As Senior Vice President, Julie leads AIA, Alera Group’s Broker Solutions division. She is responsible for communicating our industry-leading portfolio of resources and incomparable service platform to new and existing broker partners. Julie leads our efforts in ensuring that all brokers, agents, and consultants in our service area understand the value that we bring to the marketplace through unmatched analytical strategies, technology, HR and compliance expertise, PPACA consulting services, and superior vendor partnerships. Additionally, she works directly with our broker partners and their clients on renewal and sales strategies.
Julie previously served as a Benefits Consultant with a local Association for 5 years selling and servicing Health, Life and Dental insurance to the association members. In that role, Julie was also responsible for training, sales development, and quoting while managing carrier relationships on behalf of the association members.
Julie is a licensed Practical Nurse and a licensed Life, Accident and Health agent.
Jeff joined our team in 2016 to grow the Group Ancillary Division. He is responsible for managing the department that supports your group dental, disability, life, vision and worksite sales needs.
Prior to joining Alera GA, Jeff was a Group Representative for Guardian Life, where he had worked for 25 years building strong broker relationships in Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Jeff holds a BS in Marketing from Florida State University, and has continued his education throughout his career through the American College, earning the CLU, ChFC, RHU and REBC designations.
Outside the office Jeff and his wife love to travel both domestically and internationally. Jeff is also a cyclist, competing in the many masters/amateur races around the region.
Carol joined our team in 2000 and is responsible for the Alera GA's broker commission processing and various accounting functions.
Carol holds degrees in accounting and computer information technology. Her background includes 25 years of accounting and office management experience in both the public and private sectors.
In her free time, Carol enjoys spending time with her family and babysitting her 2 grandchildren. What you may not know, is that Carol is a sprint car fan, and enjoys heading to the local tracks to watch the cars slide around the dirt oval.
Amy joined the Alera GA in 2015. Her responsibilities include processing member changes, broker of record changes, and other commission adminstrative duties.
Amy recieved her Accounting degree from Penn Commercial Business/Technical School. She enjoys spending her free time with her four children, two grandchildren, and wonderful boyfriend, as well as caring for her garden and working on home improvement projects.
Dave has been with Alera General Agency since 2001, enjoying 17 years of helping this company grow to what it is today.
Dave possesses 40 years of industry experience, spending 12 years with Aetna in Life and Casualty, six years with HealthAmerica creating and growing the broker program, two years with AIG in Specialty Markets, two years with UPMC Health Plan, and one year in personal production. His well-rounded background makes him very knowledgeable in all areas of health insurance.
Dave is a graduate of Westminster College, having earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing. He is currently a member of the USGA and actively involved with all major golf tournaments in Western, PA. He also holds a membership at Firestone Country Club in Akron, OH. In his free time, Dave enjoys golfing, traveling, lying on the beach, and spending time with his wife Claudia, two sons Justin and Matthew and his grandchildren.
Diane is the Commissions Manager for AIA, Alera Group, where she is responsible for reconciling, auditing, tracking, and paying carrier commissions for our Employee Benefits and Broker Solutions divisions. She has a dedicated commitment and perseverance for finding missing commissions. Diane has found over $175,000 for our Broker partners!
Diane has worked at AIA, Alera Group for over 15 years and currently loves working remotely in Wake Forest, NC.
Mandy is Senior Operations Account Manager for AIA, Alera Group’s Broker Solutions division. She is responsible for educating our Broker Solution team and our broker partners on carrier processes and guidelines to ensure that all technical and administrative platforms appropriately reflect accurate information. Mandy ensures the on-going training of the division, as well as manages value-added vendor partnerships and communication resources. She is critical to the success of our broker partners and is known to be a trusted and reliable resource.
Prior to joining the AIA, Alera group in 2010, Mandy worked at a local insurance consulting firm where she was responsible for the administrative services area. She supported the insurance carrier relationships and provided high-quality customer service. Mandy is a licensed Life, Accident and Health agent and also has a Paralegal Certificate.
Angel serves as an Appointment and Billing Specialist assisting Mandy Yerkey and Diane Bendyl with appointments and commissions among other duties. She previously spent the last 27 years working as a medical assistant and became a manager in 2012.
Angel has been married to her husband Austin for 22 years and has two adult children Katie and Kamron. She enjoys spending time with my family and friends and loves warm weather.
Danielle is our Director of Marketing, and actively supports our company's growth and branding efforts by collaborating across all divisions at AIA, Alera Group. Danielle is creative, organized, serving, and adds a personal touch to all she does. She has served in a number of business development and marketing roles since 2009 which has added to the tremendous value she brings to our team.
Danielle holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, (major in Marketing and minor in Economics) from Susquehanna University and holds a Pennsylvania Insurance Producer License for Life, Accident and Health. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. You will often find Danielle helping others!
Jonathan (JB) joined our team in January of 2022 as the Director of Ancillary and Worksite Benefits.
His professional background includes 15+ years of carrier, broker, and client experience. In his prior roles, he directed strategy, technology, engagement, and enrollment both internally and externally at the brokerage.
In his home life, JB loves to spend time with his family including his wife Sara, two kiddos, a Yorkipoo, and a cat. He enjoys backpacking, traveling, photography, and watches. JB and Sara are always ready to find a new restaurant or adventure in Pittsburgh to experience as a family.
He holds a degree from Penn State and is licensed in PA with Life, Health and Annuities. JB has the following industry designations; GBDS (Group Benefits Disability Specialist), BAM (Benefits Account Manager), VBS (Voluntary Benefits Specialist), AHIP Medicare Certificate.
Arlene joined our team in 2016. Prior to joining the team, she worked at USAA in Tampa, FL for three years as an Insurance Specialist, serving and issuing new Personal Lines Property and Casualty Products.
She holds a BS in Business Administration with a minor in Marketing & Management from the University of Southern Florida. Being new to the Pittsburgh area, during her free time she enjoys discovering western PA with her husband, Ryan.
Emily is an Account Coordinator for the Ancillary benefits team at Alera, she joined our team in November 2023. She studied Business Administration and Marketing at California University of Pennsylvania. Right out of college she became licensed and has 4 years of experience in the insurance industry. Outside of the office, Emily enjoys spending time with her family.
Alicia joined our team in November 2019 and she oversees Alera GA's Group Medical division, managing our product and service offerings to ensure that our broker partners have the tools and resources they need to be successful.
Prior to joining Alera HA, Alicia was the director of an insurance agency at a small business association. She has been in the insurance industry for over 20 years, and has extensive experience in customer service, sales, and operational management. She holds active Life, Accident, Health and Property and Casualty Insurance licenses.
Outside the office, Alicia enjoys spending time with her husband, Mark, and their three daughters, Mackenzie, Alexa and Allison. You can often find her on the sidelines cheering on her daughter's soccer games or renovating their 1800's era farmhouse.
Heather joined our team in 2021 and supports our broker partners in Pittsburgh while overseeing the Mechanicsburg General Agency staff. She assists with group installations, renewals, and the ongoing service of group medical plans.
Before joining Alera Group, Heather was the regional manager of an insurance agency at a small business association. She started working in the insurance industry in 2000, specializing in employee benefits, and has extensive experience in leadership, customer service, sales, and retention. She currently holds a PA Accident and Health, Life and Fixed Annuities producer license and is Pennie-Certified.
Outside the office, Heather enjoys spending time with her husband, Larry, and their two sons, Frederick and Zachary. You will also find Heather and her husband volunteering countless hours at local rescues.
Heather joined Alera in August 2023 as the Large Group Quoting Analyst, where she focuses on assisting brokers with Mid-Market and Large Group health insurance quotes and supports the team with various projects.
Before joining Alera, Heather developed extensive expertise in client relations and operational efficiency within the health insurance and financial investment industries. With over 20 years of experience in operations management and employee benefits, she excels in process improvements, compliance, and delivering exceptional client service.
In her spare time, Heather enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing games, traveling, kayaking, camping, antiquing, and all things Disney.
Beth arrived at AIA, Alera Group with the acquisition of Trilogy Group Benefits. She is an Account Manager working primarily with the small group market to facilitate annual renewals and also provide assistance with COBRA services. Beth has an extensive administrative background with a focus on human resources and customer service. She strives to deliver excellent customer service in a timely manner to ensure client satisfaction.
In her spare time, Beth is an enthusiastic fan of the Green Bay Packers and enjoys spending time with family, friends and her Pitbull rescue, Cooper.
Evan is a Broker Account Manager at AIA, Alera Group, where he is responsible for servicing and assisting our broker partners who are dedicated to the group market. Evan delivers extraordinary service, RFP strategy analysis, consultation, and manages carrier policy adherence for our broker partners. He is an expert in the Small Group market as well as the Ancillary Vision market and a tremendous resource to our broker partners and consultants.
Evan has joined our team after working in various positions for at a large Medical Carrier. For the majority of his career he worked in Vision Sales and Service, Small Group Medical Sales and Service, Marketing, and Underwriting. He has experience serving both small and large employer groups as well as broker partners.
Evan is a licensed Life, Accident and Health agent and has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Secondary Education. He enjoys time spent with his family and enjoys cricket, skiing and sports car racing.
Gabe joined our team in August of 2020 as an Account Manager in the Group Medical division.
Her professional background includes 4 years working with Medicare, Individual and Group Medical and Group Ancillary products. In her prior roles, she directly assisted clients and their employees.
Outside the office, Gabe loves to adventure with her husband Christian and their two dogs. They both enjoy cruising in their 1969 Chevelle, exploring antique stores, traveling for softball and watching the Pittsburgh Steelers! She also enjoys playing volleyball with friends and spending quality time with her family.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a minor in Sports Management from Clarion University. Gabe is licensed in both Life and Health as well as Property and Casualty
Courtney joined our team in 2017.
Prior to Alera GA, she worked in the Durable Medical Equipment industry for 8 years as a manager to several different departments. She was actively involved with CEOs regarding new business development as well as being very involved in the recruitment and mentoring of new staff. Courtney has a strong background of health insurance requirements and is licensed in Pennsylvania for Life, Accident and Health Insurance.
Courtney enjoys spending time outdoors exploring her hometown Pittsburgh, PA with her husband and their two children, as well as their two French bull dogs Mickey and Princess Leia.
Krystle joined our team in July 2019 and she supports our broker partners with group installations, renewals and on-going service of group medical plans.
She has a diverse background working in the insurance industry for over 10 years. She has worked at Highmark as a Team Lead in the claims processing unit processing complex claims and appeals; while also being responsible for training and supervising a group of 10 employees. She also has experience in medical claims follow-up working for Allegheny Health Network and Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy. Krystle is licensed in Pennsylvania for Life, Accident and Health Insurance.
Krystle enjoys traveling and trying out new restaurants and food with her husband who is a chef and their three, young sons.
Wendy transitioned to Account Manager in August 2024 after serving as an Account Coordinator for five years demonstrating a strong commitment to excellence in her work, where she became known for her extensive knowledge and dedication to helping clients. Wendy's professional background includes patient care, medical billing, customer service, and human resources, giving her a well-rounded perspective in addressing client needs.
Originally from Binghamton, NY, Wendy has lived in the Harrisburg, PA area for over 20 years. She loves helping others and isn't afraid to go the extra mile. Wendy has children, Victoria and Nigel.
Regina joined our team in 2018 and works in the Group Medical division supporting our Account Managers.
When not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three children. She also enjoys traveling to visit family and friends.
Nicole is an Operations Account Associate for AIA, Alera Group’s Benefits division. She assists the Broker Solutions team with enrollments, changes, and inquiries. She also provides administrative support and coordination to our Employee Benefits and Medicare Solutions team. Nicole’s ambitious personality and work ethic allows her to consistently give the best quality of service to her teammates and our broker partners.
Nicole previously served a local insurance carrier as a Clinical Care Assistant and then an Enrollment Specialist for Medicare Managed Care. Her experience with customer service, accounting, resolving medical management issues, eligibility verification, and facilitating accurate claims processing has made her an excellent fit for our clients and team.
Nicole is a licensed Life, Accident and Health agent. Her experience is also enhanced by being a registered EFDA (Expanded Function Dental Assistant) and is Radiology Certified.
Jaclyn Thomas is a Broker Coordinator who works with the Wholesale Department. Jaclyn strives to make her Broker Managers lives easier in their daily tasks. She takes great pride and enjoyment in helping her co-workers and others. Jaclyn enjoys learning new things and staying up to date on new policies and ways to accomplish tasks easier and more efficiently.
Jaclyn has an extensive background in Medicare and Medicare Collections and has worked in Customer Service for most of her adult life.
Jaclyn holds a Paralegal Degree in Legal Studies and hopes to finish her bachelor’s degree soon. In Jaclyn’s spare time, she enjoys reading, spending time with her family, learning about new things, studying different topics of interest, and being a pet mom!
Tessa joined Alera General Agency as the Director of Medicare & Individual Sales in April of 2022. Her primary goals as Director are to grow Medicare and ACA Marketplace sales through broker recruitment initiatives, strategic onboarding, and hands-on training and support.
Tessa has been marketing Medicare since 2012. She considers herself a teacher at heart and is driven to see brokers succeed. She has held a variety of leadership roles, including broker management positions at a local PA based agency, and at a larger nationwide FMO. At UPMC Health Plan, she managed broker partners and also spent time managing Inside Sales. She is grateful for her diversity in roles, enabling her to see the Medicare market from many perspectives.
Tessa enjoys spending time with her large extended family, especially her nieces and nephews. She and her husband Harry like spending time in the sun, including camping, trips to the beach, and travel of any kind. They also enjoy stand-up comedy shows, good beer and wine, cooking, and game night!
Tessa holds a B.A. in English from Saint Vincent College in Latrobe PA. Tessa also holds active Life, Accident and Health licenses.
Carrie joined our team in 2024 as the Medicare Broker Manager.
Prior to joining Alera GA, she worked for Alera Group Pittsburgh as the Director of the Small Business Unit and an Account Executive.
Carrie has been in the insurance industry for 20 years, starting her career in Employee Benefits at UPMC Health Plan, before moving to SMC Insurance Agency and then Alera Group.
She holds an active Life, Health and Accident license and AHIP Medicare Certification.
Outside of the office, Carrie enjoys spending time with her 2 kids, being outdoors and traveling.
Michelle joined our team in 2005 and spent the majority of her time in Alera GA's Individual Department assisting brokers with writing individual policies. Michelle's responsibilities include agent training, licensing, and answering any questions regarding individual products.
She has been happily married to her husband, John, for 30 years. Together they have two sons, Joe and Keith. When she's not in the office, Michelle enjoys walking, reading, bowling, shopping, and rooting her favorite sports teams-the Steelers and Pirates. She also loves spending time with her family and friends doing just about anything.
