Being an influential business leader in the workers’ compensation industry requires many skills that set you apart such as dedication, compassion, and an innovative mindset. ReEmployAbility Co-Founder, Debra Livingston, has spent the past 20 years refining these skills, which has made her a natural honoree for Business Insurance’s 2017 Women to Watch nominee list.

On December 15, she was honored at the annual Women to Watch Leadership Conference and Gala Awards Luncheon in New York City with 29 other women. Launched in 2006, Business Insurance started the Women to Watch awards program to recognize women leaders doing outstanding work in risk management and commercial insurance. This year, the publication expanded the program to include separate awards for nominees in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

“It is such an honor to be nominated this year and to be included with such admirable women who have accomplished and contributed so much to our industry,” Debra said. “For me, it really has been about the journey. It is true that you can never really do anything on your own. I have been fortunate to have been surrounded by a great team of mentors, partners, and employees who have been such an influential part of my journey and who have helped me develop this successful company.”

Debra has served in various executive capacities throughout her career, with a concentrated focus on return-to-work programs. With over 20 years of workers’ compensation experience, she started her career as a claims adjuster and moved into numerous facets of the industry as an account executive for Aetna Property Casualty, a broker consultant for Wells Fargo Insurance Services, and director of claims for a large Florida PEO.

Here at ReEmployAbility, Debra has helped transform the way the insurance industry thinks about return to work, by developing and perfecting a program that not only helps employers and workers but also gives back to the community. With her own strong sense of community, Debra provides the industry with a fresh look at “community” and “business” as a force that must work together to be sustainable in this economy.