2026 Board Member Candidate

Video

Candidate Message

Some middle schoolers dream of being doctors, lawyers or professional athletes.  When I was in middle school, I wanted to be an actuary.  Hi, I’m Taylor Pickett, and I’m honored to be an endorsed candidate for the Society of Actuaries Board of Directors.   

In my day job, I’m Vice President of Data Commercialization at RGA.  Prior to this, I led assumption development for life insurance issued through novel underwriting approaches.  Both roles involved solving problems without a set playbook or textbook formula, shifting the balance of art and science and requiring both judgment and creativity.  I’m eager to apply this pioneering mindset to help advance the SOA’s strategic initiatives. 

I’ve also been an active volunteer with the SOA for many years—authoring publications, speaking at conferences, serving on conference planning committees, and most recently chairing the Professional Development Committee.  These experiences have given me a greater appreciation of the SOA’s role in the continued success of our profession and provided insight into the opportunities and challenges we face.  The SOA strategic plan addresses these trends, and I’m particularly excited to contribute to optimizing the candidate pipeline and leveraging AI.   

To optimize the candidate pipeline, I favor a two-pronged approach: increasing awareness of and interest in our profession while continuing to refine the credentialing process, balancing friction with rigor. In short, let’s make the path smoother without lowering the standards. 

When leveraged effectively, I believe AI can increase—not decrease—the value of the actuary.  Professional judgment rises in importance as automation becomes more widespread.  Consequently, actuaries are uniquely positioned to responsibly harness AI’s tremendous potential.  The SOA can lead in this time of transition by providing professional development that equips experienced actuaries with cutting edge technical skills while creating new opportunities for students to develop actuarial judgment. 

I’m eager to continue serving our organization, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to join the board at this crucial time of evolution.  Thank you for your consideration, and most importantly, please let your voice be heard in this election. 

Questionnaire

Describe your interest in serving on the SOA Board of Directors, including what motivates you to pursue Board service at this time and the specific ways you believe you could add value to the organization.

I’ve had the privilege of volunteering with the SOA in several capacities—speaking at meetings, authoring articles, serving on the ImpACT and Underwriting Innovations Symposium planning committees, and now chairing the Professional Development Committee (PDC). As my PDC term concludes, I’m motivated to contribute at a broader, more strategic level, making this the right time to pursue Board service. In my professional role, I lead a team of actuaries focused on underwriting innovation, where new data and evolving technologies meet changing consumer expectations to advance the life insurance industry. This work requires balancing innovation with governance, particularly in areas where formal actuarial frameworks have yet to be established. I would bring this responsibly pioneering perspective to the Board, helping the SOA navigate change while preserving the trust that defines our profession.

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