Edition

Candid Canadian Conversations with the SOA

A common theme has emerged from the pandemic social distancing of the past few months: we need meaningful connections when we can’t be together in person. This need is important both personally and professionally.

That said, the SOA is launching a series of one-hour video chats with small-to-medium-sized groups of members in Canada. We will focus on topics such as needed skill sets, pandemic modelling, racial diversity, and changes in the workplace. The video chats will include a brief (10-15 minute) presentation, followed by a lengthier topic discussion with participants and time for questions.

Each video conversation will include up to 25 attendees. A series of eight chats are in the planning stages from noon to 1 p.m. EDT, starting on Wednesday, July 29 and then every second Thursday from August 13 through November 5, inclusive. Feel free to bring your lunch!

Choose your topic(s) of interest and enroll for one, two or all eight sessions.

The schedule of topics and speakers follows:

  1. July 29: “Skill Sets Needed by Actuaries in a Rapidly Changing World”—Jenny Haid, FSA, (SOA Board member and CEO at Club Vita)
  2. August 13: “Racial Diversity and Inclusion in the Actuarial Profession” —Gloria Asare, ACAS, MAAA, and David Guede (co-leaders of the Toronto chapter of the International Association of Black Actuaries [IABA]) and Valérie Adelson, FSA, FCIA (co-leader of the Montreal chapter of IABA)
  3. August 27: “Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Needs and Approaches in a Social Distancing Context” —Kelly Featherstone, FSA, FCIA (member of SOA’s Professional Development Committee and Director of Client Risk Management at Alberta Investment Management Corporation)
  4. September 10: “Pandemic Modelling and Stress Testing in Light of COVID-19” — Terry Narine, FSA, FCIA, MAAA (Trading and Signing Officer, F&G (Cayman) Re)
  5. September 25: (moved to Friday in deference to the CIA Seminar for the Appointed Actuary): “Research Needs That You Wouldn’t Have Identified Before the Lockdown” —Dale Hall, FSA, CERA, MAAA (SOA Managing Director of Research)
  6. October 8: “Risk Management Insights Arising from the Pandemic” —Bruce Langstroth, FSA, FCIA (L&H Practice Leader for Canada for Ernst & Young)
  7. October 22: “It’s not Just the Pandemic That’s Global; Actuarial Work is, Too” —Mike Lombardi, FSA, FCIA, CERA, MAAA (former SOA President and President of MLBC) and Mercy Yan, FSA, FCIA, MAAA (former President of the Pacific Rim Actuaries Club of Toronto)
  8. November 5: “Changes to the Workplace, Both in the Crisis and Going Forward” —Adrian Czernick and Guillaume Giasson-Morin (partners at Elliott Bauer)

In light of the uncertainty surrounding the easing of social distancing restrictions on in-person gatherings, we will revisit the potential ongoing need for this type of connection and publish any additional plans shortly after our Thanksgiving holiday here in Canada (Monday, October 12 this year).

Registration

To register, please contact Ben Marshall, FSA, FCIA, CERA, MAAA, SOA Staff Fellow for Canadian Membership, at bmarshall@soa.org. Please keep in mind that attendance for each session is limited to 25, so make sure to sign up at your earliest convenience. Include your name, email, and corresponding number(s) of the session(s) listed above you plan to attend.

Translators Available Upon Request

In addition, these conversations will be held in English, so please note when registering if you would like a translator to be present to make it possible for you to express your ideas or questions in French.

Reserve your spot today for the Candid Canadian Conversations with the SOA!