2021 Board Member Candidate
Sara Goldberg, FSA 2008, MAAA
Head of Global Products & Analytics
Gen Re
Cologne Germany
Election Message:
My history with the actuarial profession began in my teens, when my father, credentialed in the 1950s, enlisted my help with the Contingencies puzzles column he ran. Since then, the profession has come a long way and with a changed landscape – more frequently in the public spotlight (though perhaps still not enough!), with new opportunities and some threats. As an international actuary and also trained data scientist, I would be honored to return to the Board to help us focus on what’s important – continuing to secure the future of our profession and enriching our lives as actuaries.
COVID-19 has given a lucky few some moments of quiet and space to re-focus in this increasingly frenzied work culture. I will work to serve the Board’s mission and objective, and stay focused on a few targets. While the new Strategic Plan was in the making at the time of writing, the 2017-2021 Strategic Plan articulates head-on a few threats – data science and automation, and I suggest we keep laser focus on those two areas through both research and more modular education, and through working closely with our employers. The newly launched Ethical & Responsible Use of Data & Predictive Models Certificate Program is one recent development that taps our competitive advantage on professionalism & ethics, which I wholeheartedly support and encourage members to explore.
I would like us also to strive to reach and sometimes broaden our audience on our research, including the catastrophe and climate research program which I have chaired and am excited to support in its launch for the SOA this October. More generally, as returning Board member I would work to strengthen the communications to our stakeholders, which starts with our own membership but also with employers, government, regulators, and the public as appropriate – serving to expand the profession.
Lastly, it has been a strategic goal for some time to achieve more effective relationships with other organizations; achieving this with other actuarial organizations may bolster our ability to tackle emerging threats together, and should also present more opportunities.
Brief description of current work:
I oversee actuarial, data-driven research and innovation for Global R&D in Gen Re Life/Health, where I assist Gen Re’s markets and clients through advanced analytics projects, product development and risk assessment, pricing, as well as digital solutions (insurtechs).
Primary Area(s) of Practice:
Life, Health
Bio:
Professional
Sara has been with Gen Re since 2011, where she worked for years as Regional Chief Actuary with clients and colleagues in eastern Asia (including Japan, S Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and recently Southeast Asia), where the SOA has significant membership. She has met with several local actuarial associations through her employer, with the SOA, and during presentations. In Sara’s current role, having rejoined R&D in Cologne in 2020, she manages a cross-functional team of actuaries and other specialists in R&D as Global Head of Products & Analytics. As such she has a birds-eye view of both emerging topics and the state of research and analytics in the life & health segments – currently absorbed in COVID-19’s implications, and other issues facing the industry such as accelerated underwriting and tech innovations. She obtained a master’s degree in data science through Johns Hopkins University in 2017-2019. On that note, she also oversees the analytics hub (competence center) for her employer, which consists of both data scientists, actuaries, and other professionals, and is responsible for information exchange and training in that arena.
Prior to joining Gen Re in 2011, Sara practiced primarily as a US health actuary and was involved in several high-profile publications with policy implications. As a result of her diverse roles, she is fortunate to have a broad understanding of both life and health, from financial reporting to pricing and product development to consulting and client management.
Volunteer, governance, & other
Sara has shown both commitment to and ability to execute ideas with the SOA in various volunteer capacities:
- SOA Board member, 2014-2017
- Member of the Greater Asia Committee, 2016-2019
- Contributing editor, Actuary flagship magazine, 2019-2021 (final issue this summer)
- Member of select other groups (liaising with Climate Data Analysis Group, on Project Oversight Groups for both analytics and climate research projects)
- Chair of steering committee for Catastrophe & Climate Research, 2019-2021
The last bullet provides promise to contribute to future employment opportunities and areas for actuaries to practice. As former Board member Sara served as liaison to Research to launch the 5 Strategic Research Programs – the underpinning of this Catastrophe & Climate steering committee.
Sara has also authored and co-authored a range of public reports and articles, including some for the SOA.
Lastly, prior to her increasing contributions to the SOA, Sara had volunteered time and leadership outside of the profession to various non-profit organizations in the environmental and music sectors. Sara lives in the Cologne/Bonn area of Germany with her perfect (sic) family, two cats, and currently they share their home with 3 university students who remind Sara to stay young and keep learning.
Education
M.S., Data Science, Johns Hopkins University, 2019
Fellow, Society of Actuaries, 2008
B.S., cum laude, Mathematics, Chinese and German, University of Michigan, 2003