UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. –– Dan Cahoy, chair of the Penn State Smeal College of Business Department of Risk Management, has announced the formation of a new department advisory board.
“The new Risk Management and Actuarial Science Advisory Board will provide feedback on our academic programs and strengthen our communication and outreach efforts. It will also engage directly with students, offering invaluable real-world perspectives on industry trends, emerging challenges and career opportunities,” Cahoy said.
He said the board will be composed of professionals in relevant fields who want to support the department’s education programming, enrich career and experiential learning opportunities, inform and support research excellence, deepen relationships with employers, alumni, donors and other partners and elevate the Smeal Risk Management brand.
“This board is forming at a critical time for two of our flagship majors,” Cahoy said. “The business world is facing increasing uncertainty, particularly as artificial intelligence transforms industries and creates new challenges, and the ability to assess, quantify and manage risk has never been more essential. Graduates of our risk management and actuarial science programs will be at the forefront of this work.”
Andrew Hersh, a risk executive and entrepreneur who most recently founded the National Security Practice at Newfront Insurance, acquired by WTW in 2026, was named the inaugural board chair. His work focuses on companies across the National Security Industrial Base, helping organizations navigate complex risk environments and address the evolving challenges facing the defense, intelligence, critical infrastructure and advanced technology sectors. Hersh is a 1996 Smeal graduate with a degree in business logistics (now supply chain and information systems).
“Penn State already boasts some of the world’s preeminent programs in risk management and actuarial science,” Hersh said. “Our mission is to expand that advantage by connecting students directly with top-tier career paths, immersive experiential learning and senior executive mentorship. Giving back to the Penn State community alongside such an accomplished board is a privilege. We are all looking forward to supporting Penn State in preparing the next generation of risk leaders.”
Additional members of the inaugural advisory board include:
- Sean Torcasia 1998 Smeal graduate with a degree in accounting, is a partner in PwC’s U.S. Risk & Regulatory Practice; he serves as lead client partner for a Fortune 20 account and advises large enterprises on how to govern AI (artificial intelligence), including the control design, assurance models and oversight structures required as companies move core processes onto AI and agentic systems.
- Patrick Kinneya 1983 Smeal graduate with a degree in business logistics, is the retired CEO and a board member of Keystone, an insurance brokerage network and platform that partners with independent insurance agencies across the U.S. Previously, he spent 38 years with Travelers.
- Rachel Becka 2006 Smeal graduate with a degree in actuarial science, is an executive vice president at CAC, part of Baldwin Group, where she leads the Sponsors Insurance team and co-leads the firm’s Private Equity Practice. She draws on her actuarial background and deep brokerage experience in management and professional liability insurance to lead strategic initiatives that expand the firm’s private equity business.
- Brian Fleminga 1991 Penn State graduate with a degree in insurance, is principal/vice president of Triton Claim Management; he led a third party/outsourcing claims administrator specializing in P&C claims and risk management services to primary and excess insurance carriers/captives.
Board members serve a five-year term. They also make a financial commitment to the college to support innovative programs and services that benefit students and faculty in the Department of Risk Management.
The board will meet in person twice each year and will hold virtual meetings as needed.
Cahoy said he was looking forward to the board’s first in-person meeting.
“We have an Advisory Board composed of some of Smeal’s most accomplished alumni who will help ensure our programs prepare students for today’s challenges and for a future filled with opportunity. I can’t wait to see the positive impact this board will have on the trajectory of our work,” he said.
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