The Travelers Institute, the public policy division of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV), today announced its Wednesdays with Woodward^® virtual programming schedule for May and June 2023. The webinar series, hosted by Joan Woodward, President of the Travelers Institute and Executive Vice President of Public Policy at Travelers, examines pressing topics at the intersection of insurance, business and public policy.

“Our latest educational lineup covers a number of subjects, including rising litigation costs in the U.S., mitigating small business risks, and the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace,” said Woodward. “We continue to provide our agents, brokers, customers and the broader communities we serve with timely discussions about today’s most important issues with renowned thought leaders across industries.”

All events are free and open to the public – anyone interested in joining can register on the Travelers Institute website. Upcoming webinars include:

• May 3: “A Small Business Playbook for Leading Through Uncertainty” – Ted James, Region VI Administrator for the U.S. Small Business Administration, joins this session with Travelers’ Erin Rodliff, Senior Vice President for Small Commercial Underwriting and Product, to mark the start of National Small Business Week. The session will share practical advice for managing small business risk through economic uncertainty.

• May 17: “Previewing the 2023 Travelers Championship – We’re Taking It to the Next Level” – Andy Bessette, Travelers’ Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer, and Nathan Grube, Tournament Director of the Travelers Championship, will give viewers an exclusive preview of what – and whom – they can expect to see during this year’s tournament.

• May 24: “The Rapid Rise of Litigation Costs” – Lauren Sheets Jarrell, Esq., Director and Counsel for Civil Justice Policy at the American Tort Reform Association, and Alexia Cruz, Travelers’ Senior Vice President and Claim General Counsel, will discuss the policies and judicial decisions driving social inflation in the U.S., the jurisdictions that are working to address rising litigation costs, and practical risk management strategies for organizations navigating an increasingly uncertain litigation environment.

• June 7: “The How and Why of D&I with Travelers’ Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer” – Lauren Young, Travelers’ Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, will share insights on how organizations can foster a diverse and inclusive workplace – and why it matters. Young will also share some of her experience leading Travelers’ enterprise-wide diversity and inclusion program.

• June 14: “Crash and Learn LIVE Edition with IIHS” – Join the Travelers Institute for a live crash test, with commentary and real-time reactions from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) vehicle research experts Raul Arbelaez and Dr. Jessica Jermakian. Learn more about the institute’s state-of-the-art facility, where researchers conduct a range of vehicle crash tests, and get the inside scoop on how they publish their vehicle safety ratings.

• June 28: “Advancing Disability Hiring and Inclusion in the Workplace” – Jill Houghton, President and CEO of Disability:IN, will join Bruce Soltys, Travelers’ Vice President of Human Resources, to discuss hiring and retaining workers with disabilities, specifically those who identify as neurodiverse.

For more information about the Travelers Institute or the Wednesdays with Woodward schedule of events, please visit Travelers.com/Travelers-Institute.

About the Travelers Institute

The Travelers Institute, the public policy division of The Travelers Companies, Inc., engages in discussion and analysis of public policy topics of importance to the insurance marketplace and to the financial services industry more broadly. The Travelers Institute draws upon the industry expertise of Travelers’ senior management as well as the technical expertise of many of Travelers’ underwriters, risk managers and other experts to provide information, analysis and solutions to public policymakers and regulators. Travelers is a leading provider of property casualty insurance for auto, home and business. For more information, visit Travelers.com.

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