Meet our Underwriters

Shane is a new business underwriter at Pie Insurance servicing our Retail Partners for the Northeast region. Prior to Pie, he owned and operated a powder coating business for two years and, prior to that, was an underwriter, manager and director at a national insurance carrier supporting payroll services agencies. He is a Colorado native and in his spare time, he enjoys golfing, working and driving hot rods and cooking for friends and family.

Cathleen relocated from New Mexico to Colorado in 2020 to join Pie with three years of conventional workers’ comp experience. She started in the insurance field as an Auto Claims Adjuster for Metlife Auto & Home in Nevada in 2010 where she was recognized as a consistent top performer and was quickly promoted into the liability department. She discovered her great interest in the investigation process which allowed her to utilize her negotiation and analytical skills inspiring her to transition into underwriting. When not exploring the great outdoors with her three dogs, she can be found indoors gaming it up on various consoles, learning to play the guitar, reading, or painting.

Nikelia is a new business underwriter on the wholesale team with Pie Insurance. Nikelia has been working in the workers’ comp insurance industry for over seventeen years. Previously, Nikelia was an underwriting supervisor and field underwriter with expertise in agency relationship building. She was born in New York but currently resides in sunny Florida with her husband and three children. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.

Sam is an underwriter at Pie Insurance that works primarily with our retail agency partners. Prior to working at Pie, Sam was an Underwriting Manager at a workers compensation carrier overseeing new business, renewals, and analytics. Sam has been with Pie since April of 2021 after moving to Colorado from Minnesota. Outside of Pie, Sam’s interests include hockey, hiking, and anything involving golf.

Rebecca is a new business underwriter with a focus on the ADP partnership. She came to Pie at the end of 2020 and has spent seventeen years in the insurance industry, working as a personal lines producer and a commercial lines renewal, mid-term, and new business sales underwriter during that time. She was licensed in the 48 contiguous states and has worked with multiple lines of business including life, property, general liability, umbrella, workers’ comp, and auto. In her time off, Rebecca enjoys spending time with family, traveling, reading, sipping wine with girlfriends, and being the loudest soccer mom she can possibly be.

Brian is a senior underwriter at Pie Insurance with a focus on the North East regional Retail agency partnerships. Prior to working at Pie, he was an all-lines underwriter in charge of the Washington DC territory. Although he was born and raised in Austin, TX, Brian and his wife now reside in Washington DC with their dog and cat. In his free time, Brian enjoys playing golf & basketball, watching football, and visiting local breweries.

Kyle is an underwriter working on Pie’s renewals team. He has been with Pie since November of 2021 and is a New Hampshire native working remotely from the Granite State. Before coming to Pie, Kyle was underwriting multiple lines for small to medium-sized businesses at a New England regional carrier. Kyle enjoys disc golf, tabletop games, and visiting museums and historical sites.

Nicole has been an underwriter with Pie Insurance since January 2019 and recently joined the wholesale underwriting team. She has eleven years experience working in insurance. Nicole started on the agency side, working solely in the workers’ compensation division before moving to an underwriting position with Colorado State Fund. While there she transitioned from writing Colorado only exposures, to helping the company develop and institute their out-of-state coverage program and began writing in all states. Nicole is a Colorado native, so she enjoys spending as much time as possible in the mountains, as well as binge watching Netflix with her dogs and cat.

Katie is a new business underwriter at Pie Insurance, focusing on retail agency partnerships for the Southern region. She joined Pie in September 2022 bringing more than five years of workers' compensation insurance experience. Prior to Pie, she worked as a new business and renewal workers' comp underwriter for Orange County, CA and Hawaii with additional experience writing across the western United States. Katie is a Las Vegas native who is currently working remotely. When she has free time, she enjoys attending as many concerts as possible, cooking plant-based food, and hanging out with her Maltipoo.

Diona Haas joined Pie Insurance in October of 2020 as a workers’ compensation underwriter. Previously, Diona worked as the director of underwriting and compliance for Breckpoint, Inc, an industry leader in the formation and operations of self-insured groups in California. She obtained her Associate in Commercial Underwriting Management (AU-M) and has future plans to obtain a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation. In her free time, Diona loves going to the lake with her husband and three dogs, listening to true crime podcasts and entertaining at home.

Danishia is a new business underwriter with a focus on payroll partnership. She came to Pie at the end of 2020 and has spent eleven years in the insurance industry, working as a mid-term, and new business sales underwriter during that time. She has worked with multiple lines of business including life/accident, property, general liability, umbrella, workers’ compensation, and auto. Danishia enjoys dancing, cooking, hosting parties, traveling with family and friends, and visits to the spa for some R&R.

Eric Hull is a new business underwriter with a focus on payroll partnership. He came to Pie at the beginning of 2022, bringing with him eleven years of underwriting experience. He currently works and lives in Cleveland, Ohio with his wife and two children. When not underwriting, Eric enjoys baseball, golf, time with friends, and cooking for his family.

Surma is a new business underwriter at Pie Insurance working with our retail agency partner in the Northeast region. Surma has been specializing in workers’ compensation over the last twenty years serving the insurance industry. She works remotely and resides in Easton, Connecticut. She is a mother of two kids, loves to travel around the world and enjoys watching old sitcoms from the 80’s and 90’s.

Jenny is a new business underwriter on Pie’s wholesale team. Jenny has experience in all lines of commercial insurance with a focus on workers’ comp for the last thirteen years. Previously, Jenny was a senior underwriter focused on middle market-sized workers comp and mentored a team of underwriters. Jenny works remotely from Sacramento, California. When she isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her daughter, reading, cooking, dream vacation planning and catching up with friends and family.

Troy is a new business underwriter on the wholesale team. As a California native, Troy is passionate about building and fostering agency relationships in the western region. Prior to joining Pie, he was a workers’ comp underwriter for small to large businesses for 4 years. Prior to that, he was a commercial lines underwriter for another 4 years. Troy considers himself a life-long learner and is always motivated to provide the best customer experience possible. He works remotely out of Sacramento, CA, and in his spare time, loves to write, explore the great outdoors, and play basketball with friends.

Gayane is an underwriter at Pie with a focus on payroll partnerships. Throughout her career, Gayane worked in the underwriting payroll space for over 10 years, including specialty programs and the digital space. Prior to joining Pie in January 2022, Gayane was a senior underwriter at a national workers’ comp carrier for 10 years. She has been in the workers’ comp industry for over 20 years. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family.

Kayla is an underwriter at Pie Insurance with a focus on wholesale partnerships. She has been with Pie for a few months and prior to Pie, Kayla worked as a Production Underwriter for MEMIC, another WC carrier. Kayla has also worked in property claims and as an underwriter for all lines. Kayla currently lives in Southern New Hampshire and grew up in South Central Pennsylvania. She spends her time outside of work with her husband, family/friends and 5 fur-babies.

Jay is an underwriter on the wholesale agency partnership team. He has been with Pie since January 2022. Jay is Kansas City, MO native that is currently working remotely between Kansas City, MO and San Antonio, TX to spend time with his daughter and parents. Prior to Pie, Jay was an underwriter for a New Mexico-based carrier. When not working, Jay enjoys spending time with family and going to sporting events and concerts.

Kevin is an underwriter at Pie Insurance on the wholesale agency partnership team. He has been with Pie since November of 2020 working remotely out of Detroit, MI and reports to the Denver, CO office. Prior to working at Pie, Kevin was a renewal underwriter for DC, MD, MI, NC, SC, and VA, as well as a new business underwriter servicing all 50 states with a focus on sole-proprietors and small businesses. He is a graduate of Auburn University and a huge fan of college football. War Eagle!

Steve is a new business underwriter at Pie working with our retail agency partners in the West region. Steve spent 5 years underwriting monoline workers’ compensation prior to joining Pie in the spring of 2022. Steve currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada and, when not underwriting, he is avidly camping, hiking, skiing, and watching LA Chargers games.

Jessica is a senior underwriter on the renewal team. A Colorado native, she has been at Pie for three years after working in other commercial lines for five years prior. Most recently, Jessica was the services manager and a producer for a commercial E&O brokerage. When she is not working Jessica enjoys attending live theater with her husband, cuddling with her 2 dogs, and being the fun auntie to her amazing nieces and nephews.

Jennifer is an underwriter at Pie with a focus on payroll partnerships. She came to Pie in November of 2020. Jen has worked in the underwriting payroll space for 10 years. Prior to working at Pie Jen was a Senior Underwriter at a national work comp carrier for many years. Her territory is every state Pie writes business. She enjoys swimming and pickleball. As a Pennsylvania native is a Penguins, Pirates, and Steelers fan. She lives with her husband in Southeast Florida.

Megan is a renewal underwriter at Pie Insurance. She is a Kansas native working remotely from her hometown in Salina, KS. Prior to her two-and-a-half years at Pie, she worked at an insurance agency as a workers’ compensation specialist servicing the agency’s workers’ comp book of business. Megan enjoys cooking for her family and teaching her 2 little girls how to make every day magical.

Tom is a new business underwriter at Pie Insurance for retail agencies in the Midwest. Prior to working at Pie, he spent six years as an underwriter for a monoline workers' comp carrier and two years on the agency side in analytics. Born in Minnesota, Tom now resides in South Dakota where he met his wife. When Tom isn't busy chasing his two kids around, he enjoys catching up on sports—most specifically soccer—traveling, and experiencing new cultures.

Eric, senior underwriter, has been in insurance for almost 25 years—all of it in workers’ compensation. He began his career with Westrope and Associates in Kansas City, Missouri and continued with RT Specialty after their merger. During that time, he performed custom underwriting, programs, brokerage, and specialty risk services within the work comp practice. He has underwritten or brokered accounts from minimum premiums through multi-million-dollar national accounts and worked in most class sectors. Away from the office, Eric enjoys time with his family, cooking and baking, and sports.

N’nette joined Pie in October of 2020 as an underwriter bringing over ten years of insurance experience ranging from both captive and independent agencies, to underwriting for workers’ compensation for over seven years. She has a passion for the investigation and constant learning that goes into looking at each new business. She believes in the role that the independent agency plays within the insurance market and how vital that is for small businesses. Currently she resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico with her husband and three cats. In her free time, she enjoys reading fantasy series, playing video games, and taking on new craft projects.

Nadja is a new business underwriter at Pie Insurance servicing our retail partners for the South and Midwest regions. Prior to working at Pie Insurance, she spent seven years working for a monoline workers’ comp carrier located in New Mexico. Nadja was born and raised in Mainz, Germany, and relocated to the US in 2007, now residing as a remote employee in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In her free time, Nadja enjoys a good book, the outdoors, traveling, and exploring different cuisines.

Sabas is an underwriter at Pie Insurance with a focus on wholesale agency partnerships. He has been with Pie for a few months, having moved to Denver from San Antonio. Prior to working at Pie, Sabas was working for The Hartford Insurance where he started as an intern, then transitioned into a Commercial Auto Claims adjuster role and after claims, he transitioned into Small Commercial Underwriting. Sabas has a passion for being a teamplayer and helping others. Outside of work, Sabas is an avid outdoorsman and enjoys hiking, camping, fishing or even just watching a baseball game (Go Yankees!). Be sure to ask him about his Golden Retriever, Bailey!