Maria’s Experience:
In 2010 Maria joined innovation and growth consultancy, Maddock Douglas, to focus on the opportunities for innovation in insurance and financial services, recognizing the significant public and government demand for change. There she has worked with dozens of industry players, inspiring and empowering them to create new products, services and business models.
Prior to joining Maddock Douglas, Maria was Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Guardian, a New York-based Fortune 300 company specializing in insurance and investments. Before that, she served as Vice President of Marketing at Prudential, where she led a large team dedicated to supporting and communicating the importance of risk protection products. She was also a spokesperson for the company’s studies in behavioral finance and retirement issues.
Maria holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing and a Master of Business Administration in Management from Hofstra University.
Today, she serves on the board of directors for Homesteaders Life Company in Des Moines, Iowa, and for BetterLife in Madison, Wisconsin, and is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors holding the NACD.DC certification.
A dynamic speaker, often incorporating her talents as a trained musician and comedian into her talks, Maria has keynoted various industry conferences and public forums, including LIMRA International, MDRT, GAMA International (FINSECA), NAIFA, The American College, The Global Insurance Symposium, The Pacific Insurance Conference and numerous consumer conferences on financial empowerment. In 2015, The National Underwriter named her one of the 20 Most Creative People In Insurance.
Maria’s books challenge conventional wisdom, inspiring leaders to think differently, make progress on persistent challenges, and stay committed to the industry’s purpose.
Authors: Maria Ferrante-Schepis and G. Michael Maddock
Author: Maria Ferrante-Schepis
Watch Maria Ferrante-Schepis captivate audiences with her dynamic presentations on innovation, leadership, and the future of financial services. Her engaging style and powerful insights leave a lasting impact.
Maria Ferrante-Schepis provides expert consulting, workshops, and keynote speaking designed to transform your approach to leadership, innovation, and the future of financial services. Partner with Maria to gain actionable insights and strategies that drive meaningful change for your business and teams.
Captivating, insightful, and thought-provoking keynotes that inspire action and drive change in the financial services industry.
Interactive, hands-on workshops that equip your team with the tools and strategies needed to innovate and lead effectively.
Tailored consulting services that provide actionable insights and strategic guidance to help your business thrive in a constantly evolving market.
See what leaders are saying – real success stories from Maria’s impactful work.
President and Chief Executive Officer, AimcoR Group
Maria addresses one of the insurance industry's biggest challenges, but at the same time, one of its greatest hopes and opportunities. When you listen to her message, you can choose to be in denial, keep looking at the rear-view mirror and ignore it, or embrace it and position your organization for sustainable relevance and future success.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Pacific Insurance Conference
The insurance industry desperately needs to be forward looking, and Maria is certainly a visionary. At the Pacific Insurance Conference's 50th Anniversary meeting in Hong Kong, she provided a compelling, insightful and highly rated presentation of what we need to do to attract the next generation of customers.
President, Nationwide Growth Solutions, Nationwide Insurance
Maria's unique combination of insurance industry knowledge and the ability to challenge conventional thinking is the right formula for communicating that case for innovation among top executives. She inspired us to take action that will lead is into the future.
Attendee
In an industry blessed with tradition but overshadowed by (largely) unoriginal ideas, hearing Maria present was such a breath of fresh air. She commanded the audience with her candor, authenticity, passion and humor.
Geneva Association
Maria made the audience think differently, to not just be aware of impending disruption but, more importantly, to feel empowered to get ahead of it. It was provocative, yet also very relevant to our industry and was noted as the highlight by many of our attendees.
