Senior Leadership

Pamela E. Davis is the Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the member companies of the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance, which includes Nonprofits Insurance Alliance of California (NIAC), Alliance of Nonprofits for Insurance, Risk Retention Group (ANI), as well as a captive property reinsurer, and a management company. All companies in NIA are 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofits. The Alliance has been assigned an A VIII (Excellent) rating by A.M. Best. Together, they have assets of more than $530 million and surplus of more than $204 million. The Alliance insures and provides risk management services for more than 19,000 tax-exempt nonprofits in 32 states and the District of Columbia. She is also President of American Nonprofits, whose mission is to increase nonprofits’ access to credit and financial expertise.

In 2017 she was named among 125 Elite Women by Insurance Business America as one of the women at the vanguard of the insurance industry. In 2013, the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance was selected as one of The Bay Area News Group’s Top Workplaces. In 2010, Ms. Davis and the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance were featured in the first “sequel” of the documentary series Visionaries which airs on PBS stations nationwide. In 2008, Ms. Davis was named a “Women of Influence in Silicon Valley” by the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal. In 2006, Ms. Davis was named by Business Insurance as one of the “Women to Watch” in the commercial insurance industry worldwide. She was named one of the nation’s 15 BEST BOSSES by Fortune Small Business and Winning Workplaces in 2005 in recognition of innovative and progressive leadership in establishing a great workplace.

In 2004, she received the first ever Award for Policy Innovation from The Goldman School of Public Policy, UC Berkeley. In 2002, Ms. Davis was included in the Nonprofit Times Power and Influence 50. This list reflects the visionaries, “movers & shakers” and opinion-makers of the nonprofit sector. In 2000, Ms. Davis was named one of the 100 Leading Women in the Insurance Industry by Business Insurance.

During 1997, NIAC and Ms. Davis were featured in a one-half hour documentary series, Visionaries, which aired nationwide on PBS. Ms. Davis was named a Gerbode Fellow in 1993. Ms. Davis holds a BA with highest honors in Economics from the University of California, Santa Cruz and a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley.

Kim Aday is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance. She has served the Group since 1997, in various positions throughout the finance department. Prior to joining the group, Ms. Aday was an accountant for Marina Village Real Estate. Kim holds a BS in Finance from San Jose State University and has completed the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program through the San Jose State University College of Business. Her volunteer work has included the California State PTA and coaching youth soccer and softball teams.

Ren Agarwal is the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance (NIA). He has worked in insurance and technology industries for over 25 years.

Before joining the NIA leadership team, Ren held senior marketing roles at several Silicon Valley companies. He served as CEO and co-founder of Mercury360, an early pioneer in helping organizations manage social media. Mercury360 was a double-bottom line business which employed underrepresented individuals and trained them for digital marketing careers. Prior to founding Mercury360 he was Vice President of Marketing at Keynote Systems, a NASDAQ traded SaaS company, where he was responsible for overseeing corporate marketing, product marketing, and corporate communications. Prior to Keynote he was Senior Director at Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company, where he oversaw all marketing, online channels, and PR execution for the commercial division.

In addition to his professional work, Ren is active in nonprofit consulting. He recently completed a Salesforce integration project for a major Portland family services agency and helped a Los Angeles animal rescue and adoption nonprofit buildout its search engine marketing program.

Ren is a graduate of the Stern School of Business, New York University, and Rutgers University. He lives in the SF Bay Area with his wife.

Michelle Alvis, PHR, is Chief People Officer (CPO) for the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance. Michelle is a seasoned human resources professional with more than 25 years of broad-based and progressively responsible experience in human resources, facilities, operations and administration, both in the private and nonprofit work sectors. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University and a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) Certification through the Human Resources Certification Institute. She is a member of the Society for Human Resources Management, the Northern California Human Resources Association and has conducted numerous trainings and workshops focused on professionalizing the role of human resources in the non-profit sector. She is active in the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA and Dress for Success.

Thomas Bakewell is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance.  He is an accomplished IT executive with a proven track record over 30 years of improving business operations, increasing productivity and reducing costs.  He has led the IT organizations in several high profile companies in Silicon Valley.

Mr. Bakewell has served on the CEO boards of Splunk and Vectra Networks.  He also holds a teaching credential in Computer Science from the State of California.

In addition to his professional career, Mr. Bakewell has been involved in many nonprofit and charitable organizations.  He has served as Chairman of the Board for the de Saisset Museum at Santa Clara University, was a member of the Diocese of San Jose Advisory Board, and is currently in a leadership role with a UN recognized worldwide charitable organization.

Mr. Bakewell lives in San Jose, California with his wife.  Their children reside throughout the Bay Area and Western United States.  When not working they enjoy an active outdoor lifestyle.

Dave Gibson is Chief Claims Officer (CCO) for the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance. Mr. Gibson brings more than 30 years of experience in the insurance claims industry, and has held management positions for most of that time with Universal Underwriters Insurance Company, Zurich Direct Markets, and Philadelphia Insurance Companies. He holds a Bachelor of Arts  degree in Psychology from Rutgers University. His most recent nonprofit service has been as a youth soccer coach in Rocklin, California, for recreational, select, and competitive teams.

Brian E. Johnson ACAS, MAAA is the Chief Underwriting Officer (CUO) for the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance.  Mr. Johnson has worked in the consulting, insurance and re-insurance industry for 30 years. Prior to joining the group, Mr. Johnson managed a Treaty Reinsurance Underwriting/Costing team at Swiss Re. Prior to Swiss Re, he was with Employers Re from 2003-2006 as a Senior Underwriter/Account Executive and a Senior Actuary.  Mr. Johnson was with American Re from 1996-2003 and held the positions of Underwriting Risk Manager, Treaty Underwriting Manager and Actuarial Manager. He began his career in 1989 in the Actuarial field with Ernst & Young as an Actuarial Consultant in Atlanta and also worked as a Primary Insurance Rating Actuary at USF&G in Baltimore. Mr. Johnson holds a BS in Mathematics/Actuarial Science from Penn State University and is an Associate of the Casualty Actuarial Society and a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries. Mr. Johnson has worked with various nonprofits in the past including serving on the board of the Mid-State Literacy Council in Central Pennsylvania.

Melissa Yarnell is the Chief Risk Officer (CRO) for the Nonprofits Insurance Alliance, where she is responsible for the Group’s Risk and Information Technology Departments. She also oversees NIA’s Product Development, Loss Control, Compliance and Enterprise Risk Management functions. Before working in Risk, Melissa served NIA in both underwriting and corporate compliance, and in total, she has worked in commercial insurance for 20 years, most of which has been serving the nonprofit sector. When she isn’t hard at work, Melissa enjoys sewing, reading and spending time in the sun with her family. Melissa holds a B.A. in Sociology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, as well as an M.B.A. from San Jose State University. She currently resides in the Monterey Bay Area with her family.