NextGen Awards

IAIABC NextGen IAIABC NextGen Awards launched in 2017 as a way to recognize talented individuals under the age of 40 who are having a substantial and positive impact on workers' compensation, making a significant difference within their organizations, and leading the industry into the future.


2025 NextGen Award Recipients

The IAIABC congratulates the recipients of the 2025 NextGen Awards. 

 
Stephen Cooper

Executive Director and Senior Economist, NCCI

 



Kelsey Daley

Manager, Gradual Onset Psychological Injury, Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia






Reshaun Godfrey

Injury Management Supervisor, Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation 






Alexis Hildebrand

Administrative Operations Manager, Alaska Division of Workers’ Compensation








Matthew Jones, Esq.

Executive Partner, Jones Jones LLC








Grace Kohl

Healthcare Policy Specialist, Colorado Division of Workers' Compensation

Ashley Miller

Medical Fee Services Compliance Analyst, Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission










Monica Thunem

Director Strategy and Planning, Workplace Safety Insurance Board of Ontario








The Award recipients will be celebrated at the IAIABC 111th Convention and in a 2025 issue of IAIABC Perspectives magazine.

2025 Finalist Nominees

The following individuals were finalist NextGen Award nominees. 

Josie Flores,  NCCI

Elizabeth Nguyen,  Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) of Ontario

Michael SolheidChief Administrative Officer, Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry

Brianna Ramirez,  ICW Group

2025 Honorable Mention Nominees

The following individuals were honorable mention NextGen Award nominees. 

Caitlin Breitbach, Oregon Department of Consumer & Business Services 

Megan Eberth, Holmes Murphy

Othello Greer, Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation

Garrett Hamman, Kansas Department of Labor, Workers' Compensation Division

Amanda Horvath, Missouri Division of Workers' Compensation

Sarah Lefurgey, Workers' Compensation Board of Nova Scotia

Aaron McGraw, Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation

Alex Renyolds, Colorado Division of Workers' Compensation

Thomas Travaglia, Verisk

Kaitlyn Yors, Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation      

Selection Committee Members

A committee of thirteen industry professionals selected the IAIABC NextGen Award recipients from among the nominations. It is important to note that any selection committee member who works for the same organization as a nominee did not provide input on that nominee, and that selections were based solely on information received on the nomination form.

Stephanie Arkelian, Healthesystems (2018 NextGen Recipient)
Vincent Bell, The Black Car Fund (2021 NextGen Recipient
Erin Bishop, Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission (2020 NextGen Recipient)
Sheri Bowles, Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents
Melissa Coleman, Ametros (2024 NextGen Recipient)
Adam Fowler, MyMatrixx
Ceil Jung, SFM
Amy Kingston, Colorado Division of Workera' Compensation (2020 NextGen Recipient)
Heather Lore, IAIABC
Neil McSheim, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) of Ontario (2017 NextGen Recipient)
Steve Peters, Enlyte
Jordan Russell, Oklahoma Workers' Compensation Commission
Ann-Kathrin Schaefer, German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) (2023 NextGen Recipient)


 Previous Recipients (2017-2024)