Telos Meet the Team:
Emily Reese, ASA, MAAA, Consulting Actuary
The business side…
What led you to pursue this career path? I always loved math and, once I was working in insurance, it was a no-brainer for me to make the jump to actuarial work and start taking exams.
What is the best piece of career advice you have been given? A version of the “time will pass anyway” quote.
What has been your most rewarding professional experience so far? Earning my ASA was a big (long, stressful, difficult) accomplishment!!
What is the most stressful part of your job? Bad data.
Do you have a professional mentor? One of the first influential mentors I worked for showed me how you can be smart, confident, tough, and also remain people-focused. 15+ years after working together, I still find myself quoting her!
You are mentoring our actuary analysts, how does that impact you? It’s really exciting to see the analysts build skills and experience. I am so impressed with the professionalism and work ethic they bring to their work. I especially love when they challenge assumptions or the status quo – either directly or inadvertently – they’re teaching us too!
How do you approach your work/life balance? Life first. Then, enjoy your work. Find a job with a team of people that work well together. Use your PTO. And when it all gets busy, it’s ok to order pizza for dinner and use paper plates!
Do you feel you have a specific area of expertise in your field? At Telos – I’m an expert in navigating & trouble-shooting our internal processes or finding old files!
What behavior or personality trait do you most attribute to your success and why? Grit – fueled by the confidence that I can do it, measured by stepping stones on the path to the goal, and flexibility to pivot when needed.
What is one professional skill you are currently working on? Documenting… ugh.
Do you have any specific goals or milestones you are striving to achieve? A few current goals – increase networking, build more data skills, find opportunities to support girls/women in math.
What is one piece of advice you would give someone just starting out in your same career path? Set 5-year and 25-year goals. Also remember, the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.
Do you have a professional book that you would recommend everyone read? The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy
And the personal side…
What is your favorite food? Strawberries Favorite restaurant? Stokes
What is the coolest thing you’ve ever made? My kids 😊
But this pie was pretty awesome, too. (I really like baking & making desserts.)
What was your first job? Cashier at Godfather’s Pizza
What is the best vacation you have ever taken? Hawaii has been my favorite vacation, although Disneyland with my kids was pretty epic too.
Do you have any siblings? 6 amazing siblings! I’m #3, with 4 brothers and 2 sisters.
What is your favorite holiday and why? July 4th is my favorite holiday. Mainly because I love fireworks but also when I was a kid, we were allowed to drink all the soda we wanted on the 4th. Root beer for breakfast – every kid’s dream!
What is your guilty pleasure? Very loud music on a “not going anywhere” drive
What is something that always makes you smile? Seeing or listening to someone who is really passionate about a topic
Where did you grow up? Right here in Omaha!
What is your favorite season? Summer – sunshine and lots of time outdoors!!
What is the first concert you ever attended? My first (and second) concert was Bon Jovi. Not much of a concert-goer these days, but any outdoor type of venue is usually pretty fun.
What is the bravest thing you ever did? Moved (a couple times!) to a new place where I didn’t know anyone. Taking that jump to try something new and unknown was unnerving but also led to some of my favorite experiences and people!
