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Yvonne and Rafael sit down with Dave Chmiel, Chief Claims Officer at Hub International. Together, they engage in a great conversation about the broker's perspective on workers' compensation.

Episode Highlights

☕ The Core Message: Listening Changes Everything (00:02:38)

From day one in the brokerage world, Dave was taught to listen, to understand what economic buyers (CEOs, CFOs) actually care about. That skill transcends the boardroom. When you truly listen, you access perspectives you'd otherwise miss. In workers' comp, where we're managing human situations, that's everything.

🎯 A 35-Year Career Built on Perspective-Shifting (00:02:40)

Dave intentionally positioned himself to see the full ecosystem:

• Liberty Mutual (10 years): Claims management with major accounts; mastered total cost to risk
• Brokerage side (12 years): Kept managing claims while gaining the 30,000-foot view of client needs
• Hub International (14 years): Chief Claims Officer, bridging claims and sales

He didn't climb a ladder; he expanded his lens. That's the difference.

🤝 The Three-Partner Model: What Brokers Actually Do (00:11:00)

When asked what brokers can do that people don't realize, Dave explains the architecture: There are three partners in this equation: the client, the carrier, and the broker. The broker's job is to advocate for the client while maintaining a healthy relationship with the carrier. It's not zero-sum. It's about understanding all three positions and helping them work in alignment. That nuance matters.

🏢 From Middle-Market to Boutique at Scale (00:22:00)

Hub was originally positioned as a middle-market broker, but has evolved into an "upmarket and complex risk broker." What's their differentiator? Boutique-style service, the kind of personalized attention and deep expertise you'd expect from a small firm, delivered at the scale of the sixth largest broker in the world. That's the sweet spot David and his team operate in.

📈 The Broker That Grows With You (00:28:07)

"The best kind of broker is the one that's going to grow with you as an organization." A company that had two locations five years ago and now has forty is fundamentally different. The broker has to evolve too, more productive, more creative, more empathetic. That means understanding the distinctions: construction claims look nothing like transportation or sports and entertainment. And it means building trust-based alignment with carriers and TPAs, not just golf course friendships as we did 20 years ago. As Dave says, like a baseball manager whose team fights for you when they trust the vision.

🏒 Off the Ice: Goalie, Coach, Dad (00:40:30)

Dave still plays hockey as a goalie, sharing how much he loves the sport and the camaraderie between players. He gets the biggest kick, though, out of coaching his daughters: a 13-year-old softball pitcher and a 10-year-old who plays basketball and soccer. He didn't have sports in his own middle school years, so he's living through their growth and development. "That's where I relax now," he says. It's where the same listening, mentoring, and protective instincts that define his broker role show up in his life outside work.

✨ Rare Energy in a Mature Field (00:41:15)

"In the claims world, you don't often see the amount of energy that I think we collectively as a group have." When someone with 35 years still gets genuinely stoked about the work and the Elevate Work Comp conference community, it's not nostalgia, it's real.

The Nugget Worth Holding

How are you creating space to truly listen to what your stakeholders need? What assumption might you be missing about what matters to them?

Connect with David: He means it when he says reach out. Whether you have questions about the broker perspective, career advice, or just want to continue the conversation, find him on LinkedIn: Dave Chmiel. He's serious about helping and mentoring anyone who's open to it.

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

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Yvonne is joining from her hometown of Bandera, Texas (where the weather can't make up its mind — thirties one day, nineties the next), and Rafael just got back from Chicago. Which is the perfect segue to today's guest — Michael Brennan, Chairman of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission, joining us from a snowy Chicago, where, apparently, the high twenties counts as mild. Brrrrrr.

Highlights of this episode:

⚖️ Workers' Comp Is a Right, Not a Giveaway — Michael gets personal here. As the grandson of a permanently disabled worker who received nothing back in the 1920s, he brings a deeply human perspective to why this system matters. Workers' comp protects both the worker and the employer — and that point gets lost far too often.

🏛️ Inside the Illinois Commission — Illinois is not a fund state. The Commission's role is as an adjudicatory body — they resolve disputes, they don't pay benefits. With over 350 insurance carriers writing workers' comp in Illinois and 500+ self-insured employers, the scale is massive. Michael puts it simply: workers' comp is a $3 billion industry in Illinois alone.

🤝 Collaboration Is the Secret Sauce — Michael credits a lot of Illinois' progress to building real relationships with the bar, stakeholders, business, labor, and medicine. His philosophy? "When you're throwing rocks at one another, you usually don't get too much done." During COVID, he held monthly calls with 40-50 attorneys to navigate changes together — and it worked.

📱 The Challenge for the Next Generation — Remote work has changed everything. Michael shared that perhaps younger attorneys and adjusters are missing out on the hallway conversations and organic relationship-building that shaped veterans like Michael. His advice: pick up the phone. Call each other. The technology is there — use it to connect with your colleagues, not just to communicate.

📄 Going Paperless — and Making It Stick — When Michael came in, the Commission was drowning in paper. His number one goal: go paperless. By April 2021, they had done it system-wide. The bar resisted at first. Then begged for more. Last year, they settled over 30,000 cases and disposed of slightly more cases than were filed new. That reflects a system that's working.

Michael's closing thought: "My hope is that by the time I walk out, our workers' compensation system will be in better shape than we found it." Sounds familiar, doesn't it? 😄

For more information about the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission, click here.

Hasta luego! 👋

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

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Yvonne and Rafael sit down with Heather Lore, Executive Director of the IAIABC, for a conversation that covers some important (and undertalked) topics in workers' comp right now.

What we get into:

🌍 A Truly Global Community: The International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC) is the oldest workers' comp organization in the country, at 112 years, with members spanning the US, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia. There's something powerful about realizing that professionals around the world are grappling with the same challenges and learning from one another.

🌡️ Heat-Related Injuries: They're more common than the data shows. Heather says this is largely because they're underreported. She breaks down what's happening, what states like Oregon and California are doing about it, and what employers can do today. Here's the WCRI research study, and it's worth a read.

⚖️ A Noble Profession: No matter your role in workers' comp, everyone is pulling toward the same outcome: getting an injured worker back to a functioning life. That's a mission worth discussing further.

🌱 The Next Generation of WC Professionals: Workers' comp is a harder sell than it should be. Heather makes the case for why it's actually a fascinating career, and shares a simple job posting tweak that one organization used to send applications through the roof.

🏆 The IAIABC Next Gen Awards Program: It's Heather's favorite thing the IAIABC does. Since 2017, they've recognized 68 rising leaders from every corner of the industry. She's currently sorting through nominations for the next cohort... and says it's going to be really difficult choosing award recipients, and it's a good problem to have.

Heather's parting thought: The IAIABC's vision is a world free from the pain and loss of work injuries and illnesses. She says it's important to find small ways to have an impact. That's where joy and meaning live.

Until next time, ¡Hasta luego! 👋

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

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What happens when Medicare and multiple liens enter the claim, and how do you navigate them without derailing resolution?

In this episode of Deconstructing Comp, Yvonne Guibert and Rafael Gonzalez talk with John Cattie, managing partner of Cattie and Gonzalez, PLLC. The conversation focuses on Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) compliance and the broader landscape of federal lien resolution in workers’ compensation claims.

Together, they explore the key components of MSP through the lens of lien management, diving into the different types of federal liens that can arise and how they shape settlement strategy. The discussion centers on the practical challenges of identifying, navigating, and resolving multiple reimbursement interests—an area where confusion and delays often occur in real-world claim handling.

John shares practical insights on common missteps, from overlooking lien exposure to mismanaging repayment obligations, and how claims professionals and attorneys can more effectively navigate these complexities to avoid delays and unintended consequences. He highlights key federal lien types, including Medicare, the Veterans Administration, and TRICARE, while reinforcing the importance of identifying other potential reimbursement interests that may impact settlement.

Tune in for a grounded perspective on a complex and often challenging topic (this one made Yvonne’s head hurt), helping listeners better understand how to approach Medicare’s role and lien resolution within the broader claims process.

At the end of the episode, John shares fun facts about his favorite pastime, Fantasy Football, and tells us about the sports photos on his wall. Steve Garvey is the Padres baseball player Yvonne could not remember.

For more information about federal liens in workers' compensation, contact John Cattie or Rafael Gonzalez at Cattie and Gonzalez, PLLC.

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

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In this episode of Deconstructing Comp, what was intended to be a conversation about when substance use is considered industrial… turned into a much deeper exploration of how, and why, care in workers’ compensation often breaks down.

Yvonne and Rafael talk to Dr. Tomer Anbar and Dr. Ramsey Ali and enjoy a powerful, layered conversation that challenges how we think about care in workers’ compensation.

Dr. Anbar takes us back to the origins of the workers' compensation system: why it was created, how it was structured, and where the “architecture of care” has started to break down over time. He reframes workers’ compensation not just as a set of rules and processes, but as a living ecosystem that requires alignment between medical care, human behavior, and system design.

A central theme emerges throughout the conversation: we need to stop chasing a diagnosis! Dr. Anbar says,

“At some point, we have to stop chasing the diagnosis and start treating the human in front of us.”

Anbar suggests that instead of focusing solely on labeling conditions, we should shift toward a better understanding of function, behavior, and the full biopsychosocial picture driving recovery, or the lack of it.

Dr. Ali builds on this foundation with a deep dive into PTSD and substance use disorders (SUD) in the workers’ compensation setting; two conditions that are often misunderstood, underdiagnosed, or treated in isolation. Dr. Anbar explains how this contributes to disability and unnecessary epidemics. Together, they explore how these conditions intersect, how delayed recovery takes hold, and why fragmented care models often miss what matters most.

Dr. Anbar also introduces the concept of psychoneuroimmunology, highlighting the connection between the mind, nervous system, and immune response, and reinforcing the idea that recovery is complex, dynamic, and deeply human.

This episode invites listeners to think differently about causation, complexity, and the human experience behind every claim, and challenges the industry to move beyond diagnosis-driven thinking toward a more integrated, evidence-based, and human-centered approach.

Dr. Anbar references a recent article in PRIMA Public Risk Magazine titled, How Risk and Claims Leadership Are Reversing the PTSD and Disability Crisis Among First Responders.

Yvonne mentions a recent Institutes of Health webinar titled When Substance Use is Industrial.

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

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In this episode of Deconstructing Comp, Yvonne Guibert and Rafael Gonzalez talk with Liva Rivera, Chief Communications Officer at Hamilton, Miller, and Birthisel Law Firm, for a lively conversation about the power of social media in building relationships, expanding professional networks, and supporting mentorship within the workers’ compensation community.

Liva shares how platforms like LinkedIn have evolved from simple professional profiles into powerful tools for connection. Rather than approaching social media with a rigid strategy, she explains how authenticity, curiosity, and consistency have helped her build meaningful relationships across the industry. What began as casual online engagement eventually led to real-world collaborations, friendships, and opportunities, demonstrating that the workers’ compensation community is often much smaller and more connected than people realize.

The conversation also explores the human side of social media. Liva discusses how showing up online can sometimes invite criticism or skepticism, but she encourages professionals not to let that stop them from participating. Social media, when used thoughtfully, can amplify voices, foster mentorship, and help newer professionals find their place in the industry. For those who feel unsure about posting or engaging, Liva offers a refreshing perspective: you don’t need a perfectly curated plan, just start joining the conversation.

Yvonne, Rafael, and Liva also dive into the importance of mentorship and community, highlighting how social platforms can bridge generational gaps and help emerging leaders connect with experienced professionals. Whether it’s sharing insights, celebrating successes, or simply supporting each other’s work, these digital spaces can strengthen the professional fabric of our industry.

If you’ve ever wondered how to use social media in a way that feels genuine, productive, and relationship-driven, this episode offers practical insights and plenty of inspiration.

We talked about Rise Professionals on the episode. Be sure to check out their website and their 2026 Annual Leadership Summit under events.

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

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In this episode of Deconstructing Comp, we’re joined by Greg Hamlin, Senior VP and Chief Claims Officer at Berkley Industrial Comp (a Berkley Company), for a grounded conversation about the role empathy plays in workers’ compensation and why it is so essential in our industry, particularly when communicating with injured workers.

Greg shares observations from his experience about how empathy influences communication, decision-making, and trust across claims, leadership, and organizational teams. We explore how understanding a person's perspective, whether it’s an injured employee, a claims professional, or a business colleague, can shape how issues are identified, discussed, and resolved.

We also chat about how Greg has been able to encourage and develop empathy at the claims desk within his organization. No big surprise, it starts at the top, and Greg talks about what it means to empower his claims professionals.

Throughout the episode, we reflect on how empathetic approaches can reduce friction, support clearer communication, and create conditions for better outcomes, without tying empathy to any single role, title, or function. Listeners are invited to consider how empathy already shows up in their work, and where small shifts in perspective or structure might make a difference.

Greg is also a fellow podcast host. You can catch his podcast "Adjusted" on your favorite podcast platform.

📘 Term Introduced

Monoline Insurance – Insurance carriers that specialize in a single line of coverage, such as workers’ compensation, allowing for deeper expertise and focused claims handling.

¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp