CAJPA 2026
Annual Conference SEPTEMBER 15-18, 2026 | LAKE TAHOE
PRELIMINARY AGENDA
This preliminary agenda is provided for planning purposes only. Session topics, speakers, times, and locations are subject to change without notice.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2026 8:00 am – 2:00 pm Golf Tournament at Lake Tahoe Golf Course 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm Exhibitor Registration Open and Booth Set Up at Tahoe Blue Event Center 3:00 pm – 6:30 pm Attendee Registration Open at Tahoe Blue Event Center 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm Welcome Reception/Golf Awards in the Exhibit Hall 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm President’s Reception at Harrah’s Summit Suite
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2026
6:30 am – 7:30 am Walk to the Lake 7:30 am – 4:30 pm Attendee Registration Open at Tahoe Blue Event Center 7:30 am – 9:00 am Continental Breakfast 9:00 am – 10:45 am Welcome & Opening Keynote Dr. Rachel Heiss, Stress Physiologist & Author 10:45 am – 4:45 pm Exhibit Hall Open 11:15 am – 12:15 pm Navigating Public Records Requests in a Changing Environment Navigating Public Records Requests in a Changing Environment Jennifer Henning, Executive Director, County Counsels’ Association and General Counsel, CSAC Marcus Beverly, FVP, Alliant Insurance Services Post-Termination Cumulative Trauma: Building the Defense Before the Doctor Decides the Case Nathan D. McMurry, Founder and Principal Attorney of the Law Offices of Nathan D. McMurry, APC Michael Corona, Account Manager, CorVel Corporation California Code: Stop Limiting Investment Results for Your Members Alton Cogert, President & CEO, Strategic Asset Alliance Jeffrey Grubbs, Chief Financial Officer, ASCIP Communication and Deescalation John Wilson, Instruction and Curriculum Director, Knowledge Saves Lives WOW Session: Why Good Programs Don’t Work - and What Leadership Has to Do With It by Keenan* WOW Session: Head and Heart: Supporting Resilience Workplaces and Well-being During Disruption by Kaiser* 12:15 pm – 1:45 pm Lunch in the Exhibit Hall * Sponsor-Led Session
1:45 pm – 2:45 pm Worker’s Compensation: Revisiting the Classics with Modern Insights Jen Hamelin, WCCA, WCCP, SIP Brenna Hampton, Defense Attorney, Tobin Lucks LLP Devora Brainard-DeLong, Vice President, Client Services, Sedgwick Reimagining Public Sector Healthcare: A Roundtable on the Future of Health Benefits Nicole Mata, Executive Director Health Benefits, Self-Insured Schools of California Amy Conley, Executive Director, CIRA Sidney DiDomenico, Chief Employee Benefits Officer, PRISM Michael Menerey, Executive Vice President, Alliant Insurance Services The Sherpa Isn’t the Summit: Why AI Can’t Lead the Climb Angelica De Mesa, Attorney, Collins + Collins LLP Erin R. Dunkerly, Attorney, Collins + Collins LLP Robert S. Kahn, Attorney, Collins + Collins LLP WOW Session: More Than Insurance: Crisis Response for Critical Events by Alliant* WOW Session: Jurors, Judges & Curveballs: Real Stories from Jury Selection by Cogent Legal* 2:45 pm – 3:15 pm Coffee & Snack Break in Exhibit Hall 3:15 pm – 4:15 pm Hottest Topics in Pooling Today James Marta, CAJPA Accreditation Manager David deBernardi, Accreditation Committee Chair Jim Elledge, Deputy Executive Director, PERMA David Nunley, CAJPA Accreditation Consultant Why Law Enforcement Claims Keep Repeating Jared Smith, Risk Control Manager at Safety National Sergeant Jason Louis (ret.), CEO/Co-founder, The Briefing Room Agency Attorney Phil Downs Cybersecurity Donald Hester, Cybersecurity Advisor, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency From Budget Pressure to Risk Advantage How Early Retirement Incentives Can Lower Payroll and Insurance Costs Melissa King, Sales Executive, Keenan Dave Ostash, Chief Executive Officer, SISC WOW Session: AI-Driven Insights for Transforming Risk Management and Loss Control by Sedgwick* WOW Session: Altitude Adjustment: Navigating Presumptions, 4850 Benefits & Disability Retirement at Higher Elevations by Michael Sullivan & Associates* 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm Networking Reception in Harrah’s South Shore Room 8:30 pm – 11:00 pm Late Night Event in Harrah’s South Shore Room
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 8:30 am – 4:30 pm Attendee Registration Open at Tahoe Blue Event Center 8:30 am – 9:30 am Continental Breakfast 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Exhibit Hall Open 9:30 am – 10:30 am CAJPA Governance Track #1 Catherine Smith, Principal, CAJPA Ann Gergen, Executive Director, AGRiP Preventing School Safety Risks Before They Escalate Erica Vogel, Chief Executive Officer, Community Matters Cindy Wilkerson, CEO/Executive Director, RESIG From Risk Control to Risk Capital How Public Pools Can Influence Property Capacity, Pricing, and Terms Tom Barber, PE, ARM, Vice President, Alliant Insurance Services Erwin Chang, General Liability Claims Manager, Municipal Pooling Authority Phill Corstorphine, Director, Price Forbes, London Vital Document Recovery and Restoration Brian Foote, National Accounts Manager, Belfor Property Restoration WOW Session: Lessons from the Climb: Real Claim Stories That Changed How We Handle Risk by Intercare* 10:30 – 11:00 Coffee & Snack Break in Exhibit Hall 11:00 am – 12:00 pm CAJPA Governance Track #2 Jeffrey Grubbs, Chief Financial Officer, ASCIP Ritesh Sharma, Accounting Manager, James Marta & Co Reversionary Interest and Using Structured Settlements as a Negotiation Tool Chris Chan, Settlement Consultant, Ringler Associates Kimberley Gaskill, Senior Attorney, Michael Sullivan & Associates Dangerous Conditions Claims Beth Lyons Executive Director, PERMA Steve Brewer, Partner, Benchmark Analytics WOW Session: The First 7 Days: The Critical Window That Determines Claim Outcomes by Athens Administrators* WOW Session: From Hype to Health: How AI can Bend the Trend on Cost of Care and Member Experience by Blue Shield of CA* 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm Lunch in Exhibit Hall 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm SB 827 Compliance Training Part 1 Jennifer Bradlee, Partner, Best Best & Krieger Mark Krummennacker, Advisor, Regional Government Services Authority Case Law Update Mike Pott, Chief Operating Officer/Chief Legal Counsel, PRISM Stephan Birgel, Chief Legal Officer, ASCIP * Sponsor-Led Session
Beyond the Playground: Donna Ain, Risk Manager, Torrance Unified School District Devora Brainard-Delong, Vice President, Client Services, Sedgwick Marco Guardi, Vice President, Pooling – Risk Control Services, Sedgwick Legislative Impacts to Health Benefit Plans Nicole Strauch, Employee Benefits Manager, Butte Schools SelfFunded Programs Elizabeth Matheny, Employee Benefits Manager, RESIG WOW Session: Public Entities and the Workers Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) by Mullen & Filippi* 2:30 pm – 3:00 pm Coffee & Snack Break in Exhibit Hall 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Capping the Risk: A Coalition to Protect California’s Public Funds President Marinda Griese, Assistant General Manager, CJPRMA Robb Korinke, Co-Founder/Principal, Grassroots Lab Mike Pott, Chief Operating Officer/Chief Legal Counsel, PRISM Nikki Salas, Chief Administrative Officer, CJPIA SB 827 Compliance Training Part 2 Jennifer Bradlee, Partner, Best Best & Krieger Mark Krummennacker, Advisor, Regional Government Services Authority Beyond the Hype: Real AI Success Stories from Risk Pools Amy Conley, Executive Director, CIRA Danielle Davis, Management Analyst, CIRA Mo Lopez, Office Manager, RESIG Nicole Montalvo, IT Manager, PRISM Ben Rodriguez, Technology Projects Manager, Cal JPIA Kayla Villa, Litigation Manager, ACWA JPIA High-Altitude Defense: A Trail Map through Lawsuits Rebecca Chmura, Attorney, Collins + Collins David Trautz, Claim Litigation Manager, PERMA 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm Closing Reception on 18th Floor, Harrah’s
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2026 7:30 am Full American Buffet Breakfast in Margaritaville Ballroom 8:00 am – 10:00 am Membership Meeting and Closing Legislative Keynote Mike Madrid, Co-Founder / Principal, GrassrootsLab