Waltham, MA, January 28, 2025 — The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) will host two key panel discussions at its 2025 Issues & Research Conference, March 6-7 in Phoenix, AZ.

“These panels feature professionals with extensive, firsthand experience in state workers’ compensation systems. Their varied perspectives will provide attendees with expert guidance on understanding and addressing complexities of the workers’ compensation systems and emerging topics like AI and labor shortages,” said Ramona Tanabe, president and CEO of WCRI.

The first panel, “Regulatory Panel: Responding to Today’s Challenges,” will feature U.S. regulators discussing the dynamics of state workers' compensation systems and future challenges. Panelists include:

• Clarissa Rodriguez, Chair & Commissioner, New York State Workers' Compensation Board
• Marianne Saylor, Director, Pennsylvania Bureau of Workers' Compensation
• Gaetano Testini, Esq., Director, Industrial Commission of Arizona

The second panel, “Perspectives on COMPlex Topics,” will address issues such as AI, labor shortages, long COVID, marijuana, medical inflation, and mental health, with contributions from stakeholders, including:

• Melissa Zaparanick, Head of Workers Compensation - Middle and Large Commercial, The Hartford Insurance Group
• Billy Dycus, President, Tennessee AFL-CIO
• Randall Lea, Retired Orthopedic Surgeon, Hospital Consultant, and WCRI Fellow
• Nancy Kelly, Risk and Nurse Case Manager, Averitt Express

The two-day WCRI Issues & Research Conference is a leading public policy forum for workers' compensation professionals, featuring original research, compelling keynotes, and expert-led panel discussions. Attendees will also have opportunities to network with senior decision-makers and engage with emerging industry trends. Early registrants can save $100 by signing up before February 6. For more information on the conference agenda or to register, please visit here.

About WCRI:

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Cambridge, MA. Organized in 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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