Oakland, CA – Kris J. Mathis, Senior Vice President, Chief Claims Officer & Risk Management Services at CopperPoint Insurance Companies, was elected as Chair of the California Workers’ Compensation Institute (CWCI) Board of Directors for 2026 at the Institute’s 62^nd Annual Meeting in Sacramento last week.   Mr. Mathis was first elected to CWCI’s Board in 2016 and has been a member of the Institute’s Executive Committee since 2019.

     Joining Mr. Mathis on CWCI’s 2026 Executive Committee will be Michael Cunningham, Zenith Insurance Company; Eric M. Hansen, Preferred Employers Insurance, who served as Chair the past two years; Carmen Sharp, The Hanover Insurance Group; Vernon L. Steiner, State Compensation Insurance Fund; Christopher Thurman, CNA; and Matthew Zender, AmTrust North America.

     Also elected to serve on CWCI’s 2026 Board of Directors were Ricardo Nan, AIG; Andrew Linkhart, Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies; Jeff Rush, California Joint Powers Insurance Authority (an associate member); Mary Beth Pittinger, CHUBB; Chris Champlin, EMPLOYERS; Joseph Wells, Everest Insurance; Dina Rivas, ICW Group Insurance Companies; Dr. Mary Capelli-Schellpfeffer, Liberty Mutual Insurance; Justin Smith, North American Casualty Company/Applied Underwriters; Todd Lewis, Republic Indemnity; Brooks Rice, Schools Insurance Authority (an associate member); Jennifer Page, Sentry Insurance; Julie Riddle, The Hartford; Joanne Moynihan, Travelers; Brian Stuart, WCF Insurance; and Neil Deblock, Zürich North America.

     The Institute, established in 1964, is a private, nonprofit association working to improve California workers’ compensation through research, information, education, and representation. CWCI members include 21 insurer groups (comprised of nearly 200 underwriting companies that write and service 71 percent of California statewide workers’ compensation premium), as well as 28 of the largest public and private self-insured employers in the state.

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