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The Institutes Griffith Foundation Welcomes New Advisory Council Members R. Dale Hall and Lorilee Medders

Published 6 days ago via Business Wire

The Institutes Griffith Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of R. Dale Hall, FSA, MAAA, CERA, CFA; and Lorilee Medders, Ph.D., to its Advisory Council. These thought leaders will help to advance the important non-partisan and non-advocative educational initiatives of the organization.

Hall, a respected leader in the risk management and insurance field, brings a wealth of knowledge and a passion for education. Hall emphasized the significance of The Griffith Foundation’s mission, saying, “The Griffith Foundation does important work. As an Advisory Council member, I am eager to contribute to the outreach and impact of The Griffith Foundation in empowering policymakers.”

Hall serves as the Managing Director of Research for the Society of Actuaries (SOA) Research Institute, where he oversees strategic research partnerships, experience studies, and data-driven initiatives across diverse actuarial practice areas. A frequent speaker at global industry meetings, Hall has presented SOA research to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) as well as congressional committees. Before joining the SOA in 2013, Hall spent over 20 years in the U.S. insurance industry and taught as an adjunct professor in actuarial science at Illinois State University.

Medders, an accomplished academic, shares a similar enthusiasm for her new role. “Information is crucial to informing wise decisions, and The Griffith Foundation provides the unbiased, educational resources that public policymakers need as they navigate the risk management and insurance landscape,” Medders remarked. “I am thankful to be a part of this important organization.”

Medders is the Joseph F. Freeman Distinguished Professor of Insurance and Chair of the Department of Finance, Banking & Insurance at Appalachian State University’s Walker College of Business. Previously, she directed the Walker College’s Honors program and held faculty roles at Florida State University, Georgia State University, and Georgia Southern University.

With advanced degrees in risk management and insurance from Georgia State University, Medders also chairs the American Risk & Insurance Association's Risk & Insurance Teaching Society and has served in leadership roles for the Southern Risk and Insurance Association and the Florida Commission on Hurricane Loss Projection Methodology. Her research focuses on catastrophe risk, economic resilience, and global risk challenges, contributing extensively to both academic and industry discussions.

Frank Tomasello, Executive Director of The Griffith Foundation, expressed his enthusiasm for the new appointments. “We look forward to the expertise that Dale and Lori will bring in their new roles as Advisory Council members,” Tomasello stated. “They are both committed to advancing The Griffith Foundation ’s mission to provide non-partisan, non-advocative educational resources to public policymakers.”

The Griffith Foundation is pleased to welcome both Hall and Medders to the Advisory Council and looks forward to the unique perspectives they will bring to the organization. The Griffith Foundation also extends its heartfelt gratitude to outgoing Advisory Council members David Pooser, Ph.D., and Howard Mills for their invaluable contributions over many years, Tomasello added.

About The Institutes Griffith Foundation

The Institutes Griffith Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, non-advocative educational organization dedicated to providing unbiased information about risk management and insurance through educational programs targeting public policymakers. The Griffith Foundation is affiliated with The Institutes, a leading provider of risk management and insurance education.

About The Institutes

The Institutes are a global not-for-profit comprising diverse affiliates that educate, elevate and connect people in the essential disciplines of risk management and insurance. Through products and services offered by The Institutes’ nearly 20 affiliated business units, people and organizations are empowered to help those in need with a focus on understanding, predicting and preventing losses to create a more resilient world.

“We look forward to the expertise that Dale Hall and Lori Medders will bring in their new roles as Advisory Council members." - Frank Tomasello, Executive Director, @The_Institutes Griffith Foundation.

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