleague or Yourself for an award by June 27! 

URMIA Honors Committee

Guests 

Kathy Hargis, Associate Vice President of Risk Management & Compliance - Lipscomb University 

Eno Oregbesan, Director, Risk Management - Rice University  

Guest Host 

Jenny Whittington, Executive Director, Emerita - URMIA 

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In this episode of URMIA Matters, host Julie Groves, Director of Risk Services at Wake Forest University, interviews Heather Banules, Director of Insurance and Claims Administration, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Bret Bush, EVP, Field Operations, Insight Risk Technologies, and Ted Way, Senior Vice President, Gallagher. Together, they tackle the crucial topic of water damage prevention on higher education campuses. They discuss the importance of regular risk assessments to pinpoint vulnerabilities in campus buildings, while highlighting the need for comprehensive prevention tools and equipment.  Meanwhile, they share preventive measures like routine plumbing maintenance, installation of water sensors, and thorough inspections during construction and maintenance projects. They stress the significance of having a robust emergency response plan, complete with clear communication protocols and designated response teams. This episode of URMIA Matters provides insights, offering proactive steps that higher education institutions can take to safeguard their campuses and ensure operational continuity. 

Show Notes

What College & University Risk Managers Need to Know About Water Damage Prevention & Response Plans

Guests

Heather Banules, Director of Insurance and Claims Administration - University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Bret Bush, EVP Field Operations - Insight Risk Technologies LLC

Ted Way, Senior Vice President - Gallagher

Host

Julie Groves, Director, Risk Services - Wake Forest University

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In this special episode of URMIA Matters, guest host, Craig McAllister, Assistant Vice President, Risk Management, University of Miami, interviews guests Courtney Davis, Executive Vice President, Global Education Practice Leader at Hub International, and Luke Figora, Vice President for Operations at Northwestern University, about their journey into risk management. Courtney and Luke share their cherished times as URMIA past presidents and conference co-chairs. Also, they both delve into how their risk management career path began and how it has since evolved. Additionally, Courtney and Luke divulge their favorite URMIA resource and how the connections they have made at URMIA shaped their love of volunteerism and vocation. Tune in to hear all about these two Risk Management All Stars! 

Show Notes (some links require a member login)

My URMIA Network - Discussion Board Communities
URMIA Core Competencies for Higher Education Risk Managers
RIMS Risk Manager of the Year Award
URMIA Annual Conference
Get Involved with URMIA

Connect with URMIA & URMIA with your network
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In this episode of URMIA Matters, host Julie Groves, Director of Risk Services at Wake Forest University, interviews Stevan Veldkamp, Executive Director of the Piazza Center at Penn State, and Lori Hart, Director of Educational Initiatives for Holmes Murphy, about the recent Stop Campus Hazing Act and what needs to be accomplished before the implementation deadline. Stevan and Lori discuss the newly enacted Stop Campus Hazing Act, its implications, and actionable steps colleges and universities can take to eradicate hazing. They cover the impacts of hazing, how hazing has changed over the years, effective prevention programs, and the importance of creating a campus-wide culture of respect and safety throughout the entire student population. Learn about how a comprehensive and intersectional hazing prevention programs foster a safer college experience for everyone. 

Show Notes

• Register for upcoming URMIA Webinar “Understanding the Stop Campus Hazing Act" 
• Holmes Murphy Amnesty Policy Template

Guests

• Stevan Veldkamp, Executive Director, Piazza Center - Penn State
• Lori Hart, Director of Educational Initiatives - Holmes Murphy

Host

• Julie Groves, Director, Risk Services - Wake Forest University

Connect with URMIA & URMIA with your network
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Tune into this episode of URMIA Matters to hear all about URMIA’s newest community, the YoPros! Host Julie Groves, Director of Risk Services at Wake Forest University, interviews the YoPro community leaders, Michelle Powell, Risk Manager at Florida Polytechnic University, and Kate Miller, Risk Management Analyst at Christopher Newport University, about lessons learned and helpful resources into their new(ish) journey in higher education risk management. Kate and Michelle share their success stories, their learning experiences, and approaches for tackling challenges on campus. Whether you’re a young professional, new to the profession, or just young at heart, don’t miss this episode all about URMIA’s YoPros!

Show Notes
www.chronicle.com
www.insidehighered.com
URMIAs Specialized Communities

Guests
Kate Miller, Risk Management Analyst - Christopher Newport University
Michelle Powell, Risk Manager - Florida Polytechnic University

Host
Julie Groves, Director, Risk Services - Wake Forest University

Connect with URMIA & URMIA with your network
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-Email | [email protected]

Give URMIA Matters a boost:
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Thanks for listening to URMIA Matters!