Description: Interview with Sara Teppema showing her career journey and leadership philosophy.

Description: A compilation of reader responses is presented to a real life situation. This issue’s case study involved a candidate for an actuarial position who didn't handle salary discussions well, and whether that should impact the hiring decision.

Description: Chairperson's summary of Joint Risk Management Section (JRMS) Council accomplishments during the 2021-2022 Section Council year, as part of the December 2022 Risk Management newsletter. Includes an introduction to new council members, appreciation to those departing the Council, and introduces the new JRMS Council Leadership. Discusses the accomplishments made, areas of focus and activities underway which benefit JRMS Section members.

Description: Latest installment in a series covering the application of Buddhist principles to the actuarial work setting. This installment covers the challenges actuaries face in dealing with unfamiliar and uncertain assignments. It provides both encouragement that actuaries are more capable and multi-faceted in their skill sets and offers suggestions taken from the meditation cushion and yoga mat to aid in tapping into those capabilities.

Description: An interview between Timothy Morant and Jinnah Cox. The chair of the reinsurance council discusses with the chair of the product development section, including personal questions and volunteering for the reinsurance section.

Description: Actuary of the Future Chairperson's corner. The article celebrates success of the section in 2023 and describes the 2024 goals and objectives.

Description: As a dynamic entrepreneur, the question is not if you’ll need to prepare for high-stakes, emotionally charged conversations, but when you will have them. If you’re looking toward a business conversation where you want the outcome to be positive-oriented and forward-looking, there is some risk involved. It is worth your time to prepare and differentiate yourself before any words are spoken. Risk, in this situation, means that it could negatively or positively impact one or more of the following: Relationships, business outcomes, timing/efficiency, quality metrics, performance, or more. There is a literal cost to this kind of conversation going wrong! In this article, Libby Wagner shows actuarial entrepreneurs how to hold tough conversations that demonstrate respect and bring about the results they want.

Description: Update to the members of the SOA International Section

Description: Latest in series of articles exploring the adaptation of Buddhist philosophy to actuarial practice. This installment examines the challenges for actuaries in dealing with pain points in actuarial work, and how to best manage these forces so that the work remains aligned with professional standards.

Description: The 2024 Actuarial Teaching Conference (ATC) provided an engaging platform for actuarial educators to explore current trends and challenges in the field. Organized by a diverse planning committee, the conference introduced new interactive formats, including roundtable discussions that encouraged in-depth dialogue on key topics such as artificial intelligence, student behavior, and experiential learning. One of the major highlights was the strategic focus on networking, with efforts made to facilitate connections before, during, and after the event through digital platforms. Challenges such as selecting diverse yet cohesive presentation topics and scheduling concurrent sessions were effectively addressed by aligning themes with participants' interests. Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive, particularly regarding the innovative roundtable format, which fostered meaningful conversations and idea exchange. The success of this conference was attributed to meticulous planning, adaptability, and a commitment to innovation, setting a high standard for future ATCs.