Meet our team
We are passionate about the customer experience. We help employers, employees, and their advisors navigate the complexities of health benefits with trusted expertise and reliable service.
Our leadership
Get to know the experienced leaders guiding Nexben’s mission to lead the healthcare revolution in making benefits affordable and available to everyone.
Mark Smith
Chief Executive Officer
Mark Smith is chief executive officer at Nexben. His combined experience as an operating partner at Chicago Pacific Founders and UnitedHealth Group equips him to lead with confidence and optimism as Nexben drives the transition to a defined contribution universe. Giving employees precisely what they want, not just what they need. The lessons learned from leading high-growth teams and building scalable solutions fuel his passion at Nexben to create a future where healthcare benefits are not just a perk for the few but an accessible foundation for all.
Lauren Sweda
Chief Growth Officer
Lauren Sweda is chief growth officer at Nexben. With extensive experience building go-to-market strategies in the health benefits space, she’s committed to tackling the longstanding healthcare cost crisis employers are facing. Over the last 15 years, Lauren has driven strategic growth for health-focused organizations, including her most recent role as chief growth officer for Magellan Healthcare’s employer division and director of strategic markets for Careington International Inc. Leveraging dual expertise in executive leadership and market intelligence, Lauren leads at the intersection of sales and strategy to fuel Nexben’s vision of putting control over health benefits back into the hands of the consumer.
Mark Peterson
Chief Actuary
Mark is Chief Actuary for Nexben, is a fellow with the Society of Actuaries, and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries. Over the past twenty years, Mark has provided consultative services to a diverse spectrum of clients, including employers, payers, startup organizations, both state and federal governments. His experience as the Chief Actuary of a regional payer, Optum Labs, and most recently a generative AI startup positions him to drive innovation at Nexben. When he is not home with his wife (also a health actuary) and three children, Mark enjoys playing soccer and running ultramarathons.
Tammy Deur
Principal of Agency
Tammy leads the Nexben General Agency, developing business growth strategies and providing guidance and support for sales and service associates. With her considerable experience, Tammy has a vast knowledge of products, processes, and trends—as well as an extensive network of long-term professional relationships with employees, agents, carrier reps, and industry partners. Although Tammy works primarily with agents, she knows her work impacts friends, neighbors, and the community by ensuring they have the right insurance products in place to support their lives and provide peace of mind. Tammy has held her Life & Health insurance license since 1994, maintains annual Medicare and FFM Certifications, and holds a Registered Employee Benefits Consultant (REBC) designation. 616.737.6375 | tkdeur@nexben.com
Mark Pontliana
Chief Operating Officer
Mark Pontliana is chief operating officer at Nexben, responsible for all fintech operations. His passion for consumer directed healthcare helped make Nexben the first tech-driven change agent in the ICHRA market. Mark oversees the design, build, launch, and support of Nexben products. With a deep professional background in banking, healthcare, financial services, and benefits programs, he specializes in translating complex market shifts into actionable business intelligence and innovative solutions. His ability to motivate teams, align processes, and disrupt industries enables the delivery of outstanding technology solutions.
Dustin Bernstein
Chief Financial Officer
Dustin is chief financial officer at Nexben. He brings a strong financial background to the role, with approximately four years of experience in public accounting and more than a decade in turnaround and restructuring. Throughout his career, Dustin has led capital restructuring, liquidity management, and M&A execution, consistently strengthening operational discipline and financial transparency along the way. Outside of work, Dustin cherishes time with his wife and their three children. A devoted Chicago sports fan, he can usually be found cheering on the Cubs, Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks.
Our ICHRA experts
No matter where you are in your ICHRA journey — brand new or a seasoned pro — the Nexben team is with you every step of the way, from sales and onboarding through renewals and beyond.
Tommy Anderson
Senior Director of Strategic Solutions
Lewis Cochius
Senior Director of Strategic Solutions
Joi Foster
Senior Director of Strategic Solutions
Courtney Annese
Senior Manager of Product, Programming, and Events
Marie Bast
Partner Operations Manager
Sally Newton
Vice President of Partnership Success
Aryssa Soto
Partner Success Manager
Justine Olson
Partner Success Manager
Lynda Whitford
Partner Success Manager
Corinne Clark
Partner Success Consultant
Heidi Price
Partner Success Consultant
Our FMO experts
Behind every successful broker partnership is a team that knows your market. Meet the people who make it happen.
Rob Williams
Sales Director
Rob assists agents as a Sales Director, providing training, marketing, and compliance support. As a former Medicare and Individual Medical agent, Rob understands the real challenges agents face in the field—and how to overcome them. Rob enjoys how his role empowers agents with the knowledge and tools to help find their clients the best coverage possible. Rob has been Medicare certified since 2008 and has maintained a Marketplace certified for each year the Health Insurance Marketplace has existed. He also holds a Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation. 616.900.9175 | rwilliams@nexben.com
Belinda Robinson
Sales Consultant
Belinda Robinson assists agents as a Sales Consultant at Nexben with nearly 20 years of insurance industry experience. Since 2009, she has specialized in Medicare, supporting agents, agencies, and their clients with expert guidance and personalized care. Her background in account management has equipped her with a deep understanding of product offerings and strengthened her ability to build lasting relationships across the industry. Belinda thrives on working with agents from the onset and seeing their growth come to full fruition. Helping a new agent excel and thrive is especially exciting to her. She believes her greatest impact lies in building and nurturing relationships across the industry, with a strong focus on growing the Southeast region of Michigan. 616.330.3234 | brobinson@nexben.com
Kristin Ray
Sales and Marketing Consultant
Kristin Ray serves as a Sales and Marketing Consultant, bringing a unique perspective shaped by her experience on both the agency and carrier sides of the insurance industry. She specializes in helping agents solve challenges and spark engagement through a wide range of marketing strategies tailored to their goals and audiences. Kristin is a licensed Life and Health insurance agent and has held her Medicare certification since 2019. She is a passionate advocate for agents and the vital role they play in guiding individuals and families toward the coverage that best supports their lives. Her work reflects a deep commitment to empowering agents and enhancing the customer experience through strategic, thoughtful communication. 616.900.9087 | kray@nexben.com
Caroline Hesley
Director of Sales Support
Caroline leads the Sales Support team at Nexben, which provides support to agents and the General Agency team and manages General Agency communications. Her role provides organization and direction for the team—making sure things run smoothly so everyone can succeed. Caroline values how the Nexben team works with agents across complex situations to ensure people have the right insurance for their needs. Caroline has been in insurance-focused roles across Group, Medicare, Ancillary, and Individual since 2005. 616.900.9362 | chelsey@nexben.com
Ashley Mead
Sales Support
Ashley’s role at Nexben focuses on the Medicare, Individual Medical, and Ancillary spaces. She has been part of the Medicare Compliance Committee since 2019 and loves navigating the complexities of compliance for such an intricate area of health insurance. Ashley appreciates the wide range of backgrounds and experiences at Nexben—it means the team has the expertise and versatility to solve any challenge. Ashley finds that empathy is one of the most important things in her role—understanding how decisions and actions impact the full range of agents down to individuals. Ashley holds Medicare and Individual Health Insurance certifications. 616.900.9372 | amead@nexben.com
Keyonia Singleton
Sales Support
Keyonia’s role at Nexben supports agents with Medicare, Individual Medical, and Ancillary products. She is dedicated to ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of agents while supporting their business needs. She takes pride in providing information, support, and assistance with patience and understanding. Keyonia enjoys being part of the team that helps agents work through challenging situations. Keyonia holds a Medicare certification. 616.747.0841 | ksingleton@nexben.com
Chris Hnilo
Sales Support
Chris primarily works with agents servicing Group and Ancillary customers—consulting, troubleshooting, problem solving, and navigating them through carrier tools and resources. Chris’s decades of experience mean that there’s almost no challenge or situation she hasn’t already seen—and solved. Over the years, she’s developed long-standing working relationships with carriers and an understanding of their products, systems, and day-to-day servicing. Chris sees Nexben as helping agents maneuver through the rules, regulations, and guidelines in the insurance space, so they can focus on their customers’ needs. 616.747.0754 | chnilo@nexben.com
Kyle McCrumb
Quality and Systems Sales Support
Kyle focuses on timely and accurate case assignments and management of data. His role at Nexben includes ensuring that agents experience simple and smooth carrier contracting. Kyle sees Nexben’s greatest asset as its team—a team whose extensive range of experience and expertise mean that agents are providing their customers the best possible health insurance solutions. One of Kyle’s key insights in his role is that when people are facing a challenge, they want to be heard as much as they want to be helped. 616.330.3253 | kmccrumb@nexben.com
Brianna Williams
Sales Support
Brianna’s role at Nexben focuses on managing data accuracy, monitoring incoming workflow, and coordinating case assignments. She evaluates agent inquiries to ensure they are routed appropriately, helping maintain efficiency and consistency across processes. Brianna values collaboration, adaptability, and a detail‑oriented approach, which supports smooth operations at Nexben and helps enable agents to better serve their customers. Ext. 520 | 616.828.4148 | bwilliams@nexben.com