Natalya Butakova is Business Development Manager of AP Companies Global Solutions, the international leading health care management, cost containment and emergency medical assistance company. AP Companies has the largest direct medical provider network in185 countries. AP’s specialist Cost Containment team consistently achieves significant savings and carefully controls expenditures of AP’s Clients. . Natalya has been with AP Companies since 2005, having previously worked in private hospitals as a specialist working with international insurance and maritime companies.

Andrea is a Product Analyst at BeyondMinds in London, UK. BeyondMinds is an AI research company focused on creating immense value through AI research and application, making it more available, useful and safe for the world. Andrea’s work and passion hold a focus on identifying how AI shapes the future of insurance and how it can improve the experience for both insurers and end-customers. He holds a Masters in Management from the Grande école ESCP Europe Business School in Paris and a Bachelor in Economics and Management.

Julie Anne Friend has worked in the field of international education for over 20 years. As the Director of the Office of Global Safety and Security at Northwestern University, she is charged with developing a comprehensive, university-wide approach to international risk management. In 2014, she was named Technical Analyst of the Year by the U.S. Department of State for her leadership in advancing the international safety and security interests of the academic community. In 2015, Michigan State University’s (MSU) College of Law featured her in an alumni profile. She writes regularly for NAFSA’s International Educator magazine about insurance and risk management. Her 2014 publication, “When A Student Dies Abroad: Preparing for the Ultimate Tragedy,” includes helpful planning and response checklists. Later that year, she served as a guest author for NAFSA’s “Hot Topics” blog to discuss the threat (or lack thereof) of Ebola to academia. Her last IE publication, “Health Forms 2.0: Developing an Ethical and Effective Health History Disclosure Process for Education Abroad,” outlines a student-centered process to encourage pre-departure medical management planning (printed in the Nov./Dec. 2016 issue). In 2017, she contributed three chapters to the recently published NAFSA text, Crisis Management for Education Abroad. Most recently, Ms. Friend collaborated with two colleagues to produce “Your guide to the new U.S. Department of State travel advisories,” but her ground-breaking essay, “How sexual misconduct threatens the security industry: real and reputational risk” has generated more discussion in the profession than any other work. Ms. Friend has traveled in over thirty countries and has lived in both France and Zambia. In addition to earning a Juris Doctor in Law and a Master of Arts in English from Michigan State University, Ms. Friend has a Bachelor of Science in Speech Communications from Syracuse University. She is also a licensed attorney in the state of Michigan, and currently lives in Evanston, Illinois.

Rory O'Gara currently holds the position of Vice President, Medical Provider Management - North America with Allianz Partners. Rory now resides in Canada and is responsible for medical networks, network partnerships and cost containment strategies for the business extending to all Allianz members and clients travelling throughout North America requiring direct billing network solutions. Prior to this role, Rory had a variety of network management related responsibilities in Allianz Partners over 8 years including direct network contracting and management of Third Party Partnerships around the globe.

Emanuele Scansani is Director of Partnerships & Strategic Relations for Riskline, a leading travel risk intelligence company in operation since 2007 and based in Denmark.

Emanuele is a plurilingual expert in global security and travel safety issues, who holds an MSc in Comparative Politics from the London School of Economics (LSE) as well as an MSc in International Relations and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Bologna, Italy.

Emanuele is currently based in Barcelona having lived in China for eight years following graduation.

Andy is a strategic leader with over 18 years’ experience in general insurance. He is a subject matter expert in a wide range of innovative and transformational technologies. Andy combines extensive knowledge of the insurance market with dynamic thinking and awareness of market solutions to develop propositions that tap into client business needs. Andy has detailed knowledge of data integration platforms, next generation underwriting and pricing and innovative new customer experience technology – including Voice CX – which is Andy’s current area of focus.

Dr. Sicard carries an extensive experience as a physician having begun his medical career as French Naval Flight Surgeon trained and certified by the US Navy and a scientist (PhD in Physiology in Extreme Environment). His passion for science and risk management inspired him to develop innovative design and medical solutions for new built Hospital Ships and Cruise ships. He had held the positions of acting Medical Director for Ponant Cruise Company and Chief Medical Officer for Allianz Global Assistance North America. MedSSIS® Consultant for the Cruise and Yachting industry, and working clinically (ELSAN Hospital, France; flight physician for Latitude Air Ambulance, Canada), he joined Eurami as an auditor in 2019.