In honor of AAPI month, Tina Kaye Talks to us About the Importance of Diversity in the workplace

In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month, we spoke with Tina Kaye, Associate Underwriter at Admiral, about her journey into insurance and her perspective on Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging in the workplace.

How did you become interested in insurance?

I landed my first insurance job on the Personal Auto -UW/Sales/Operations team, which opened my eyes to how insurance protects people on a personal level and piqued my interest in the financial industry on a professional level as well. After this, I learned to appreciate the world of insurance and continued pursuing a career in commercial insurance. I am now fortunate to work with a great team of underwriters and leaders at Admiral.

What advice would you give someone trying to get into insurance?

I would advise them to take insurance or risk management courses, attend related industry events, and talk to various people in the risk management industry (claims, actuaries, underwriters, leaders, and policy owners). This way they learn more about the different functions involved in insurance to get a more holistic picture of how insurance supports individuals, families, business owners, and ultimately the economy.

What advice would you give your younger self?

I would tell my younger self to enjoy life, have a proper work-life balance, and try to meet new people whenever possible. It’s also essential to reach out to the people you work with from different teams and backgrounds, as everyone has different life and work experiences you can learn from. And that it is important to surround yourself with kind, caring, patient, and knowledgeable people so they can be a good influence on you and will support you in achieving your personal or professional goals in life. 

Why is it essential to have a diverse work culture?

Diversity, inclusion, and belonging are important parts of our work culture because they increase our awareness of various ways of thinking, collaborating, and analyzing problems. These different viewpoints and perspectives help us be more creative in solving problems and finding solutions. 

What do diversity, inclusion, and belonging mean to you?

DIB means being open-minded, actively listening, and engaging with people from different backgrounds, beliefs, and personal experiences while learning and collaborating to improve the workplace and world!