Deconstructing Comp
Now in Season 6! We are still breaking down complex workers' compensation issues into bite-sized nuggets, one conversation at a time, with one slight twist. We are finally doing what we set out to do when we started: discuss the nuances of our fascinating system in "Cliff Notes" style summaries. Yvonne Guibert and Rafael Gonzalez approach workers' comp conversations from different backgrounds. Still, they share many things in common, such as their love for family and friends, a passion for Latin culture, and good old-fashioned belly laughs. Join them as they chat with industry friends and colleagues, learn more about their roles, laugh, and have fun along the way. You might learn something along the way! See you soon! ¡Hasta pronto!
Episodes
In this episode of Deconstructing Comp, Yvonne Guibert and Rafael Gonzalez talk with Liva Rivera, Chief Communications Officer at Hamilton, Miller, and Birthisel Law Firm, for a lively conversation about the power of social media in building relationships, expanding professional networks, and supporting mentorship within the workers’ compensation community.
Liva shares how platforms like LinkedIn have evolved from simple ...
In this episode of Deconstructing Comp, we’re joined by Greg Hamlin, Senior VP and Chief Claims Officer at Berkley Industrial Comp (a Berkley Company), for a grounded conversation about the role empathy plays in workers’ compensation and why it is so essential in our industry, particularly when communicating with injured workers.
Greg shares observations from his experience about how empathy influences communication, dec...
In this episode of Deconstructing Comp, Yvonne Guibert and Rafael Gonzalez welcome Tammy Boyd, newly appointed President of Kids' Chance of Florida, for a meaningful conversation centered on service, leadership, and the life-changing impact of educational scholarships for children affected by workplace injury or fatality. Tammy shares how her career in workers’ compensation shaped her understanding of the human ripp...
1. Mental Health Goes Operational
No longer fringe in workers’ comp. Our real challenge now is operationalizing access to timely, evidence-based mental health care so it supports recovery instead of becoming a barrier.
2. End of Healthcare Subsidies = Cost Shifting Risk
With federal funding changes, i.e. loss of funding for healthcare subsidies and SAMHSA, watch for cost shifting into workers’ comp.
3. Civil Monet...
Yvonne and Rafael take time to reflect on Season 5, their accomplishments, and the time they spent with guests.
They also discuss new features of Deconstructing Comp, including the launch of the Work Comp Changemaker Awards, a new website, a monthly newsletter, a YouTube channel, and so much more!
Grab your headphones, your favorite beverage, and let's go have a chat!
¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We woul...
In this episode, Yvonne and Rafael talk with Darrell Mathis, Director of Workers’ Compensation for the City of Chicago, and explore his work to modernize and manage one of the nation's largest municipal programs.
Darrell shares his 33-year journey from the private sector to public service, offering candid insights into program reform, transparency, and talking about “paying what we owe.”
He discusses how Chicago has...
In this episode, co-hosts Yvonne Guibert and Rafael Gonzalez talk with expert defense attorney and educator Jeff Adelson in a candid conversation about two often-overlooked forces in workers’ compensation: ethics and empathy. Together, they explore how small shifts in behavior, perspective, and communication can create better outcomes for injured workers and claims professionals alike.
From managing ethical gray zones to ...
In this episode, Yvonne and Rafael catch up with Judge David Langham, Deputy Chief Judge of the State of Florida, and a prolific writer, blogger, educator, and speaker.
If you're curious about the history of Florida’s workers’ compensation system, and you want to learn what "stare decisis" is, don’t miss our conversation with Judge Langham. He's widely recognized as the leading legal authority on this...
In this episode, Yvonne and Rafael chat with friend and colleague Rosa Royo, Director, Workers' Compensation and Loss Prevention at Miami-Dade County Public Schools. This is Rosa's second time visiting us at Deconstructing Comp. This school system is the third largest school system in the country with 450 school sites, 335,000 students and over 40,000 employees (based on most current statistics).
We start off t...
In this episode of Deconstructing Comp, Yvonne and Rafael welcome Gina Jacobs, a defense attorney with Hamilton, Miller & Birthisel LLP, to share what it’s like navigating workers’ compensation from the defense side. Joining from Orlando, Gina brings a candid look at how defense counsel approaches claims, collaborates with employers and carriers, and works toward fair resolutions within Florida’s workers' compen...
In this episode of Deconstructing Comp, Yvonne and Rafael talk to Paolo Longo, a claimant attorney based in Florida, to explore the realities of representing injured workers, especially first responders. Paolo shares how his career path led him from the state attorney’s office to becoming a dedicated advocate for employees navigating the workers’ compensation system.
He explains the unique legal protections and presumptio...
In this episode of Deconstructing Comp, Yvonne Guibert and Rafael Gonzalez welcome Scynthia Syfrett, Workers’ Compensation Program Manager at SHARP Healthcare in San Diego. Scynthia offers her perspective on managing a large deductible program, with a $1 million per-claim deductible, and the lessons in risk that come with operating at this scale.
Our conversation examines how large deductible programs shift a significant ...
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this episode are Judge Robert Rassp’s personal opinions and do not reflect the official position of the State of California, Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC), or the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB).
In this episode of Deconstructing Comp, Yvonne and Rafael are joined by Judge Robert Rassp for a straightforward discussion about the fun...
In this episode, Yvonne and Rafael talk to Dr. Marcos Iglesias, Chief Medical Officer at AF Group. Dr. Iglesias shares his journey from occupational medicine to the executive level and the lessons he’s learned about helping injured workers recover faster and more fully. Drawing on decades of experience, Dr. Iglesias offers candid, practical advice for younger clinicians entering the workers’ compensation space, emphasizi...
In this episode, we talk to Kirsten Kaiser Kus. She is a defense attorney and an equity owner at Downey & Lenkov LLC, leading their Indiana practice. She brings deep experience from both the plaintiff and defense sides of workers’ compensation. She shares how her involvement with CLM and litigation education shaped her expertise and helped grow her professional network.
We explore the many stakeholders in the workers’...
In this episode, we sit down with industry powerhouse Mollie Kallen to explore the often misunderstood role of case managers* in workers’ compensation. With over 30 years of experience leading one of the largest case management companies in the country, Mollie brings unmatched insight into how effective communication, not just clinical expertise, drives better outcomes for injured employees, employers, and claims profess...
In this engaging and insightful episode, co-hosts Yvonne Guibert and Rafael Gonzalez sit down with legendary industry leader Bill Zachry for a deep-dive into the realities shaping today’s California workers’ compensation system, and other state systems around the country.
We explore rising WC costs, why it makes sense to manage and treat psychosocial barriers to recovery early on in the claim — or risk higher costs down ...
Melissa Steger returns to walk us through the building blocks of the unique Texas UT System workers' compensation program. While the program is self-insured, they use a third-party administrator (TPA) in a hybrid system where the TPA staff sit on-site with the UT System staff who oversee the program.
Covering 160,000 employees and over 250,000 students, UT System uses a variable rating system and has set up a cultur...
In this episode, Yvonne Guibert catches up with Nelson Gonzalez, Executive Director - Florida, Rehab Without Walls® NeuroSolutions, and they talk about Return to Work.
In the workers' compensation system, a return-to-work (RTW) policy or program helps injured or ill employees safely and efficiently return to work. The goal or purpose is to minimize downtime, reduce costs, and maintain employee skills and productivit...
In this episode, Yvonne and Rafael chat with Joseph Sousa, Workers' Compensation Program Manager for the City of San Diego. In our conversation, we learn from the perspective of a self-insured, self-administered workers' compensation program administrator, and what is important to that stakeholder perspective.
One thing that stands out is the numerous benefits of operating a self-insured, self-administered prog...
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