Jessica Kearney is vice president for public policy at the Travelers Institute, the public policy division of Travelers.
In this role, she leads corporate thought leadership initiatives on public policy issues of interest to the property casualty insurance sector and financial services industry. Kearney leads operations and initiatives, presents at client and industry conferences, and was named to Insurance Business America’s annual “Hot 100” list for 2022.
Before joining Travelers, Kearney held positions at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City and earned a master’s of public administration degree from the University of Connecticut.
What have been your biggest professional accomplishments so far?
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I led the creation of a public-facing webinar series at Travelers called “Wednesdays with Woodward,” featuring Travelers Institute President Joan Woodward as the host. Our goal was to continue to bring dynamic and relevant programming to our agents, brokers and business community during a challenging time.
Since the inception of the program, we have produced more than 130 episodes, earned extensive national press coverage, and had more than half-a-million registrations and replay views. I co-host these live conversations for audiences of over 2,000.
What’s the next big goal you want to accomplish professionally?
Promoting wellness and mental well-being at work. As part of a new public policy initiative on workforce dynamics, I’ve had the opportunity to help business leaders learn more about these topics, and I’ve been absolutely blown away by the response.
What’s one of the biggest professional challenges you’ve overcome?
Some of the most rewarding parts of my career have come when I went for a role or project that I wasn’t completely sure I was ready for. I’m so grateful to have had mentors who encouraged me to go for big opportunities, even initially when I thought, ‘Who, me?’
How are you involved in the community?
Over the years, I have been an active member of my graduate school community on UConn’s Hartford campus. I’ve served on the School of Public Policy’s alumni council and participated as a guest speaker for graduate courses on project management.
What are your keys to maintaining business success?
I’ve found that persistence and attention to detail really pay off and set professionals apart from the crowd.