Bria Taylor: Workers’ Compensation Risk Manager at Hyatt

Bria Taylor is a seasoned insurance professional with over 14 years of experience in the risk and claims insurance industry. Currently serving as a Workers’ Compensation Risk Manager for Hyatt, one of the largest hospitality companies in the world, Bria is known for her creativity, passion, and honesty in her work.

Bria’s journey into the workers’ compensation industry began right out of college. “I started as an auto adjuster for Travelers Insurance after attending a college fair,” she shares. While her initial career aspirations leaned toward nursing, the job fair opened her eyes to the opportunities in insurance, a field she has grown to love.

Each week in Bria’s role is dynamic and ever-changing. “A typical week for me varies and is catered to priorities within my role. I could be traveling to properties within my region or seated within my corporate office,” she explains. Her favorite part of the job? “It gives me the opportunity to travel around the world,” she says enthusiastically.

Currently, Bria is focused on educating properties on how to mitigate risk, a crucial aspect of her role. She also places a strong emphasis on networking, attending industry-related conferences and events to maintain and grow her professional relationships. “The insurance industry is extremely connected, and maintaining my relationships is the reason why I have established such a supportive community within the industry,” Bria notes.

When it comes to leadership, Bria’s perspective as a woman plays a significant role. “It drives me to uplift other women in the industry because sometimes we feel we aren’t seen in male-dominated settings,” she shares.

For Bria, empowering women is vital. “Women-to-women support promotes gender equality, which is an essential foundation for prosperous success. When it comes to achieving our goals, we are stronger together.”

Bria’s admiration for women leaders extends to her own mentors. “There are a number of leading women in the industry that I look up to. Someone worth mentioning is my current Vice President of Risk, Jennifer Pack. She is a highly respected and active woman in the industry, and I admire her resilience as a leading professional in risk,” Bria says.

Balancing work and home life is something Bria prioritizes with care. “My well-being comes first, so I establish boundaries early on that fit my specific role and lifestyle and stick to them,” she explains. Her family is her greatest source of inspiration and joy. “My biggest current inspiration is my children,” Bria shares, adding, “They make me smile the most.”

Bria is proud of her ability to build and maintain a strong network within the industry. “The ability to build and sustain relationships is what contributed to the numerous opportunities for collaboration and growth throughout my career,” she says. This focus on relationships has been a cornerstone of her success.

When reflecting on the changes in the field, Bria notes the increased resources available to the industry and the importance of retaining talent. If she could make one change in workers’ compensation, it would be to reduce the stress on claims adjusters. “I would put a cap on the amount of claims each claims adjuster is allowed to manage at once to minimize the level of stress that comes with the heavy caseloads,” she suggests.

Outside of work, Bria finds joy in traveling, exploring new restaurants, and spending time with her family. A fun fact about Bria? She once competed on the family gaming show Family Feud! Her adventurous spirit also extends to her aspirations—she dreams of taking her family on a trip to Japan to explore the country’s technology and culture.

Bria’s career has been shaped by valuable advice she received early on: “Write down your aspirations and goals. This was an eye-opener to a lot of things that I thought I wanted but had no idea I didn’t need,” she reflects. With her creativity, passion, and dedication to uplifting others, Bria Taylor continues to make a meaningful impact in the workers’ compensation industry while inspiring those around her.