March is Women’s History Month
Elevating the positive accomplishments of women
Over the past year, Milliman has chosen to challenge inequality in representation by showcasing 12 people who identify as women and whose story deserves to be heard and celebrated.
Dr. Katalin Karikó
Dr. Katalin Karikó’s decades-long research resulted in a discovery that is now the basis of the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines. Many believe her work deserves the Nobel Prize in chemistry.
Kelly Coffing
Milliman consultant Kelly Coffing has brought a lens of compassion and empathy to “traditional” actuarial work. As one of the founders and leaders of our LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group, she knows how to stand up for what is right.
Diana Trujillo
Diana Trujillo is an aerospace engineer who currently serves as a flight director at NASA and is responsible for Perseverance Rover landing on Mars. She was also the first Latina woman to be accepted into the NASA Academy.
Peggy Pearson
Peggy Pearson used her experience, knowledge, and congeniality to break a glass ceiling and become Milliman’s first woman principal. As a quiet disruptor, she says she didn’t intentionally defy the norms back in the day but didn’t feel defined by them either.
Kymme Williams-Davis
Kymme Williams-Davis and her husband own Bushwick Grind, a restaurant in Brooklyn, NY with a focus on bringing nutritious food to her community. Kymme focused not only on her business during COVID-19, but also on her community and her own family.
Simone Biles
While Simone Biles's decision to withdraw from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics drew both criticism and praise, it raised awareness across the globe about mental health issues. Google searches about mental health reached their highest in two months the day Biles dropped out of the team competition.
Jocelyn Bell Burnell
Jocelyn Bell Burnell went on to discover pulsars – a landmark astronomical discovery, regarded as one of the most important of the last century. She was a model for girls and women with a passion for STEM, and used her position to help achieve equity, as well as diversity.
Chandrika Tandon
Chandrika Tandon is a recognized business leader, Grammy-nominated artist, and humanitarian. She is dedicated to addressing issues in education, the arts, and wellbeing.
Mary Clare
Mary Clare, Milliman’s chief legal officer and corporate secretary, has played a critical role in facilitating Milliman's growth through her ability to build trust and partnerships. Mary has protected the firm, and has allowed it to grow through innovation, acquisition, and expansion.
U.S. Navy special warfare training program graduate
In July of 2021, for the first time, a woman graduated from the U.S. Navy special warfare training program that directly supports the SEALs and other elite commando units. Due to the nature of her position, her identity cannot be disclosed, but her accomplishment is well worth honoring.
Mae Jemison
Mae Jemison enrolled in Stanford University at the age of 16, earning degrees in chemical engineering, African, and African American studies. In 1992, STS-47 blasted off and Mae Jemison became the first African American woman to reach space.
Daisy McFarlane Coke
Daisy McFarlane Coke was the first Black female to qualify as a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries, the founder and first president of the Caribbean Actuarial Association, and a charter member and contributor to the founding of the International Association of Black Actuaries.