Janice Menke Abraham joined United Educators (UE) Insurance as president and CEO in 1998. In leading UE, she is responsible for developing and executing business strategy and operational plans for the risk management and insurance company. During her tenure, UE has become known as the premier risk management and liability insurance expert serving educational institutions, offering in-depth expertise on the unique risks and claims facing education. The company has grown to serve more than 1,200 schools, colleges, and universities. In addition, the company has been consistently profitable, produced high return on equity, and maintained the financial strength and stability to earn an (excellent) rating from A.M. Best every year since 2001.
Prior to joining UE, Abraham served the higher education community as chief financial officer/ treasurer at Whitman College, in various senior positions at Cornell University, and as a staff associate at the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO). Abraham also served as an international banker for J. P. Morgan.
Abraham was appointed as the first woman chair of the board of governors of the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America from 2009-2010. She currently serves on the association Executive and Investment Committees. Abraham also serves on the board of directors of UE. Additionally, she serves as a Trustee of Whitman College and on The Institutes Board of Directors, The Griffith Foundation, American University School of International Service Dean, Advisory Council, the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges Editorial Board and the LeapFrog USA Board of Directors. She is a former president of the Western Association of College and University Business Officers and a past member of the board of directors of NACUBO and the National Risk Retention Association.
She earned an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a bachelor'™s degree in international service from American University.
Abraham has earned several honors for her contributions to the insurance and education industries, including:
- Griffith Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, 2012
- A Woman in Insurance Leadership, Insurance Networking News, 2011
- A Rising Star, Reactions, 2011
- A "Woman to Watch" as a leader of change, Business Insurance, 2006
- Great Alumni Award, Mount Lebanon High School, 2005
- Professional Development Award, NACUBO, 2005
- Insurance Woman of the Year, The Association of Professional Insurance Women, 2004
- One of the 100 Top Leading Women in the field of insurance, Business Insurance, 2004
In 2011, during a sabbatical leave, Abraham worked with LeapFrog Investments, a microinsurance private equity fund focused on developing and launching micro-insurance products in emerging markets. She has testified before Congress and the Treasury Department on insurance issues and writes and speaks frequently on strategic issues affecting educational institutions and the insurance industry.
