The Workers Compensation Institute announced Monday the appointment of a new executive and 13 industry leaders for its first board of advisers.

Julie Fetherman has been appointed associate executive director of the Tallahassee, Florida-based nonprofit that provides workers compensation education. Ms. Fetherman previously held the role of vice president of national sales for Paradigm Management Services LLC.

The institute has also appointed 13 to its advisory board, which the organization created in May 2019 to help guide the future of the institute and its annual conference. The advisory members include: 

• Michele Adams, vice president for risk management services at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando.
• Steve Coonrod, shareholder at McConnaughhay, Coonrod, Pope, Weaver & Stern PA in Tallahassee.
• Daniel T. Jaffe, Tampa, Florida-based shareholder at Rissman, Barrett, Hurt, Donahue, McLain & Mangan PA.
• Laure Lamy, regional director of the Workers' Compensation Research Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
• David Langham, Pensacola, Florida-based deputy chief judge of the Florida Office of Judges of Compensation Claims.
• James N. McConnaughhay, founder and partner at McConnaughhay, Coonrod, Pope, Weaver & Stern PA in Tallahassee.
• Frank McKay, chair and chief appellate court judge for the Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation in Atlanta.
• David North, president and CEO of Sedgwick Claims Management Services Inc. in Memphis, Tennessee.
• Vilma Palma-Blackmon, Miramar, Florida-based senior vice president at Gallagher Bassett Services Inc.
• Steven A. Rissman, founder and shareholder of Rissman, Barrett, Hurt, Donahue, McLain & Mangan PA in Orlando.
• Marc Salm, Lakeland, Florida-based vice president of risk management at Publix Super Markets Inc.
• Jim Smith, Boca Raton, Florida-based regional leader of risk control and safety services at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
• David Stills, vice president of global risk management at Walmart Inc. in Bentonville, Arkansas.