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Karen Clark had just completed an MBA program and entered the workforce when it happened. Senior management at Broadcom needed her to assist the human resources department following the unexpected departure of a colleague on the benefits team. There was just one problem: Clark had no professional experience in the benefits space.
Despite her initial panic, Clark agreed. “I didn’t know the lingo or the acronyms as I sat in on a benefits meeting with our broker,” she says. “However, I chose to see the request as an opportunity to grow and make new connections.”
The decision paid off. Clark quickly realized she had found her passion. A decade later, she’s leading benefits and wellness for the nation’s largest personal lines insurance agency. The agency, known as Confie, has about 5,000 employees in the US and Mexico who provide auto, motorcycle, renters, homeowners, life, and health insurance to clients in all fifty US states.
One overarching goal guides Clark in all she does at Confie. “I’m a passionate leader in benefits and wellness,” she explains. “My mission is designing unique programs that seek to empower employees to thrive in both their personal and professional lives.”
As the post-COVID workforce continues to evolve, Clark is looking for every opportunity to pursue innovation. “Our plans have to align with the diverse and changing needs of our employees,” she says, adding that those employees need to be top of mind when structuring programs.
That’s a lesson Clark learned early on in her career. She remembers rolling out a new wellness initiative that fell flat with her colleagues. Upon reflection, the young Clark realized she had focused on programming that seemed most important to employees from her perspective without seeking employee input. Since then, Clark has made sure to understand employees’ needs in the plan design process.
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Confie’s HR department takes that responsibility seriously. Clark doesn’t simply circulate employee surveys—she also looks for opportunities to personally engage her colleagues to find out what matters most to them. The most rewarding part of her job, Clark says, is when she hears of the positive impact she and her team has on employees and their families.
“When employees let us know that an offering we helped launch made a difference for them or that a thoughtful wellness campaign I planned made them feel seen, it gives us purpose and shows that this work has a lasting and meaningful impact on individual lives and workplace culture,” she says.
Recently, Confie has been working to optimize the mental health features of its benefits and wellness plan. Starting in January 2025, the organization will launch a new program to further support its employees. The improved mental health platform gives employees and each age-appropriate member of their household access to a total of twenty-five therapy and psychiatric sessions per year at no cost.
“We are proud to partner and work with Karen to improve Confie employee health—body and mind,” says Tim Closson, Cigna Healthcare’s general manager and market growth leader in Southern California. “Karen really listens to her colleagues to ensure they feel empowered to make positive health and well-being changes; her efforts have made a significant impact for Confie, their employees, and their families.”
Clark’s passion for inspiring others to reach their full potential extends beyond the office. She is a published author whose children’s book I Can Be Anything! What About You? helps young people believe in the power of their dreams.
“I believe storytelling can plant seeds of possibility in a child’s mind,” she says. “I wrote the book because I wanted to create something lasting for my children, to inspire them as they grow. At the same time, I also wrote the book for other children and families. I believe every child deserves to feel seen and encouraged.”
Clark has this goal for Confie’s employees too. By prioritizing inclusive culture and corporate social responsibility, Clark has taken the lead with developing and implementing interactive events that encourage employee engagement on these critical topics.
For example, Clark’s team recently launched an interactive Bingo game, where each square on the card is linked to a brief video for employees to explore topics about building a welcoming, inclusive workplace. Topics included having courage to have difficult conversations, an unconscious bias we all may have, and why diversity and varying perspectives are important. The game, Clark says, goes beyond fun—it helps foster a culture of mutual respect, reflects Confie’s values, and aligns with its vision for the future.
At its core, these initiatives benefit everyone, Clark says. They ensure all employees feel valued, respected, and understood.
In September 2024, Employee Benefit News named Clark as one of twenty-five innovative benefits leaders who are going beyond their defined roles to drive positive change. “I was honored to receive this award, which reflects my dedication and passion,” she says. “I’m thankful for the support of my team and colleagues that helped to make this recognition possible.”
Going forward, Clark is committed to continuing her work at Confie. She hopes to build upon strong relationships with various departments to amplify the collective impact of the company’s benefits and well-being programs. “I want to find new ways to benefit our employees, support their families, and foster a positive workplace culture,” she explains.
It’s one way the benefits and wellness leader ensures her continued growth, which Clark encourages all her colleagues, peers, and counterparts to pursue. “I’ve had the best opportunities when I’ve been willing to step outside of my comfort zone and challenge myself,” she says. “We should all keep an open mind, because you never know what can happen when you say yes to something new.”
Cigna HealthcareSM is a health benefits provider that advocates for better health through every stage of life. We guide our customers through the healthcare system, empowering them with the information and insight they need to make the best choices for improving their health and vitality. We are honored to support the incredible efforts of Karen Clark and the Confie organization to elevate the well-being of their workforce through the intentional investment of time, resources, and a long-term commitment to cultivating a thriving workplace environment. Legal disclosures.
WEX (NYSE: WEX) is the global commerce platform that simplifies the business of running a business. We have created a powerful ecosystem that offers seamlessly embedded, personalized solutions for our customers. Through our rich data and specialized expertise in simplifying benefits, reimagining mobility, and paying and getting paid, WEX aims to make it easy for companies to overcome complexity and reach their full potential. WEX is proud to partner with Confie to help them reach their business initiatives, solve complexities, and share our common goal of supporting their employees’ well-being. For more information, please visit www.wexinc.com.
