Meet Rebecca:
I have been remarried for 20 years; and have a blended family of four adult children, who live in San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, and Portland — and I recently became a grandparent!
At one time, I owned two ice cream stores in Long Beach, CA, and was hired to cater our ice cream to parties, bar/bat mitzvahs, graduations, weddings, and for many Hollywood celebrities. We also gave back to the community by way of doing fundraisers for various organizations.
Having been an owner of a small business, I have a special appreciation for small businesses and nonprofit organizations.
Where are you from, and where do you live now?
I am originally from Los Angeles, but I now live in Banning, CA, in Riverside County.
Do you have any hobbies, interests or passions that you’d like to talk about?
I love to travel all over the USA and Europe! My husband and I have been to almost all 50 states and 35 countries.
We recently bought a map of the world and have started putting pins in the places where we have visited.
Rebecca meets NIA:
How long have you worked at NIA?
I have worked at NIA for four years.
What did you do before that?
Before coming to NIA, I previously worked for other carriers, third-party claims administrators, and independent insurance adjusting firms.
Rebecca B. and her husband pose with the Vince Lombardi Super Bowl trophy.
How did you come to find NIA?
I knew of NIA because I did field assignments for some NIA claims examiners during the time when I was an independent adjuster.
I was interested in working for NIA because of the interesting member organizations that I would visit in the course of my field investigation assignments.
How did your job interview go?
I actually had interviewed with NIA in the early 2000s but was not hired.
Then, in 2019, I had the opportunity to interview again. Considering I was hired this time, I’d say the interview went very well!
Rebecca’s NIA Career:
Tell us about the growth of your career at NIA.
I have learned so much about the variety of nonprofit members we insure!
Considering the types of organizations we insure has expanded my knowledge of the types of situations and claims nonprofits find themselves involved in — good or bad.
Coverage is a big learning curve and I continue to work on it and grow my knowledge.
Frequently, what may seem like a simple, uncomplicated claim becomes complex and the coverage investigation very involved.
It is like solving a mystery and I love that kind of a challenge.
Do you like working remotely? How often do you go into the office?
Yes. I thrive in a remote position. I don’t like to waste my time commuting for hours to an office.
I also like the fact that I am not contributing to rush-hour traffic (or pollution) by being 100% remote.
Do you feel you have a good work/life balance?
Yes. It is a perfect balance!
Time is precious and being able to manage your time by arranging your work and home life by working remotely is a gift.
Are your ideas heard and acted on? Can you provide a short example/story?
Within my team, I have suggested time management ideas, my personal strategy for organizing my day, and advice for how I stay on top of my claims.
These have helped those on our team who may struggle with getting things completed in a timely fashion.
Have you taken advantage of any of the continuing education opportunities that NIA offers?
I did have to complete claims examiner classes to renew my CA Adjuster’s License, but I have not taken advantage of any NIA offers beyond those courses.
I do plan to explore them further, though!
How is working here different from other jobs you’ve had?
NIA is different! For one thing, anything you need to do your job is supplied, from equipment to utilizing outside vendors.
Too many other for-profit insurance companies (sometimes with billions in assets) are always cutting corners, like being under-staffed, especially when it comes to the Claims department.
Working at a company where there is not enough staff to handle the work — or where they do not provide everything needed to do your job — makes for a shoddy work product, which directly impacts your customers adversely.
NIA does not delay when there is a staff shortage. They staff up as soon as it becomes evident there is a need.
What is your favorite thing about working at NIA?
Our interesting members and their organizations!
I learn so much about what these organizations do for their communities. I never knew that prior to coming to NIA.
Do you feel supported and respected by the people you work with?
Most definitely! We work as a team, and everyone on our immediate team, as well as everyone on the wider NIA team, is always available to collaborate, support, and share ideas.
Rebecca’s Impact:
Can you tell us about some of your favorite/memorable nonprofits that we work with?
One of our member organizations helps to mentor children in the foster system.
I attended a mediation with the director of the organization — she was so interesting, and I really admired her organization.
Volunteers operate essentially like a second foster parent to these children, teaching them basic life skills, like taking them to stores to buy school supplies.
It was wonderful to see them being a role model for these children just by just doing normal activities with them.
How has your work at NIA affected your life and/or community involvement?
I have learned the importance of volunteers to a nonprofit organization.
I live in a 55-plus community, and we have our own on-site animal rescue, where I assist in emergency services for missing dogs/cats.
Volunteers help spread the word, post photos of the missing animals on social media, or actually go out to actively search for them.
The rescue also helps with rehoming animals when needed. Unfortunately, one of the sad parts of being in a 55-plus community is the passing away of residents who have animals that need new homes.
We work closely with the nonprofit who is contracted with the city to perform animal control.
