- Meet our team of professional liability attorneys, insurance claims executives & risk management consultants.
HOUSTON, TEXAS OFFICE – CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS
9821 Katy Freeway, Suite 600Houston, TX 77024
800-588-0619
President/Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Blasio formed Western Litigation, Inc. in 1994 and has been responsible for strategically growing the company into an industry leader in the management of litigation and risk for the healthcare industry.
Prior to joining Western Litigation, Inc., Mr. Blasio was engaged in private legal practice in Chicago for eight years, where he specialized in the defense of physicians and hospitals in professional negligence matters and in the defense of insurers in insurance coverage disputes.
Mr. Blasio graduated cum laude from Lawrence University in 1981 and he received his Juris Doctorate, with Honors, from The George Washington University in 1984.
Phone: 713-935-8820
E-Mail: robert_blasio@ajg.com
Chief Operations Officer
Harry received his Master in Business Administration from the University of Houston – Clear Lake. He has over 15 years of consulting and senior management experience delivering strategic solutions to fortune 500 clients. Harry has held senior management roles including operations, business development, solutions engineering, account management, and marketing. His consulting experience spans various industries including energy, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and telecom. He has extensive experience with customer relationship management, operations logistics, labor analysis, and financial services. Prior to joining Western Litigation, he came from a start-up where he was responsible for management of consulting services focused on strategic operations and profitability for fortune 500 clients.
Phone: 713-935-8807
E-Mail: harry_souders@ajg.com
Executive Vice President
Amy obtained a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice, with a minor in Political Science, from the University of North Texas. She graduated from the University of Houston Law Center in 1996 and began private practice focusing on first party bad faith and insurance coverage issues. She joined Western Indemnity Insurance Company/Frontier HealthCare as a claims attorney in August 1999 where she managed medical malpractice claims and lawsuits throughout the United States. She began working for Western Litigation, Inc. in May 2000 as a Claims Attorney. In 2005, Amy became one of the WLI's service team leaders, and in 2006 she was promoted to Executive Vice President and continues as one of WLI's five service team leaders.
Phone: 713-935-2424
E-Mail: amy_evans@ajg.com
Senior Vice President
Sharon graduated with honors from the University of Texas Health Science Center in 1982, with a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing, and remains devoted to her nursing career by remaining currently licensed as a Registered Nurse in Texas. She received her Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law in 1988 and spent several years in private practice specializing in the defense of medical malpractice, toxic tort and products liability litigation. She joined Western Indemnity Insurance Company ("WIIC") in 1993 as Loss Control Specialist and then joined Western Litigation, Inc. in 1994 as an Assistant Vice President. Sharon then returned to WIIC where she developed an expertise in risk and claims management. In 2001, she returned to WLI as a Vice President. In 2006, Sharon was promoted to Senior Vice President and is one of WLI's five service team leaders.
Phone: 713-935-8835
E-Mail: sharon_addicks@ajg.com
Senior Vice President
Diana received a business degree from Oklahoma State University and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Tulsa. She worked for twelve years in the financial area prior to attending law school. Diana graduated magna cum laude from South Texas College of Law in 1993. She worked in private practice focusing on employment litigation, business litigation, first party bad faith and insurance coverage. Diana joined Western Indemnity Insurance Company/Frontier Healthcare in 1997, managing medical malpractice claims. She joined Western Litigation in June 2001, but left soon thereafter to move to Moscow, Russia with her husband. Diana returned to the U.S. and to WLI in June 2003. In 2006, she was promoted from Vice President to Senior Vice President and is one of WLI's five service team leaders.
Phone: 713-935-2483
E-Mail: diana_christensen@ajg.com
Senior Vice President
Lee received her Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law in 1986 after earning a Bachelor's degree in History from Baylor University. During sixteen years in private practice, she was involved in trying medical malpractice, commercial general liability, and employment discrimination cases. She became a senior member in the law firm of Hirsch, Sheiness & Garcia, L.L.C., and she served as the managing member for the firm's four Texas offices. Lee has also served of counsel to the law firm of Mason, Coplen, Shuchart, Hutchins & Banks of Houston, Texas, which specializes in insurance coverage and coverage litigation. She joined Western Litigation Inc. in 2002, and in 2006 was promoted from Vice President to Senior Vice President. Lee is one of WLI's five service team leaders.
Phone: 713-935-8831
E-Mail: lee_shuchart@ajg.com
Senior Vice President
Phone: 713-935
E-Mail: vanetia_wetherspoon@ajg.com
Director of Marketing
Teresa received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Northern Arizona University. She has over 15 years of consulting and marketing management experience delivering marketing solutions to national and international companies. Teresa has held management positions in global marketing and operations in start-ups and Fortune 500 companies. Her experience spans industries that include software, technology, oil and gas and telecom. She has extensive experience developing marketing plans and budget accountability. Prior to joining Western Litigation, Inc., she came from a start-up where she was responsible for national marketing efforts for a software risk management company. Teresa joined Western Litigation, Inc. in 2007.
Phone: (713) 935-2436
E-Mail: teresa_sonnier@ajg.com
Vice President
Laura earned her Bachelor's degree from Southwestern University in 1990. Prior to attending law school, she helped manage her family's business, American Medical Equipment Company, which is Houston's largest independently-owned home medical equipment company. Laura received her Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law in 1997. She spent seven years in litigation, concentrating her practice in insurance coverage and defense of cases involving personal injury, medical malpractice, and commercial general liability. Laura joined Western Litigation, Inc. in August 2004 as a Claims Attorney and is currently a Vice President.
Phone: 713-935-8877
E-Mail: laura_cook@ajg.com
Vice President
Paula began her healthcare career in the accounting department with Healthcare Insurances Services in May, 1989, which was acquired by Gallagher Healthcare in 2003. In 2004, she moved over to Western Litigation to oversee the accounting department. Paula has over 20 years of healthcare accounting experience in financial accounting, general ledger, audit and bank reconciliation procedures. Prior experience was working with a CPA firm doing tax returns and general ledger projects.
Phone: 713-935-8866
E-Mail: paula_prestridge@ajg.com
Vice President
Sara graduated cum laude from Texas Christian University in 1991 and received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Houston Law Center in 1994. During Sara's ten years in private practice, she specialized in medical malpractice, commercial litigation, general insurance defense and coverage matters. She joined WLI in November 2001 and, after a brief return to private practice in late 2002, Sara returned to WLI in 2004 as a Claims Attorney and now serves as an Vice President.
Phone: 713-935-8825
E-Mail: sara_kvale@ajg.com
Assistant Vice President
Kathy attended Ohio State University, majoring in Business Administration. Her work history includes 27 years of insurance industry experience, of which 16 years were spent with CNA Insurance Company. Her responsibilities included management and oversight of the large loss claims nationwide to ensure they were timely and properly investigated, reserved and managed aggressively to conclusion. Kathy originally came to WLI in May of 2000, and in September 2002, she left to accept a position with Duke Energy managing their world-wide Self Insured Property and General Liability program. She returned to WLI in 2004 and is an Assistant Vice President.
Phone: 713-935-2422
E-Mail: kathy_franks@ajg.com
Assistant Vice President
Judy graduated from the University of N.C. at Charlotte in 1979 with a B.A. degree in psychology. After college she obtained her adjusters license and worked for Liberty Mutual in the workers compensation area. She began working in the accounting department of Healthcare Insurance Services (HIS) in December 1989. Shortly before HIS was acquired by Gallagher Healthcare, 2003, she began working in the accounting department at Western Litigation. In addition to her work at Western she sits on the board of a local non-profit which focuses on raising awareness and research funds for metabolic disorders.
Phone: 713-935-8861
E-Mail: judy_owens@ajg.com
Assistant Vice President
Stan graduated from Texas A&M University in 1989 and was a member of the University's Honors Program. Stan received his Juris Doctorate with Honors, cum laude, from the University of Houston in 1993. While in law school, Stan was a research assistant, an editor of a law journal, and a member of The Order of the Barons. From 1993 until 2006, Stan was engaged in civil trial work in Houston, Texas. He worked at national and international law firms defending professional negligence claims, insurance bad faith matters, and representing domestic and international insurers in coverage disputes. In 2006, Stan joined Western Litigation, Inc. as a Claims Attorney.
Phone: 713-935-8821
E-Mail: stan_proctor@ajg.com
Assistant Vice President
Tara graduated with honors from Louisiana State University in 1999 and received her law degree from Loyola University School of Law in 2003. Prior to joining WLI as a Claims Attorney in 2007, Tara was in private practice in New Orleans, where she focused her practice on insurance defense, mass tort and product liability litigation.
Phone: 713-935-2413
E-Mail: tara_burregi@ajg.com
Assistant Vice President
Kelli graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor's Degree in psychology. She received her Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law in 2002. While in private practice, Kelli specialized in the areas of tort and insurance defense litigation and represented insurance companies in workers' compensation matters. Kelli joined Western Litigation in 2006 as a Claims Attorney.
Phone: 713-935-2440
E-Mail: kelli_rester@ajg.com
Claims Attorney
Sarah is a native Houstonian and a graduate of the University of Houston. She received her law degree from the University of Oklahoma and returned to Houston upon graduation. Sarah began her legal career as an insurance defense litigator. After working with one of Houston’s prominent defense firms, she opened her own general litigation firm. She joined Western Litigation in January 2010 as a claims attorney.
Phone: 713-935-2437
E-Mail: sarah_clinton@ajg.com
Claims Attorney
Gabe obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, with a minor in History, from Texas A&M University in 2002. Upon graduation, Gabe worked for a U.S. Representative in Washington, D.C., prior to attending law school. In 2007, Gabe received his law degree from Oklahoma City University School of Law and began working for an insurance defense law firm, concentrating his practice on medical malpractice defense. Gabe joined Western Litigation, Inc., in August 2010 as a Claims Attorney.
Phone: 713-935-2432
E-Mail: gabe_sassin@ajg.com
Claims Attorney
Sharon graduated from Southern Methodist University in 1992 and received her Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law in 1999. During Sharon's nine years in private practice, she specialized in medical malpractice, products liability, and toxic torts. She joined WLI in December 2007 as a Claims Attorney.
Phone: 713-935-2419
E-Mail: sharon_miller@ajg.com
Claims Attorney
Amanda joined Western Litigation, Inc. in October of 2008 as a claims attorney. She manages claims for an national emergency physician group as well as a hospital group. She was previously with The Methodist Hospital System in the claims and litigation/risk management department, where she managed various hospital risks as well as had primary responsibility over The Physicians Organization, The Research Institute and the Graduate Medical Education program. She worked as an emergency room registered nurse prior to attending the University of Houston Law Center where she graduated in 2003. Amanda has been a member of and involved with the Greater Houston Society for Healthcare Risk Management since 2005. She served on the education committee since joining and has been actively involved in the planning and organization of the annual education day and CPHRM course. Presently she is serving as Vice President. Amanda is also member of ASHRM and has served on the Audio Conference Task Force.
Phone: 713-935-2429
E-Mail: amanda_mount@ajg.com
Claims Analyst
Manuel attended the University of Houston with a major in Business Administration. He has over 6 years of experience working for the District Clerks office where he was a clerk for Judges in both the Civil and Family Courts. Prior to joining Western Litigation, Inc. he worked for Campbell, Zukowski, Bresenham & Woods specializing in HealthCare Liability, General Liability and Medical Malpractice. Manuel joined WLI in 2003 as a paralegal and later became a Claims Analyst.
Phone: 713-935-2434
E-Mail: manuel_becerra@ajg.com
Claims Analyst
Courtney graduated from Baylor University in 2002 with a Bachelor's degree in Telecommunications and Speech Communications and obtained a certificate in Paralegal Studies in 2005 from the Center for Advanced Legal Studies. Prior to joining WLI, she worked for Watts Law Firm, concentrating on commercial litigation, personal injury, product liability and mass tort claims. Courtney joined WLI in May 2006 as a paralegal and is currently a Claims Analyst.
Phone: (713) 935-2421
E-Mail: courtney_barta@ajg.com
Claims Analyst
Christine graduated from Texas A&M University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Science and received her Master of Arts in Fitness and Human Performance from the University of Houston-Clear Lake in 2005. Prior to joining WLI, she worked for J. Fred Bayliss, P.C., focusing on corporate and real estate law. Christine joined WLI in August 2002 as a Legal Assistant and is currently a Claims Analyst.
Phone: (713) 935-8884
E-Mail: christine_bailey@ajg.com
AUSTIN, TEXAS OFFICE
Assistant Vice President
Lois graduated from Marquette University with a Bachelor's in Nursing followed by a Masters in Nursing from the University of Texas Health Science at San Antonio. After working as a nurse in critical care, invasive cardiology, research, as well as being a case manager for cardiac patients in non-profit hospital systems and a civilian nurse at Veterans Administration medical centers and Brooke Army Medical Center, Lois obtained her Juris Doctorate from the University Houston Law Center in 2001. She worked as a legal nurse consultant during law school for Johnson, Spalding, Doyle, West & Trent and as an associate thereafter graduation, doing medical malpractice and product liability defense. Lois was an associate for Kroger, Myers, Frisby & Hirsch doing medical malpractice, premise liability, maritime, and general commercial defense before joining Western Litigation, Inc. in 2006 as a Claims Attorney.
Phone: 713-935-2411
E-Mail: lois_mcchristian@ajg.com
DENVER, COLORADO OFFICE
Executive Vice President
Pamela received her J.D. in Health Law from St. Louis University School of Law and her dual M.A. in Health System Management/Legal Studies from Webster University. She was awarded the Certified Professional in Healthcare Risk Management (CPHRM) designation and is a Distinguished Fellow with the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM), recognizing her leadership, speaking and writing achievements. She was awarded the coveted Distinquished Service Award from ASHRM in 2007. Pamela has also earned an Associate in Management designation from the Insurance Institute.
Pamela has managed, and internalized, some of the largest healthcare liability programs nationally, including Stanford University Medical Center, Tenet Healthcare, Spectrum Healthcare Services, and SSM Health Care. She has also served in risk and claims management consulting roles on the brokerage side, in correctional healthcare, as well as in-house with several large professional liability carriers.
Throughout her career Pamela has been involved in risk management organizations at the local, state and national level. She served as the President of the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management in 2005 (and a board member for five years), as well as a two year term as the President of the American Hospital Association's Certification Center (and a board member for six years). Pamela serves on the Board of Directors for the International Center for Captive Insurance Education (ICCIE) and on various committees for the Vermont Captive Insurance Association (VCIA).
Pamela was recently selected to serve on panel of experts for the Colorado Health Institute (in partnership wtih the United Cerebral Palsy of Colorado) to advise on the consideration of a Colorado injury fund for neurologically impaired infants.
She is a frequent author and speaker on various risk and claims related topics, and manages the Risk Consulting Division of WLI. She is licensed to practice law in both Missouri and Illinois.
Phone: 303-889-2572
E-Mail: pamela_popp@ajg.com
Assistant Vice President
Kara graduated from Emory University and received her Juris Doctorate from Loyola University Chicago School of Law. While at Loyola, she served as Program Coordinator for the Center for Catholic Healthcare and Sponsorship. In this role, she organized national conferences for healthcare executives on the unique challenges presented by Catholic Healthcare.
Kara is licensed to practice law in Illinois, Nebraska and Colorado. During her nine years in private practice, Kara specialized in the representation of hospitals, physicians, and nurses in professional liability actions and obtained defense verdicts in four medical malpractice trials. Kara was named to the 2009 and 2010 “Colorado Rising Stars” list by Law & Politics. Kara joined WLI in August 2009.
Phone: 303-889-2578
E-Mail: kara_knowles@ajg.com
Claims Analyst
Dina received her Associate Degree from the University of Montana’s College of Technology, and worked as a paralegal with the law firm of Garlington, Lohn & Robinson, PLLP in Missoula, Montana for 18 years. She was a former Paralegal member of the State Bar of Montana, and served on the Commission of Continuing Legal Education Committee. She joined WLI in 2006 and has worked with various healthcare clients on claims and risk related projects.
Phone: 303-889-2536
E-Mail: dina_larsen@ajg.com
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS OFFICE
Claims Attorney
Ed is a graduate of Saint Michael's College and the Saint Louis University School of Law. He has over twenty years experience in managing and defending allegations of professional negligence. Ed was a Senior Claims Examiner for the Risk Management Foundation of the Harvard Medical Institutions, Inc., managing claims of medical malpractice, employment practices liability, directors and officers liability and general liability. He also practiced law with Donovan Hatem LLP in Boston specializing in litigation matters including professional liability, nursing home liability, products liability and coverage disputes. Ed was a Specialty Lines Claims Manager for a Lloyd's of London syndicate managing professional liability claims and suits pending worldwide. Recently, he worked in the Boston office of a national consulting firm in where he concentrated on providing audit services to the firm's clients. Ed joined Western Litigation, Inc. in 2009 as a Claims Attorney.
Phone: 617-337-5030
E-Mail: ed_ryan@ajg.com
PORTLAND, OREGON OFFICE
Vice President
Jeff manages our Portland, Oregon office and the professional and general liability litigation and claims for Legacy Health, a Portland based health care system. Jeff joined Western in 2006 from private practice. He had practiced law in Portland, Oregon for nearly twenty-four years, all with several core partners, and the last nine with the Keating Jones Bildstein & Hughes firm. Jeff specialized in the defense of health care providers in malpractice litigation, representing physicians, hospitals, and health care systems throughout the state of Oregon and southwest Washington. He also represented hospitals in peer review and credentialing matters, and physicians, nurses and other health care providers before licensing boards in Oregon and Washington. Jeff graduated from the University of Oregon School of Law in 1982 and from West Virginia University in 1979, the latter with the top academic record in the College of Agriculture and Forestry.
Jeff remains a member of the Oregon and Washington bar associations. He was recently appointed to the Oregon Health Policy Board’s Medical Liability Task Force and the Oregon Medical Association’s Loss Prevention and Accreditation Committee.
Phone: 503-415-5041
E-Mail: jeffrey_bildstein@ajg.com
HAVERTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA OFFICE
Assistant Vice President
Ed graduated from Temple University in 1972. He came to Western Litigation with almost 30 years of multi-lines casualty claims experience. Ed began his career with Liberty Mutual, specializing in Auto, professional and general Liability claims including products and environmental exposures. He has extensive experience in managing high exposure, complex litigation. For more than 20 years of his career, Ed held a variety of management positions in various branch offices. In 1998, Ed joined AIG in their Workers Compensation Division, and in 2005, became Senior Claims Analyst for WLI's office in Pennsylvania.
Phone: 610-446-2801
E-Mail: edward_shanahan@ajg.com
GUAYNABO, PUERTO RICO OFFICE
Assistant Vice President
Matilde is well known in the local insurance and medical malpractice field. She previously headed the Claims Investigation Division of the Puerto Rico Department of Health, which was self insured, for eight years. In addition, Matilde was the first Claims Manager for SIMED Insurance Company, a local malpractice company, created by the Puerto Rico Insurance Commissioner's office and funded by the various insurance companies that do business on the island. Matilde was also Vice President of the claims department for Triple S Insurance Company and ran the University of Health System Self Insurance Program until the sale of their hospitals. She is certified as an All Risk Adjuster and has served on the governing board of the Claims Managers Association, among others. Currently, she is Assistant Vice President of the Western Litigation office in Puerto Rico.
Phone: 787-999-5882
E-Mail: matilde_rosa@ajg.com
PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND OFFICE
Vice President/Regional Claims Manager
Laurel graduated from Mount Holyoke College and received her Juris Doctorate, cum laude, from Suffolk University School of Law. She is licensed to practice law in Massachusetts and has over 18 years of experience in the professional liability field.
Laurel is a former Claim Manager for ProMutual Group, the largest professional liability carrier in the Northeast region. She has managed cases in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont. Throughout her career, she has spoken on the topic of medical malpractice claims to physician groups, risk managers and insurance professionals. Active in both local and regional risk management organizations, she currently serves on the corporate sponsorship committee for NESHRM. She is a past member of the Amicus Committee of the Professional Liability Foundation.
Phone: 401-369-8253
E-Mail: laurel_byerly@ajg.com
Claims Attorney
Michelle is a graduate of Rhode Island College (B.S.N.) and Roger Williams University School of Law (J.D.). She is licensed as a registered nurse in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and California. Michelle is also licensed to practice law in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Michelle's practice was concentrated in the areas of medical negligence and personal injury. Prior to practicing law, she was a nurse in the United States Air Force, quality assurance analyst and claims adjuster. Michelle joined WLI in 2008 as a Claims Attorney.
Phone: 401-369-8252
E-Mail: michelle_gosselin@ajg.com
Assistant Vice President /Claims Manager
Donna is well known in the Rhode Island medical malpractice industry and comes to Western Litigation, Inc. after 17 years at Marsh, Inc. where she was an Assistant Vice President and Claims Examiner handling professional liability and general liability claims for the Medical Malpractice Joint Underwriting Association of Rhode Island. Prior to that, Donna was a Risk Management Assistant at St. Joseph Health Services of Rhode Island for over eight years, handling professional liability, general liability, and workers' compensation claims as well as all aspects of in-house safety and risk management issues. Donna graduated from Katharine Gibbs School in Providence and is a licensed Rhode Island Commercial Lines Adjuster.
Phone: 401-369-8251
E-Mail: donna_cacicia@ajg.com
