Responsibilities
Marina Lerner serves as the account lead for midsize employer groups, overseeing day-to-day service, renewal strategy, and client relationship management, while also supporting the financial and pricing strategy for large, complex accounts. With 25 years of experience, Marina works closely with clients to evaluate and implement innovative, cost-saving health and welfare solutions that optimize program performance while balancing risk tolerance and business objectives.
Background
Marina’s core strengths as an employee benefits consultant include financial analysis and contract negotiation, supported by deep experience across medical, prescription, dental, vision, life, and disability programs. She previously worked at CME Benefits Consulting prior to its merger with Conner Strong & Buckelew, where she managed a diverse portfolio of employer groups and refined her consultative and client-management skills. Earlier in her career, Marina was part of the underwriting department at Independence Blue Cross (IBX), where she gained substantial underwriting and pricing experience. This background enables her to effectively navigate carrier perspectives and advocate for clients with a well-rounded, strategic approach.
Education
Temple University – Bachelor of Science in Finance
The Pennsylvania State University – Coursework toward Bachelor’s Degree
Professional Designations
Registered Employee Benefits Consultant (REBC)
Responsibilities
Matthew Doyle works alongside the firm’s Employee Benefits clients to ensure that all organizational objectives and priorities are being met. He works directly with the clients as a strategic partner to provide benefits and financial analysis, renewal negotiation, vendor evaluation and implementation, communication strategy, and trusted ongoing support.
Background
Prior to joining Conner Strong & Buckelew, Matt worked for over 12 years as a Senior Consultant for Armstrong, Doyle & Carroll. During this time, he worked directly with clients from all industries and sizes. Matt used his experience to provide clients with comprehensive support, assisting with all matters from the organizational level, to overseeing employee support.
Education
University of Scranton – Bachelor of Arts in Finance
Professional Designations
Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS)
Responsibilities
Derek Jaffe serves as a key member of the service team, focusing on plan analysis, product line financial evaluations, and trend and cost analysis of claim history. He is responsible for analyzing and negotiating fully insured renewals, developing self-funded medical, Rx, and dental projections. In addition, Derek tracks financial performance of the client health plans, analyzes different plan cost drivers on behalf of the client and assists with union negotiation requests.
Background
Prior to joining Conner Strong & Buckelew, Derek worked in the actuarial department for AON from 2017 until 2021. His responsibilities included leading health and benefits financial teams for middle market clients and assisting in financial support for large market clients. His main areas of focus included healthcare self-funded pricing, reserving, plan design modeling, benefits harmonization, union negotiations, and contribution modeling for Health Systems, Manufacturing, and Professional Service firms. He also developed and presented materials for the client’s healthcare strategy, benchmarking, and budgeting.
Education
Temple University, Fox School of Business – Bachelor of Business Administration in Actuarial Science
Professional Designations
Associate of the Society of Actuaries (ASA)
Responsibilities
Paul Kang is a key member of the service team, focusing on plan analysis, product line financial evaluations and trend and cost analysis of claim history. He is responsible for analyzing and negotiating rate renewals and year-end financials on behalf of clients in collaboration with the Consultant. In addition, Paul analyzes employee benefit programs, contribution strategy, eligibility requirements and client objectives to meet client budgetary objectives and servicing and administration requirements.
Background
Prior to joining Conner Strong & Buckelew, Paul was an Underwriter for Gallagher Benefit Services. In this role he prepared medical and prescription drug renewals and respective premium equivalent rates for self-insured clients, implemented new employee contribution strategies, and organized financial tracking reports for medical and prescription drug claims and enrollment. Paul also developed benefit plan design cost-impact scenarios.
Education
Temple University, Fox School of Business – Bachelor of Business Administration, Actuarial Science and Risk Management and Insurance
Professional Designations
Actuarial Exams: Probability (P) and Financial Mathematics (FM)
Responsibilities
Carol Lapetina has direct contact with the account team, clients, and claims administrator staff – often under stressful circumstances. The Audit Manager position is particularly challenging, as it demands that the auditor quickly master the operations and processing systems at a Claims Administrator (claims processing; eligibility; provider maintenance; pricing database), in order to evaluate in depth the claims adjudication for a specific client, and to challenge the Claims Administrator where an adjudication outcome seems to be at variance with plan design or industry standards – or fails to meet the test of “reasonableness.” Carol also manages the Dependent Eligibility Audit team, which facilitates dependent eligibility/verification and working spouse audits and responds to member inquiries regarding the audits.
Background
Prior to managing and conducting claim audits, Carol managed the Member Advocacy Team at Conner Strong & Buckelew for more than ten years. The Advocacy team acts as a liaison between the Claims Administrators and clients to resolve employee/member claim issues and billing inquiries, provide assistance with medical and prescription pre-certifications, and conduct benefit provision research when required. This function involves handling the most-complex medical claim scenarios for which plan members have sought assistance from an independent party, typically when the Claims Administrator has been unable to provide a solution.
Carol’s frontline experience with member claim issues, coupled with her hands-on approach and problem-solving skills developed over 35 years in the insurance industry, has made her a very effective medical claims Audit Manager and auditor. She is able to mediate the often-conflicting viewpoints of the Claims Administrator, the claimant, and the Plan Sponsor, always cognizant of what the medical plan intends and what it can provide.
Professional Designations
NJ Licensed in Property, Casualty, Life, and Health Insurance
Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR)
Certified Professional Coder (CPC)
Responsibilities
Kristin O’Brien is dedicated to supporting Level Health (“Level”), one of our most high-profile clients. Her extensive knowledge of Level allows her to enhance and expand service offerings while collaborating closely with Level’s team, Independence Administrators, and its largest Funds.
Kristin plays a pivotal part in shaping strategy, overseeing daily operations, leading major projects, driving expansion efforts, and facilitating the rollout of population health initiatives.
Background
Kristin brings a wealth of experience from her tenure at UBC’s New York City District Council of Carpenters Benefit Funds, where she has served for 23 years in a variety of significant roles, including the last five as Executive Director. Under her leadership, she managed key benefit
programs, including the Health and Welfare Fund—one of the largest in the nation. Kristin’s expertise spans all facets of health and welfare plan management, and her background as a licensed social worker provides a unique perspective in serving clients.
Education
John Jay College – Bachelor’s Degree in Forensic Psychology
New York University (NYU) – Master’s Degree in Social Work
Professional Designations & Certifications
Certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS)
Licensed Master of Social Work (LMSW)
Psychology in Leadership Certificate, Cornell University
Responsibilities
Michael Pulsinelli serves as a key member of the service team, focusing on plan analysis, product line financial evaluations, and trend and cost analysis of claim history. He is responsible for analyzing and negotiating rate renewals and year-end financials on behalf of clients in collaboration with the consultant. In addition, Michael analyzes employee benefit programs, contribution policy, eligibility requirements and client objectives to meet client budgetary constraints, servicing and administration requirements.
Background
Michael began his insurance career at Conner Strong & Buckelew. He graduated from Temple University’s Risk Management & Insurance program. This top-rated, nationally recognized program offers students a variety of both property & casualty and employee benefits courses to create the most well-rounded students. The program culminates with a hands-on employee benefits case study where students work alongside seasoned benefits professionals to solve real issues and provide valuable results. As an active member of Temple’s academic fraternity, Gamma Iota Sigma, Michael further enhanced his knowledge of insurance and better prepared himself for a career in the industry.
Education
Temple University – Bachelor of Business Administration in Risk Management & Insurance and Marketing
Community Involvement
Lifetime member of Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society
Responsibilities
Matthew Zizzamia is a key member of the service team, focusing on plan analysis, product line financial evaluations, and trend and cost analysis of claim history. He is responsible for analyzing and negotiating rate renewals and year-end financials on behalf of clients in collaboration with the consultant. Matthew also analyzes employee benefit programs, contribution policy, eligibility requirements and client objectives in order to meet client budgetary constraints and servicing and administration requirements.
Background
Matthew began his career with Conner Strong & Buckelew in June 2016 after graduating from Saint Joseph’s University where he majored in Actuarial Science and minored in Risk Management and Insurance. He passed 2 Actuarial Science exams, Exam P and FM, while in college. Prior to his full-time employment, in 2015, he was a Data Analytics intern for Conner Strong & Buckelew.
Education
Saint Joseph’s University – Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science, Minor in Risk Management and Insurance
