Almost Nowhere
Almost Nowhere explores the intersection of data science, AI, and actuarial thinking in the P&C insurance industry—and beyond. In a world where innovation feels slow and risk is constantly evolving, we ask the hard questions, spotlight real-world progress, and talk with the people driving change. Whether you're an actuary, a data scientist, or just curious about what’s next, this show dives into how emerging tech is reshaping insurance from the inside out.
Episodes
Preview: iCAS Vibe Coding Course
What could you build if coding were no longer the barrier?Alicia Burke speaks with Sergey Filimonov, Head of Applied AI at Akur8, about how vibe coding can help actuaries turn their expertise into working applications, dashboards, and data tools. They discuss why this skill is becoming increasingly valuable, what actuaries can build, and how someone with little or no coding experience can get star
GIS Insights for Wildfire Underwriting and Pricing
Guest: Kevin BrashemToday we’re talking about wildfire risk, getting into what geospatial data actually changes for underwriting, pricing, and model validation when you move past broad territory assumptions and start looking at how fire behaves on the ground.
Tetteh Otuteye
Devyn McNicoll joins Alicia Burke as our guest host for this episode filmed at the 2026 Spring Meeting.
Piotr Lebiedz
Recorded live at the 2026 RPM Seminar in Chicago, this episode of Almost Nowhere explores a question that sits at the center of modern actuarial practice: what does pricing sophistication actually mean?While many North American conversations focus on modeling techniques, filing requirements, and implementation challenges, some international markets have pushed much further into demand modeling, el
Betty Zhu: InsurTech After the Hype
Recorded live at the 2026 RPM Seminar in Chicago, this episode of Almost Nowhere cuts through the noise surrounding InsurTech, GenAI, and the future of insurance software. Alicia Burke, Max Martinelli, and guest co-host Sergey sit down with Betty Zhu to unpack one of the biggest questions facing carriers today: when should insurers build technology themselves, and when should they buy it?Drawing f
Beyond the Pacific: Inside Japan’s Insurance System
Recorded live at the 2025 CAS Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas, this episode of Almost Nowhere explores how Japan’s insurance industry manages some of the most concentrated catastrophe risk in the world.Hosts Alicia Burke and Max Martinelli are joined by Suguru Fujita, Yohei Konishi, Takuro Oyama, and Kenta Ito for a conversation on earthquakes, typhoons, reinsurance structures, catastrophe modelin
Jim Weiss & Howard Kunst
Climate risk is changing faster than actuarial practice.In this episode of Almost Nowhere, Jim Weiss challenges how actuaries think about responsibility when models, data, and assumptions start to break down. From overlooked casualty impacts to the limits of today’s frameworks, this conversation pushes beyond the usual climate narrative.Plus, what AI means for all of it — and why the real risk mig
Charles Johnson
AI is rapidly reshaping how actuaries are trained, hired, and evaluated. In this episode, Alicia Burke and Max Martinelli talk with Charles Johnson—actuary, educator, and founder—about what’s changing across the talent pipeline.From AI-assisted learning to AI-influenced interviews, the gap between high-performing candidates and those relying too heavily on tools is widening. The conversation explo
Mario DiCaro and Shine Wang on the CAS AI Primer
In this episode of Almost Nowhere, we dig into the CAS AI Primer and the problem it was built to solve: a growing divide between actuaries actively experimenting with AI and those keeping their distance.Our guests, part of the CAS AI working group, explain why that gap exists—and why it matters. While some practitioners are already building, testing, and validating AI-driven workflows, others are
Josh Pyle
Josh Pyle, Head of Corporate Actuarial, Reinsurance Strategy & ERM at Root Insurance, joins Max Martinelli, Alicia Burke, and surprise co-host Sergey Filimonov for a deep dive into generative AI agents. From governance and regulation to experimentation and business alignment, we unpack where actuaries should be exploring—and where they should proceed with caution. Whether you’re prototyping yo
Alp Can
Live from the 2025 CAS Annual Meeting, Alicia Burke and Erin Olson sit down with Alp Can to talk climate risk, tipping points, and what actuaries can do when the baseline itself is shifting. From disclosure frameworks to systems thinking to using the Actuaries Climate Index, this episode reframes climate not just as a risk—but as the new context for everything else.
Sergey Filimonov interview from CAS 2025 Annual Meeting
In this crossover episode with Actuarial Review, Sergey Filimonov returns for round three to talk AI hype, hard truths, and what’s actually working. From compute costs and evals to regulatory gaps and sustainability risks, we get into the real impact AI is having on actuaries—and what to watch for next.🎧 Recorded live at the 2025 CAS Annual Meeting.
Michel Leonard on Geopolitics, Inflation, and Actuarial Blind Spots
What do trade wars, tariffs, and extreme weather have in common? They’re not just headlines—they’re actuarial inputs. Michel Léonard joins Alicia Burke and Sara Chen (Actuarial Review) to talk about modeling the unpredictable, why actuaries need to rethink volatility, and how economic risk signals are evolving faster than our frameworks.
DJ Falkson, FCAS
DJ Falkson joins Alicia Burke and Max Martinelli live at the CAS Annual Meeting to unpack what housing, zoning, and migration have to do with insurance risk. From his work at Lemonade to his advocacy for smarter urban design, DJ shares why actuaries need to look upstream—not just at where risk lands, but what creates it. Expect history, policy, politics, and a reading list that’ll keep you busy.
Minisode - Brandon Katz on Paleoclimatology
What Ancient Climates Teach Us About Modern RiskIn this special minisode of Almost Nowhere, we continue the conversation with Brandon Katz, Executive Vice President at KatRisk, recorded at the 2025 CAS Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas.Brandon, one of only a handful of insurance professionals with formal training in paleoclimatology, takes us back in time to explore how Earth’s ancient climate histo
Brandon Katz - The Climate Data Dilemma
What Actuaries Need to Know (and Avoid) in Cat ModelingRecorded live at the 2025 CAS Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas, this episode of Almost Nowhere features Brandon Katz, Executive Vice President at KatRisk, in a deep dive on climate data, catastrophe modeling, and the limits of what models can tell us.Brandon brings a rare perspective to insurance, with formal training in meteorology, climate sc
Alicia and Max talk AI Fast Track on demand
We’re back from the 2025 CAS Annual Meeting—and kicking off a slate of new episodes with a quick minisode on something big: the AI Fast Track is now available on demand.Alicia and Max break down why this shift matters, how you can fit it into your year-end CE plans (attestation season, anyone?), and what makes this course a solid way to level up before the ball drops.🎁 Use code almostnowhere befor
Rob Lieberthal
Rob Lieberthal joins Alicia Burke and guest co-host Brian Fannin in our final episode recorded at 2025 CLRS to unpack his CAS-funded research project focused on turning messy, unstructured claims data—like medical notes and adjuster reports—into actuarial insights using large language models (LLMs). From the promise of synthetic medical records to the limits of explainability, Rob shares how he an
Ted Rock from Rock Roofing
Alicia Burke and Max Martinelli talk with Ted Rock, owner of Rock Roofing, about everything from storm chasers and hail claims to why insurers and contractors so often talk past each other. Ted shares an unfiltered view from the other side of the claim.It’s a conversation about trust, timelines, and what happens when boots on the roof meet spreadsheets at the desk.
Geoff Werner on Telematics
Following our conversation with TomTom’s Vinod Poomalai on personalized insurance and mobility data, Geoff Werner joins Alicia Burke and guest co-host Mallika Bender to go deeper into telematics. From harsh braking to pricing fairness, Geoff explains how telematics is evolving from add-on to centerpiece—and why actuaries can’t afford to ignore it.They explore data portability, behavioral insights,
Max and Alicia talk sponsorships
Max Martinelli and Alicia Burke pull back the curtain on sponsored episodes. Almost Nowhere will always feature thoughtful, unsponsored conversations—but we also partner with select companies that have something real to offer our audience. We’ll keep asking the hard-hitting questions you count on. No fluff.Curious about sponsorship or ad opportunities? Reach out at podcast@casact.org.
Vinod Poomalai from TomTom
When actuaries talk about location data, most are still thinking in zip codes. Vinod Poomalai of TomTom joins Alicia Burke and Max Martinelli to challenge that mindset—and introduce a new world of map, traffic, and mobility data that’s reshaping pricing, claims, fraud, and more.This is our first sponsored episode of Almost Nowhere, created in partnership with TomTom. You’ll hear how one in four ca
Anne Cope from IBHS
Dr. Anne Cope doesn’t just study storms, she builds them. In this episode, Alicia Burke and guest co-host Len Llaguno talk with the Chief Engineer of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) about the science behind resilience. From full-scale house destruction to wildfire ignition labs and hailstorms on demand, Anne shares how engineering, data, and insurance come together to
Sergey Filimonov is back
Sergey Filimonov is back—and the AI landscape looks radically different than it did just seven months ago. In this follow-up conversation with Alicia Burke and Max Martinelli, we explore what's changed, what’s been overhyped, and what’s only just beginning. From reasoning models and GPU economics to the race for decentralized AI and the energy crisis no one’s talking about, this episode cuts throu
Ran Guo: the Global Evolution of Insurance
Beyond Borders: AI, Regulation, and the Global Evolution of InsuranceIn this episode, Alicia Burke and guest co-host Mallika Bender sit down with Ran Guo, CAS Fellow and Country Director for China, to explore how insurance—and actuarial careers—are evolving across global markets. From AI productivity tools and legacy tech challenges to rating regimes and emerging risks, the conversation traces how
Len Llaguno, FCAS - Points, Perks and P&C
Points, Perks and P&C: How Actuarial Thinking Powers the Loyalty EconomyWhat do airline miles, hotel points, and your favorite store rewards have in common with insurance reserves? More than you’d think.In this episode of Almost Nowhere, hosts Alicia Burke (CAS Institute) and Max Martinelli (Akur8) sit down with Len Llaguno, FCAS — board member of the CAS and founder of KYROS Insights — to exp
Jonathan Lim - Stablecoins, and the Tech That Actually Matters
On Chain, On Point: Reinsurance, Stablecoins, and the Tech That Actually MattersReinsurance, blockchain, capital structure innovation, and that “actuarial charm”—Jonathan Lim, FCAS joins Alicia Burke and Max Martinelli to map where the future of insurance is headed and who’s actually building it. From AI in underwriting to the hard truths about data silos, from the promise of stablecoins to the my
Capital Modeling with David Mamane, FCAS
What’s capital modeling really about, and why should actuaries care? In this episode, we sit down with David Mamane, FCAS, from RSM to unpack what capital modeling is, why it matters, and how it’s evolving.David shares what it was like helping European companies navigate Solvency II, how capital modeling is moving from the CRO’s office to the CFO’s, and why understanding the full balance sheet mat
with Charlie Stone and Brian Fannin
Reserving isn’t just about closing the books. It’s a signal. A feedback loop. Maybe even a warning. Why listen? Because ignoring reserves is risky business.In this episode, we’re joined by Charlie Stone, Partner at Lane Clark & Peacock, and Brian Fannin, FCAS, to unpack why reserving deserves a front-row seat in strategy conversations. From deterioration trends flagged by the NAIC to using res
Frank Chang - The Growth Set
Featuring Frank Chang, VP of Applied Science at Uber and Immediate Past President of the CAS BoardThe growth set. What’s changing in the actuarial profession — and how do we flex the right muscles to grow?In this episode of Almost Nowhere, Frank Chang joins Alicia Burke, Max Martinelli, and Josh Meyers live from the 2025 CAS Spring Meeting to talk about:How actuaries are solving non-traditional pr
Kay Wakeman - IIHS/HLDI
Our guest, Kay Wakeman of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Highway Loss Data Institute, is a trusted voice for insurance-embedded research. Her CAS sessions are routinely standing-room only — and after hearing this conversation, you’ll understand why.Join us as Kay helps answer some big questions:Which collision-avoidance systems actually reduce losses?Why are EVs both safer and
Jim Guszcza
In this episode, we talk with Jim Guszcza — former US Chief Data Scientist at Deloitte and current CAS Board Member — about what the future of AI should look like. We challenge the ideology of artificial intelligence, explore how actuaries can lead the shift to human-centered systems, and dive into the power of collective intelligence, participatory design, and explainability. If you’ve ever wonde
Drew Hill, Product Manager at MCA
In this episode, we talk with Drew Hill, a product manager at Mutual Capital Analytics, about what happens when product, actuarial, and data science roles start to blend — and why that might be exactly what the future of insurance needs. We get into AI, upskilling, regulatory hurdles, model trust, and how cross-functional teams are reshaping product strategy from the inside out.
Molly Mowery - What the WUI?!
We are joined by Molly Mowery, AICP, a national leader in wildfire mitigation and land use planning. She’s the founder of Wildfire Planning International and co-founder of the Community Wildfire Planning Center.We explore how data, AI, and smart planning are shaping wildfire risk mitigation across the wildland-urban interface (WUI). Molly walks us through the evolving tools and policies designed t
Craig Alsdorf - Restoration Challenges in the Face of Disaster
This conversation takes a look at the aftermath of recent hurricanes, focusing on the restoration processes, challenges in building materials, and the complexities of insurance claims. The discussion highlights the importance of communication between contractors and insurance adjusters, the need for data transparency, and the evolving trends in construction and disaster preparedness. Insights from
Howard Kunst - Navigating Catastrophe Risk
In Episode 4 of Almost Nowhere, hosts Alicia Burke and Max Martinelli are joined by Howard Kunst, Chief Actuary at Cotality (formerly CoreLogic), to explore the evolving role of data science and AI in catastrophe risk management. Recorded at the Casualty Actuarial Society’s Rate Making, Product and Modeling Seminar (RPM) in Orlando, this episode explores the challenges of pricing insurance product
Devyn McNicoll - Embracing Change
In this episode of Almost Nowhere, hosts Alicia Burke and Max Martinelli sit down with Devyn McNicoll, an actuarial and statistical consultant, to explore the evolving intersection of AI, data science, and the actuarial profession. Recorded live at the Casualty Actuarial Society's Rate Making, Product, and Modeling Seminar (RPM) in Orlando, this episode dives into the future of AI in the insur
Sergey Filimonov - The Future of AI
In this episode of Almost Nowhere, host Alicia Burke speaks with Sergey Filimonov, CTO at Matrisk, about the transformative power of AI in the P&C insurance landscape. They discuss the AI Fast Track Bootcamp, the challenges of working with unstructured data, and the evolving role of actuaries in an AI-driven world. Sergey shares insights from his journey in data science, the importance of eval
Josh Meyers - Actuaries in the Age of AI
In this inaugural episode of the Almost Nowhere podcast, hosts Alicia Burke and Max Martinelli discuss the origins and goals of the AI Fast Track initiative, aimed at bridging the gap between AI advancements and the actuarial community. They are joined by Josh Myers, a key contributor to the program, who shares insights on course design, the importance of discussion boards for community engagement
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