Jocelyn Dewey was installed as MAIW President on May 4, 2019. Get to know all of our Officers for 2019-20.
President
Jocelyn Dewey, ACSR, AAI, CPCU
Jocelyn has been working in the insurance industry for the past 15 years. She is currently Chief Underwriting Officer at DeCotis Specialty Insurance, an excess and surplus lines wholesaler and managing general agent based in Providence, RI. Prior to joining DeCotis, Jocelyn held personal lines underwriting positions for both national and regional insurance carriers.
Jocelyn is a graduate of Green Mountain College (VT) and is a licensed property and casualty producer holding her ACSR, AAI, and CPCU designations. In 2015, she completed the NAPSLO advanced School in St. Louis, MO.
Jocelyn has been a member of MAIW since 2013. She has served at the chapter level as Bristol Chapter membership chair (2013-2016), Bristol Chapter Director (2014-2016), and Bristol Chapter Education Chair (2017-2018). At the state level, she has served as Government Affairs Chair (2015-2016) and Social Media Chair (2018-Present). She currently resides in East Providence, RI, with her three Chihuahua’s, Bella Mia, Dolly Anne, and Ginger Belle.
Email: president@maiw.org
President-Elect
Laura Sewall, CIC, CISR
Laura has worked at the agency level in the insurance industry for approximately 30 years. She is currently employed by Eastern Insurance as an Account Manager in the Personal Lines Dept. where she has been for the past 13 years. She handles a Specialty Firearms Insurance Program within Eastern and backs up the personal lines Dept. as needed. She has been awarded 2 Above and Beyond Awards by Eastern insurance, in 2012 and 2018, for her assistance in the development of the Firearms Program as well as her involvement in several community service events. Prior to Eastern Insurance, she worked for Hollis Insurance, Mass Bay Insurance, Flaherty Insurance, and State Fund. She earned the CISR Designation in 1995 and the CIC Designation in 2002. Along with holding an insurance license and the 2 designations, she is currently a Notary Public.
Since joining MAIW in 2008, she has held numerous positions such as Government Affairs, Safety, Membership, Assistant Director and Director of the Plymouth Chapter. She was awarded Rookie of the Year in 2009, Member of the Year in 2013 and 2017. She has held the position of Vice President and Bylaws Chair on the State Board of MAIW for the last 2 years, 2017-18, 2018-19. She is looking forward to her new position within the board.
Laura finds it very rewarding to be a member of MAIW, most of all for the education, networking and the friendships that she has made throughout the organization. Laura has 2 children, grew up in Plymouth, MA, and currently resides in Halifax, MA.
Email: presidentelect@maiw.org
Vice President
Denise DeLeo, CPCU,CRM, CIC, CISR
Denise DeLeo has been in the insurance business for over 20 years. She actually started her insurance career in a life insurance agency in Providence, RI but left for the fun-filled and exciting world of property/casualty in 1984. She then worked in both personal and commercial lines, finally settling in with commercial lines when she moved to the State of MA.
Denise was previously a member of Cape Cod Chapter of MAIW and joined the Bristol Chapter in 2013. At the Chapter level, she has been the Secretary and Membership Chair, is currently serving as the Co-Director, and will continue again as Co-Director for the 19/20 term. At the Association level, Denise currently serves as Membership Chair and is being installed as Vice President for the 2019-2020 term. She will be working on her AAI designation next.
Denise lives in Somerset, has 3 children, 1 grandchild and besides spending time with family, enjoys gardening, reading, cooking and walking. She serves on the Advisory Board for her town, is involved in several book clubs, volunteers with the Alzheimer’s Association and sings in her church choir.
Email: vicepresident@maiw.org
Secretary
Phyllis J. Riordan, CISR, CPIA
Phyllis has been working in the insurance industry since 1994 working at the agency level with experience in both Personal and Commercial Lines. She has found her love of Commercial lines and has concentrated on new business & renewal marketing for the past 15 years.
Since joining MAIW in 2011, Phyllis has been the Director of the Middlesex Chapter from 2015-2018. And then Co-Director of the Essex/Middlesex Chapter from 2018-2019. Before moving to Massachusetts; Phyllis was a member of the NAIW in Sarasota, Florida.
At the association level, Phyllis has served as Marketing Chair from 2017-2019 and is being installed as the Secretary for the 2019-2020 term. Phyllis is enjoying the New England life and has embraced the seasons she has learned to love up here since moving to Massachusetts from Sarasota in 2008.
Email: secretary@maiw.org
Treasurer
Heather Heffernan
Heather is a meticulous, accomplished accounting professional who has more than 20 years of progressively responsible accounting experience across various industries including public accounting, manufacturing, construction and most recently, insurance. She attended Xavier University and graduated Cum Laude with a B.S.B.A. degree in Accounting. Her past experiences in leading roles have prepared her for her current position as Chief Financial Officer at Sylvia Group. Heather has been a member of the Bristol Chapter of MAIW since 2013, holding the offices of Chapter Secretary from 2013-2014 and Chapter Treasurer from 2014-2019. She has served as Treasurer at the state level since 2016.
Outside of her work environment, Heather and her husband enjoy spending time outdoors, particularly hiking and running, and they devote much of their time in support of their community as well as various local charities such as the Children’s Advocacy Center of Bristol County, the American Cancer Society, St. Jude, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Email: treasurer@maiw.org
Immediate Past President Monique E. Duquette, CISR, CPIA, CPIW
Monique has been working in the insurance industry since 1987, working at both the company and agency levels with experience in both Personal and Commercial Lines. Since joining MAIW in 2010, Monique has held numerous positions within the Plymouth Chapter such as Membership Chair, Program Chair, Safety Chair, Education Chair, Assistant Director and Director. Monique was awarded the Plymouth Chapter Rookie of the Year in 2010 and Member of the Year in 2013.
At the state level, Monique has served as Safety Chair, Co-Chair of the Education Committee, Vice President and President-elect. Monique attained her broker’s license in 1988, CPIW designation in 2013, CISR designation in 2017 and is currently working on the CISR Elite designation as well as the AINS designation.
Monique finds it very rewarding to be a part of MAIW to see what the organization offers its members in the way of education, fellowship and personal development. It is also overwhelming to see the impact made on surrounding communities by the donations and fundraisers made by the MAIW Chapters and Members.
Monique has three children and two grandchildren and currently resides between Swansea and Wareham, MA. She enjoys traveling, hiking, target practice and biking.
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