Board Member Candidate Questionnaire

Paula Hodges, FSA, MAAA

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: Share a personal experience, trait, or characteristic that will help the membership to better understand you and your candidacy.

I have a deep thirst for understanding what’s possible, which drives me to seek out experts, stay current, and engage in thoughtful conversations. I enjoy diving into dialogue: asking questions, probing ideas, and working through details until I reach clarity. This curiosity has served me well in board service, where understanding context, nuance, and implications is key.

In my first term on the SOA Board (2014–2017), I prepared for meetings with discipline — studying materials in advance, researching the topics, and connecting with colleagues to better understand the landscape. This groundwork enabled me to participate meaningfully and thoughtfully in discussions.

I have a strong interest in organizational dynamics. I’m fascinated by how governance structures support (or hinder) an organization’s ability to achieve its mission. Sound structure and clear decision-making frameworks are essential to navigating complex issues and aligning diverse viewpoints.

With these traits, now is an ideal time for me to return to the SOA Board. The current challenges facing the organization call for open minds, thoughtful analysis, and collaborative leadership. I’m ready to contribute to that work.

PROJECT LEADERSHIP / CHANGE MANAGEMENT: Describe a significant project that you led in the workplace or in your volunteer activities. Describe how you made decisions and addressed changes that were proposed, whether changes were made, or were not made, after considering all options. How did you achieve buy-in in the final outcome, and what were the biggest challenges you had to overcome?

As Illustration Actuary, I’m responsible for certifying the underlying scales used in our sales and in-force illustrations. This role places me at the center of key decisions about how our products are supported and how we manage currently payable scales as experience evolves.

When certain products began approaching the limits of passing required testing, I led a collaborative decision-making process with stakeholders across the organization – including Product, Valuation, Distribution, and the CFO’s office. Together we validated our findings and the underlying assumptions. Once we agreed that changes were necessary, we evaluated several alternatives, carefully balancing the customer impact, the financial outcomes, and operational feasibility. Ultimately, we reached a decision that reflected both sound actuarial judgment and cross-functional alignment.

In my experience, the best decisions come from intentionally inviting challenges and fostering open, respectful debate. This approach helps to uncover blind spots, encourages shared accountability, and leads to more durable outcomes. In this particular case, the biggest challenge was facing the fact that there was no perfect answer—every option involved trade-offs between customer value and financial impact. Through open dialog and rigorous analysis, we arrived at a solution that was balanced and supported by all key stakeholders.

As I seek to return to the Board, I bring with me this perspective: that board decisions aren’t always about finding the perfect answer, but rather the right one—built through thoughtful engagement, diverse viewpoints, and principled compromise.

ACTUARY OF THE FUTURE: What does the future of the actuarial profession look like to you? What strategies should the SOA implement to grow the actuarial profession, especially in light of more competition for analytical skills and data science job opportunities?

I am optimistic about the future of the actuarial profession. As technology rapidly evolves, actuaries are well-positioned to adapt and thrive. The tools we use to analyze problems are changing quickly, particularly with the rise of AI. Rather than replacing actuarial work, AI—like calculators and spreadsheets before it—will enhance our capabilities by increasing efficiency and likely improving job satisfaction by automating routine tasks.

The SOA has a critical role to play in this transformation by advancing education and research that equips actuaries for this new era. The new strategic plan codifies this role, by including AI as one of its three major focus areas for 2025-2027. As both learning frameworks and work environments undergo seismic shifts, the SOA must remain proactive—adapting how we deliver education and how we gather and analyze research data.

I see data science not as a competitor, but as a complementary field—much like the relationship between physicians and pharmacists. Both bring overlapping yet distinct skill sets to the table, and both are essential. Similarly, there is ample space for actuaries and data scientists to collaborate and add value.

As competition for talent increases, clearly articulating the value of our actuarial credentials will be more important than ever. The SOA plays a central role in defining, promoting, and evolving that value proposition to ensure the continued strength and relevance of the profession.

INNOVATION / ADAPTION: How has your experience prepared you to lead through challenges such as AI, technological disruption, climate change and generational shifts? How would you guide a knowledge-based workforce, including actuaries, in addressing these emerging issues?

My non-traditional path to becoming an actuary was itself a source of disruption and reinvention. When I was working in IT, I experienced a turning point upon recognizing that, while I was responsible for constructing the “what,” it was my actuarial colleagues who were determining the “why.” Their analytical insight and broader impact inspired me to pivot and become a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries.

I learned adaptability and so I see many of today’s global challenges— AI and technological disruption—not as threats, but as opportunities. Emerging technologies offer powerful tools that, when applied thoughtfully, can enhance decision-making and expand our impact. While disruption can feel uncomfortable, growth often begins with discomfort.

Integrating new tools into our work should always be done with a balance between healthy skepticism and a willingness to explore and experiment—because that’s where innovation lies.

Generational and shifts also demand actuarial leadership. From aging populations placing pressure on public systems to younger populations navigating economic volatility, actuaries play a key role in shaping responsive strategies and forward-looking policy. My work with local nonprofits has shown me how data and insight can lead to meaningful, real-world change, even in small steps.

As I look toward a future term on the SOA Board, I believe leadership is not about charting every step—but about setting a clear vision and empowering others with the tools, guidance, and adaptability needed to navigate change. As the actuarial profession faces continued disruption, we must lean on our core strengths—risk evaluation, integrity, objectivity, and problem-solving—to reimagine and evolve the actuarial role for the future.