Teresa brings more than 27 years of insurance industry experience in legal, product and business development to creating this program, which welcomed its inaugural class this past fall 2020. Her goals for the program include elevating the program as an epicenter for innovation, mentorship and thought leadership, helping professionals break down and navigate functional silos, and accelerating the advancement of insurance professionals into leadership roles, particularly women and under-represented groups. Through the curriculum and partnerships with industry leaders, she is expanding the network between seasoned field experts and student professionals who are committed to moving the industry forward.

Prior to joining Columbia, Teresa was the Business Manager for MGU start-ups funded by Willis Group that leverage emerging tech capabilities to underwrite specialized markets including renewable energy and management/cyber liability. She was also an Advisor to New Energy Risk for alternative energy project development.

Previously, Teresa spent 22 years at AIG, where she served as both Senior Vice President of AIG Energy Warranty and Director of Corporate Product Development. 

In one of her most challenging roles, Teresa managed a business development initiative built on collaboration between Native American tribal governments, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Department of Energy, and the Department of the Interior to facilitate the expansion and insurance of tribal businesses. 

She began her career at AIG as an insurance regulatory attorney providing counsel to domestic and international profit centers, as well as overseeing insurance holding company compliance requirements. 

Teresa has a J.D. from Fordham University and B.S. in Operations Research from the School of Engineering and Applied Science at Columbia University. She has been recognized by Business Insurance as one of “25 Women to Watch” and ReActions Magazine as one of the “Top Insurance Women”.