Courtney Ramirez | Age: 41 Senior vice president, public entity

Alliant Insurance Services Inc.

Irvine, California

One of Courtney Ramirez’s favorite tasks is problem solving for her public entity clients, which include large cities, counties, transit groups and educational institutions.

“What we do is so consultative. It’s not just placing an insurance policy and moving on to the next one. Clients come to me every single day with problems, and they expect me to solve those problems,” she said. “Ultimately, it’s about how I can help protect my client’s bottom line.”

In 2018, she put her skills to use in creating a public entity active shooter insurance program that includes critical services such as training, counseling and crisis management. The program now serves more than 150 clients.

“We’ve seen firsthand the value-add these services bring to the table when you have clients that encounter those devastating events,” she said.

Gary Westman, director of the risk management division of the Minnesota Department of Administration, said Ms. Ramirez is consistently “ahead of the curve.”

“She always has unique ideas and strategies for us to consider, and great relationships with people across the industry,” he said.

Ms. Ramirez said she has overcome a lot of personal challenges and “naysayers” to get to where she is today. After getting married and having her first child at 20 years old, she got her start in the industry with a small insurance agency. She later joined Alliant, despite being turned down the first time she applied, and put herself through California State University, Fullerton, while working and raising her kids.

Now, 18 years since she started at Alliant, Ms. Ramirez is grateful for her struggles and for a career that has provided her the opportunity to “do it all.” She is committed to sharing her knowledge and helping other women in the industry grow.

“It’s important that women are seen as equal and valuable members of an organization. We have input and feedback that is just as vital as our male counterparts. There needs to be a more conscious effort to look past gender,” she said.

Amy O’Connor