Meet Our Team

Steve has more than 30 years of experience in the professional liability segment of the insurance industry in the roles of business leader, manager and underwriter. Steve started and managed successful professional liability businesses for three insurance carriers prior to joining the W. R. Berkley Corporation to form Berkley Alliance Managers in 2013. Throughout his career he has succeeded in hiring and cultivating teams of specialist professional liability executives, underwriters and claims people to build innovative insurance solutions in specialty markets.

Steve holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Northeastern University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and Industrial Relations from Syracuse University. Steve is based in Albany, New York.

Tom joined Berkley Service Professionals in December of 2020. He has more than 20 years of experience, predominantly in specialty professional liability insurance. Tom has created successful Miscellaneous Professional Liability products and teams from the ground up. He has also held various positions ranging from product head to product/portfolio manager in addition to senior underwriter and underwriter. Tom has worked in large and small insurance company environments, as well as for Managing General Agents specializing in both admitted and non-admitted professional liability insurance.

Tom is a licensed insurance agent and surplus lines broker in the state of Connecticut. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Western Connecticut State University. Tom is based in Glastonbury, Connecticut.

Laila is a licensed attorney and has been a claims professional dedicated to the design industry for more than twenty years. Prior to joining Berkley Alliance Managers, she was the director of design and construction professional liability claims for a leading insurance carrier, where she created, grew and led the claims department. Prior to that position, Laila was the vice president, executive claims counsel and regional claims manager for a leading carrier which provided architects and engineers professional liability insurance. Before entering the insurance industry, Laila practiced law with Booth, Mitchell & Strange, LLP in Orange, California.

Laila earned her Juris Doctorate from Pepperdine University School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts degree in communications and business from Pepperdine University, Seaver College. She is a member of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) Risk Management Committee, the ACEC Legal Counsel Forum, International Risk Management Institute (IRMI) and the Claims & Litigation Management Alliance (CLM). Laila is based in Irvine, California.

Jude has nearly 30 years of experience underwriting professional liability insurance. His expertise includes over a dozen E&O classes, with specialization in miscellaneous professional, real estate and insurance agents. Jude joined Berkley Service Professionals in 2021 as vice president, underwriting. He was promoted to senior vice president in 2023. He has previously served as vice president at two leading E&S insurance carriers and at a managing general agency.

Jude is a licensed insurance agent in Georgia and has achieved the designation of Registered Professional Liability Underwriter (RPLU). He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from LaSalle University in Philadelphia. Jude is based in Roswell, Georgia. He can be reached at [email protected].

Valerie is senior vice president, chief marketing officer responsible for brand, marketing, social media, digital marketing, media relations and communication strategies. She brings more than 30 years of experience in strategic marketing and communications in the financial services and technology industries, including nearly 20 years in the specialty insurance sector. She has expertise in all facets of business-to-business marketing including brand management, communications, integrated campaigns, thought leadership and digital marketing.

Valerie joined Berkley Alliance Managers in 2017 as vice president, director of marketing. Prior to that, she was the vice president of marketing communications for Berkley Select, a Berkley Company. Her previous experience includes marketing leadership roles at a large national healthcare association and an international financial services company.

Valerie is an active Insurance Marketing Communications Association (IMCA) member. Valerie was the executive chair from 2019 to 2020 and served on the Board of Directors for nine years.

Valerie earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Bradley University. Valerie is based in Denver, Colorado.

Chris joined Berkley Service Professionals in July of 2020 and has been with the Berkley Companies since April of 2007. He has more than 25 years of professional liability insurance experience. Prior to joining Berkley, Chris developed and led several professional liability programs. Most recently, he managed a program for one of the nation’s leading accountants professional liability insurance providers. In addition to his program management experience, Chris has held various positions within professional liability insurance including: sales manager, branch manager, senior underwriter and underwriter.

Chris is a licensed insurance agent and surplus lines broker in the state of California. He is based in San Carlos, California.

Laura joined Berkley Service Professionals in July of 2016 and has been with the Berkley Companies since August of 2015. She has more than 30 years of experience as a professional liability risk analyst. Prior to joining Berkley, Laura helped to create a successful nonstandard professional liability facility for a leading worldwide insurance company, a managing general agency and several leading domestic insurance carriers. Since 1991, she has worked as a professional liability risk analyst specializing in all lines of professional liability.

Laura studied Business Management at Grossmont College in San Diego. She is a licensed insurance agent and surplus lines broker in the state of California and has earned her RPLU designation.

Amanda joined Berkley Service Professionals in March of 2022. She has nearly 20 years of experience underwriting professional liability insurance working in both large and small insurance company environments, as well as for managing general agents. While her expertise is in miscellaneous professional liability, she has spent many years underwriting insurance services, real estate risks, lawyers E&O, accountant’s E&O and technology E&O in both the admitted and non-admitted markets. Amanda is responsible for underwriting primary and excess business within the wholesale insurance community, fostering strong broker relationships and achieving profitable growth for Berkley Service Professionals’ expanding miscellaneous professional liability, insurance and real estate services portfolio.

Amanda is a licensed insurance agent and surplus lines broker in the state of Connecticut. She is based in Glastonbury, Connecticut.

Monica joined Berkley Service Professionals in February of 2022 and has been with Berkley Companies since August of 2013. She has more than 25 years of professional liability underwriting experience. During that time, she has worked extensively in Architects & Engineers Professional Liability Insurance. Monica’s key responsibility is to assist in the management and development of various Miscellaneous E&O programs. Additionally, she will provide operational support and guide IT/infrastructure expansion for Berkley Service Professionals.

In her role Monica will continue to foster strong broker relationships, enhance affinity programs and achieve profitable growth for Berkley Service Professionals’ portfolio. She is based in Salinas, California.

Jennifer joined Berkley Service Professionals in April of 2023. She has more than 12 years of underwriting experience with several national carriers. Most recently she was part of the Lawyers Professional Liability underwriting group at Berkley Select, a Berkley company. She started her career in insurance as a Miscellaneous Professional Liability/Cyber underwriting assistant in 2006.

Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in French from Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, Connecticut. She is based in Hartford, Connecticut.