ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Justin Cech
Sales Representative
One80 Intermediaries

Justin Cech is an accomplished sales and risk management professional specializing in the healthcare benefits and insurance industry. He works with One80 Intermediaries as part of the Arrowhead Intermediaries team, focusing on medical stop-loss and other risk-transfer solutions for employers and brokers. Justin takes a consultative, solutions-driven approach to helping clients navigate the complexities of self-funded insurance programs.

With an MBA from Temple University’s Fox School of Business, Justin brings a strong foundation in insurance and risk management along with a client-first mindset. He remains actively engaged in industry forums, including SIIA and HCAA Executive Forums, and is involved with the Young Risk Professionals of Philadelphia, reflecting his commitment to professional development and industry collaboration.

Outside of work, Justin enjoys snowboarding, cheering on the Philadelphia Eagles, and spending time at the beach with family and friends.

Phil Gibson
Director, Regional Sales
HM Insurance Group

Phil is the Director, Cincinnati Regional Sales. In this role, he works to grow and maintain the HM Insurance Group (HM) Stop Loss book of business in our Cincinnati Regional Sales territory, which serves Ohio, Kentucky, southern Indiana, and Michigan. Phil joined HM in 2023 as Director, Strategy Realization & Implementation, Sales. He came to us from Highmark, where he served as chief of staff for the president of the Highmark Health Plan. He joined the organization in 2017 as an internal consultant and held roles of increasing responsibility.

Prior to that, Phil held business development and solution design roles at FedEx Supply Chain, GENCO and Eaton, where he focused on logistics and financing for major corporations, specializing in medical devices and pharmaceuticals. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Managerial Economics from Allegheny College and a Master of Business Administration from Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business.  

Morgan Sandell
Operations Lead, Underwriting Operations
QBE North America

Morgan brings more than eight years of experience in the health insurance industry, beginning her career at Gravie, a Minneapolis-based start-up focused on making health benefits more accessible for small and mid-sized employers. As an Account Manager, she worked closely with clients to navigate innovative benefit solutions and support their evolving needs. Driven by a desire to continue meaningful work in the insurance space while returning to a leadership path, Morgan joined Optum in June 2019. She first served as an Underwriting Operations Manager before transitioning into a Product Manager role in 2021, where she helped shape and enhance solutions within the organization.

In June 2025, Morgan joined QBE North America as an Operations Lead. In this role, she partners with internal stakeholders to optimize processes and systems, strengthen cross-functional alignment, and ensure operational excellence. Her work focuses on driving efficiency through strategic process improvement initiatives that enhance overall business performance.

Morgan holds a bachelor's degree in business and is currently pursuing her MBA at the University of Scranton. She is an active member of the Self-Insurance Institute of America (SIIA) and was appointed Chairperson of the Future Leaders Committee in December 2025. Outside of her professional commitments and graduate studies, Morgan enjoys spending time with her spouse, fur babies, family, and friends. She loves staying active, traveling, reading, and attending sporting events and concerts.

Katie Thornton
Associate Director
Aon Re, Inc.

Katie is an Associate Director in the Accident, Health, and Life Reinsurance Solutions unit of Aon based in New York City. Starting as a Broker in June of 2021, Katie is responsible for supporting the design of reinsurance programs for various clients across the AHL team. She has experience working in the US Healthcare Market, as well as the Global Accident Market. She assists multiple managing directors on developing market strategies for existing clients such as Insurance carriers, MGUs, and Regional Health Plans. She also assists in generating new Accident and MGU business growth within the A&H Team.

Before joining Aon as a full-time employee, Katie was an Intern on the Accident, Health, and Life Reinsurance Team, assisting on various projects throughout the summer of 2020. Prior to Aon, she received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing from Providence College and was a part of the Division 1 Women’s Swim Team.