Insurance Careers Month: Opening Doors to Opportunity with HBCU Impact and the Spencer Educational Foundation

During Insurance Careers Month, conversations about talent, opportunity, and representation take center stage across the industry. In a special episode of What’s Brewing, Siri Svay, Culture and Engagement Specialist at IAT Insurance Group, sat down with two leaders who are actively reshaping the insurance talent pipeline: Rebekah Ratliff, Founder of HBCU Impact, and Megan Miller, CEO of the Spencer Educational Foundation.

Tune in to the episode here: 

Their discussion explored why insurance is one of the most misunderstood – and opportunity-rich – industries, how nonprofits and corporate partners are working together to attract the next generation, and what employers can do right now to build a stronger, more representative workforce.

Meet the Guests

Rebekah Ratliff | Founder, HBCU Impact
HBCU Impact is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to exposing students across the country to careers in insurance, risk management, financial services, and law. IMPACT stands for Insurance Mentoring Program Advanced Career Track, and the organization’s mission is rooted in experiential learning – from licensing cohorts and annual symposiums to global impact initiatives.

HBCU Impact partners with more than 50 schools and ensures that all programming is offered at no cost to students. Through mentorship, career guidance, and industry partnerships, the organization is focused on increasing representation in insurance – one student at a time.

Megan Miller | CEO, Spencer Educational Foundation
Founded more than 45 years ago, the Spencer Educational Foundation exists to strengthen the insurance talent pipeline. By aggregating industry support, Spencer attracts, prepares, and supports students pursuing careers in underwriting, actuarial science, claims, risk management, and beyond.

Megan brings more than 17 years of industry experience to her role and is herself a Spencer scholarship recipient – a full-circle journey that underscores the organization’s long-term impact.

Breaking the Myth: “Insurance Is Boring”

One of the most persistent myths about insurance is that it’s limited, dull, or purely sales-driven. Both guests challenged that perception head-on.

Rebekah, a former commercial claims professional with more than 25 years of experience, emphasized the breadth of roles available across the industry – from claims and underwriting to law, mediation, and consulting. Her message is simple: people know what insurance does, but they don’t know what insurance is.

Insurance supports every other industry. It’s global, recession-resistant, and deeply interconnected with the world around us. As Rebekah puts it, “Insurance touches everything.”

Megan echoed that sentiment, noting that insurance is often a “best-kept secret” career path. While many people associate insurance with negative experiences or misunderstandings about coverage, the reality is far more positive. Insurance plays a critical role in community resilience, economic stability, and helping businesses and individuals recover when the worst happens.

Career Paths That Aren’t Linear – and That’s the Point

Both leaders shared their own career journeys as proof that insurance careers are anything but one-dimensional.

Megan began her career as an engineer, moved into underwriting and client management, earned her MBA with Spencer’s support, spent time at a brokerage, and now leads a nonprofit – all without ever leaving the insurance industry.

Rebekah transitioned from claims into mediation, arbitration, consulting, and academia, now serving as an adjunct law professor. Her story highlights one of the industry’s greatest strengths: transferable skill sets that open doors far beyond a single role or title.

Insurance careers evolve, adapt, and grow – often in unexpected and rewarding ways.

How HBCU Impact and Spencer Are Shaping the Future

Both organizations are deeply committed to attracting, preparing, and retaining emerging talent.

Spencer Educational Foundation operates eight core programs designed to:

• Introduce students to insurance careers they may not have considered
• Provide scholarships and experiential learning opportunities
• Support travel, conferences, and global exposure

In 2024 alone, Spencer raised $4 million from industry partners and reinvested the majority directly into students and talent-focused initiatives.

HBCU Impact focuses on breaking barriers to entry for students who are often underexposed to insurance. Signature programs include:

• Impact Incubator: Licensing cohorts for life, P&C, and claims professionals
• Annual Symposium: Immersive pre-conference experiences aligned with the National African American Insurance Association (NAAIA)
• Global Impact Initiative: International exposure, including recent student experiences in London’s insurance market

HBCU Impact’s guiding principle is clear: Recruit. Retain. Represent. – ensuring the industry reflects the communities it serves.

What Employers Can Do Now

The call to action for the industry is straightforward: get involved.

Both Rebekah and Megan stressed that meaningful change happens through partnership –  whether that means:

• Sponsoring or donating to talent-focused nonprofits
• Volunteering time, mentorship, or expertise
• Opening networks and creating pathways to internships and full-time roles

In many cases, talent has simply been overlooked or underexposed. Organizations like HBCU Impact and Spencer have built the bridges – now it’s up to the industry to walk across them.

Learn More and Get Involved

• HBCU Impact: Visit hbcuimpact.org or connect with Rebekah Ratliff on LinkedIn
• Spencer Educational Foundation: Learn more at spencered.org, and follow along during Spencer Day in support of Insurance Careers Month

Insurance is more than a job – it’s a career with purpose, impact, and opportunity. And as this conversation made clear, the future of the industry depends on the actions we take today.