Travelers Institute Risk & Resilience

Latest Episodes:

Part 1 of 2: Forces at Work Symposium at the New York Stock Exchange Jun 16, 2025

Show notes

From labor market fluctuations to shifting employee expectations, today’s workforce is evolving at an unprecedented pace. In this two-part series, the Travelers Institute broadcasted live from the Board Room of the New York Stock Exchange to explore the challenges and opportunities brought on by these changes.

In Part 1, Dr. Jerome M. Adams, the 20th U.S. Surgeon General and Executive Director, Health Equity Initiatives and the Center for Community Health Enhancement and Learning, Purdue University, gave a keynote on the current challenges and opportunities in addressing mental well-being and thoughts on a path forward. He was then joined by Ramona Tanabe, President and CEO of the Workers Compensation Research Institute, and Rich Ives, Senior Vice President, Business Insurance Claim, Travelers, to discuss how to develop actionable plans to address mental health in your workplace.

Listen to Part 2.

Watch the original Wednesdays with Woodward® webinar: https://institute.travelers.com/webinar-series/symposia-series/forces-at-work-nyse

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Learn more about the Forces at Work® initiative: https://institute.travelers.com/workforce

Connect with Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

How Did You Sleep Last Night? Understanding the Fascinating Science of Sleep May 07, 2025

Show notes

Most people will spend about a third of their life asleep. So why do we sleep? Dr. Matt Walker, Professor of Neuroscience at UC Berkeley, joined us for an eye-opening look at how the power of sleep impacts health, aging, lifespan, learning and so much more.

Watch the original Wednesdays with Woodward® webinar: https://institute.travelers.com/webinar-series/symposia-series/science-of-sleep

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

Crash and Learn with IIHS Apr 11, 2025

Show notes

Tucked in the foothills of central Virginia, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) runs a state-of-the-art facility where researchers conduct a range of vehicle crash tests and publish their widely consulted vehicle safety ratings. The Travelers Institute gave a behind-the-scenes look at how this important work, supported by Travelers and the insurance industry, is helping consumers make informed decisions about their auto purchases and encouraging automakers to produce safer vehicles.

Watch the original Wednesdays with Woodward® webinar: https://institute.travelers.com/webinar-series/symposia-series/crash-and-learn-0614

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

Unlocking Your Potential: Lessons in Leadership and Influence Mar 26, 2025

Show notes

What is influence and how do we build more of it?

Those are the questions behind Laura Cox Kaplan’s weekly podcast, She Said/She Said. Laura joined us to share career and leadership lessons learned from the hundreds of leaders she’s interviewed since she started her podcast seven years ago. From embracing different viewpoints and building resilience to turning failure into growth and having greater impact, she shared insights from entrepreneurs, C-suiters and more.

Watch the original Wednesdays with Woodward® webinar: https://institute.travelers.com/webinar-series/symposia-series/lessons-leadership-influence

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

Resilience and Hope: Geralyn Ritter’s Story of Survival Mar 04, 2025

Show notes

How do we find hope and resilience when faced with unimaginable trauma or even everyday challenges? In 2015, Geralyn Ritter was returning from a business trip when her train derailed at 106 mph. She was not expected to live. Geralyn spent the next several years undergoing dozens of surgical procedures, on total disability leave from her job, and facing the mental health challenges associated with physical trauma and pain. She joined us to share her journey back to life as mom, wife and CEO. Be inspired by her story and lessons learned finding strength – and hope – in adversity.

Watch the original Wednesdays with Woodward® webinar: https://institute.travelers.com/webinar-series/symposia-series/story-survival-webinar

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

The Geopolitical Landscape: Key Challenges for the New Administration Feb 17, 2025

Show notes

What are the foreign policy and national security issues facing the new administration, and how will they affect U.S. businesses?

On this podcast episode, recorded Feb. 5, Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward and Michael Mazarr, Senior Political Scientist at RAND, discuss key geopolitical challenges, global hot spots and takeaways for the business community.

Watch the original Wednesdays with Woodward® webinar: https://institute.travelers.com/webinar-series/symposia-series/global-dynamics-us-businesses-webinar

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

2025 U.S. Economic Outlook with Moody’s Analytics Chief Economist Dr. Mark Zandi Jan 31, 2025

Show notes

What lies ahead for the U.S. and broader economy in 2025?

On this podcast episode, recorded on Jan. 15, Dr. Mark Zandi joined Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward for an in-depth analysis of important trends impacting the economic landscape. He provided insights into economic decisions facing the White House and Congress that could affect tax rates for U.S. households and businesses.

As you plan for the year ahead, listen to this podcast to learn more about the challenges and opportunities shaping the economy today.

Watch the original Wednesdays with Woodward® webinar: https://www.travelers.com/travelers-institute/webinar-series/symposia-series/2025-economic-outlook

View the slides from the webinar: https://asset.trvstatic.com/download/assets/mark-zandi-slides.pdf/1984bfc0de7111ef855a2eec9e5f170b

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

Labor Market Outlook: A Conversation with LinkedIn® Economist Dr. Kory Kantenga Jan 21, 2025

Show notes

From the ‟Great Reshuffle” to the ‟Big Stay,” hiring managers and business leaders have had to constantly adapt to recent labor market trends.

On this podcast episode, Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward shares a conversation her colleague and Travelers Institute VP of Public Policy, Jessica Kearney, had with LinkedIn®’s Head of Economics for the Americas, Kory Kantenga, Ph.D. They explored how economic and demographic changes are shaping the current labor market and how these trends could factor into your hiring and retention strategies in 2025.

Follow Kory on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kory-kantenga-ph-d-5729a07/.

Follow LinkedIn’s Economic Graph: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/linkedin-economic-graph/.

Watch the original Wednesdays with Woodward® webinar: https://www.travelers.com/travelers-institute/webinar-series/symposia-series/labor-market-outlook

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

AI in Action: The Future of Risk Management Through Predict & Prevent® Dec 31, 2024

Show notes

On this podcast episode, Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward shares a conversation she had with Peter Miller, CPCU, President and CEO of The Institutes, to hear his thoughts on the transformative potential of the Predict & Prevent® model in risk management and insurance. He explored how this proactive approach could leverage artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies to enhance safety for policyholders, minimize disruptions to their businesses and daily lives, and reduce associated costs for insurance companies.

Learn more about The Institutes: https://global.theinstitutes.org/

Learn more about Predict & Prevent®: https://www.predictandprevent.org/

Listen to Peter Miller’s “Predict & Prevent” podcast on Apple Podcasts® or Spotify.

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Travelers Institute® President Joan Woodward on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/

Mastering Market Shifts: What Independent Insurance Professionals Need to Know Dec 09, 2024

Show notes

Are you looking for strategies to navigate challenges and seize opportunities in today’s dynamic insurance environment?

On this podcast episode, Travelers Institute President Joan Woodward revisits a conversation she had with Charles Symington, President and CEO of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”), and Sean Ramalho, EVP, Enterprise Distribution Management at Travelers.

Listen as they explore the evolving insurance landscape for independent agents and brokers and share how the Big “I” is supporting its members. Charles also digs into new findings from the Agency Universe Study by Future One, a collaboration of the Big “I” and leading independent agency companies including Travelers.

Learn more about the Big “I”: https://www.independentagent.com/default.aspx

Explore the Agency Universe Study: https://www.independentagent.com/research/agencyuniversestudy/agency-universe.aspx

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Visit the Travelers Institute® website: http://travelersinstitute.org/

Join the Travelers Institute® email list: https://travl.rs/488XJZM

Connect with Joan Woodward on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joan-kois-woodward/