Celebrating Excellence: Meet the 2026 PLUS Award Recipients

Carl serves as Chair of Goodwin Procter’s global Litigation Department and as Chair of the firm’s Risk Management & Insurance Practice. He also sits on the firm’s Management Committee. His clients include public and private companies, major insurance carriers and brokerages, private equity and venture capital firms, and nonprofit and educational institutions. He is recognized as a leading advisor to boards of directors and senior officers on liability and risk management, D&O insurance, indemnification, and fiduciary duty matters. Carl has also served as a past President and board member of PLUS and has held leadership roles in a range of professional and civic organizations, including the Squam Lakes Conservation Society.

The PLUS1 Award recognizes exceptional professionals who have made a remarkable and lasting impact on the professional liability insurance industry. The selection process considers reputation and career success, participation in industry panels and lectures, current activity in professional liability, involvement with PLUS, and the overall depth and longevity of the recipient’s contributions.

This year’s recipient is Christine Williams, Global Head of Client and Broker Relationships at AIG.

“Christine’s dedication, leadership, and impact embody what the PLUS1 Award is all about,” said Robbie Thompson, CEO of PLUS. “Her contributions have strengthened the professional liability industry and the broader insurance community, and we are honored to recognize her with the 2026 PLUS1 Award.”

Christine leads AIG’s enterprise-wide relationships with key global clients and distribution partners, working across the company to bring together AIG’s full capabilities and risk solutions to advance growth opportunities across its General Insurance businesses. She came to AIG from Aon, where she served as Co-Head of Aon U.S. and sat on Aon’s Executive Committee. During more than two decades at Aon, she held senior leadership roles in the United States and internationally, focused on driving growth and deepening client relationships. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Christine is actively involved in advancing talent and inclusion across the industry. She is the co-founder of The Bridge, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting and mentoring women in insurance.

The 2026 PLUS1 Award will be presented on Tuesday, November 10 at 3:15 p.m. during the Opening General Session.

The PLUS Emerging Leader Award honors young professionals who have demonstrated exceptional excellence in their fields and within the professional liability insurance industry. The award recognizes achievement, innovative thinking, and a strong commitment to shaping the industry’s future.

This year, PLUS is proud to award three recipients who will be recognized at the Awards Breakfast on Wednesday, November 11 at 8:15 a.m.

“PLUS is honored to recognize these outstanding emerging leaders who are helping to shape the future of our industry,” said Robbie Thompson, CEO of PLUS. “We look forward to seeing the meaningful impact their innovative thinking will continue to make as the next generation of industry leaders.”

Taylor leads a Private/Not-For-Profit underwriting team in San Francisco. Since joining Chubb, she has grown from underwriter to leader by combining a background in sales with sharp technical acumen, earning the 2023 Circle of Excellence Award — reserved for the top 5% of North America employees — and her Chubb Level 1 Manager Certification in 2024. She has developed deep proficiency in complex and emerging risks reshaping the professional liability industry and is passionate about educating others in the field, including as a CE instructor. Taylor also serves as First Party Product and National Governmental Crime Subject Matter Expert for Chubb North America Financial Lines and is Incoming Chair of the PLUS NorCal Chapter Steering Committee.

Gordon began his career in 2013 as a Professional Liability Specialist at Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., where he was later appointed a Cyber Liability Subject Matter Expert. He joined Amwins in 2015 as an Assistant Vice President, became a Vice President and Team Leader in 2019, and was promoted to Senior Vice President in 2022. Based in the New York City metro area, he specializes in placing complex and hard-to-place business, primarily in Cyber Liability, as well as Professional Liability and Management Liability. He serves on the Cyber Liability Committee at Amwins, has moderated panels for NetDiligence, and is a graduate of the University of St Andrews in Scotland.

Charlie is a professional liability broker specializing in Lawyers Professional Liability insurance for law firms across the United States. He earned a degree in Finance from Miami University’s Farmer School of Business in 2021 and began his insurance career with Thompson Flanagan, now part of NFP. He has advanced from Assistant Broker to Assistant Vice President through dedication to client service and continuous growth. Charlie has also been an active volunteer with the PLUS Midwest Chapter, serving as Chapter Chair alongside co-chair Tylor Dunnican, RPLU, CPLP.

The PLUS Foundation Excellence in Diversity Award is presented annually to a member of the insurance industry who advances diversity, equity, and inclusion through their actions and advocacy. The selection process looks for someone who has made a meaningful impact on the industry and demonstrated a genuine commitment to fostering allyship and belonging within it.

This year’s recipient is Merial Brown, Assistant Vice President of Operations at Berkley Select.

Merial brings a 30-year commercial P&C career spanning underwriting and claims support, compliance controls, service delivery, automation, and AI-enabled workflow improvement. She currently serves as an insurance operations executive and transformation leader at Berkley Select, leading strategic initiatives that strengthen operational resilience, improve scalability, and enhance collaboration across the organization. She also serves as Co-Innovation Leader for Berkley Select’s SPARK Innovation program.

Merial’s industry involvement includes active engagement with the National African American Insurance Association, mentoring through Women in Insurance programs, and contributing to conversations that connect inclusion, leadership, and the future of work. In 2026, she was recognized as an Elite Woman in Insurance by Insurance Business, participated in the PropertyCasualty360 Human vs. AI Machine panel, and contributed to a Women in Insurance Reverse Mentoring webinar, sharing insights on technology, talent development, and intergenerational learning.

“Merial is deeply committed to developing others,” said Jahan Cedenio, RPLU+, President, PLUS Foundation. “She mentors professionals across career stages, advocates for women and underrepresented talent, and draws on her Toastmasters leadership experience to help others develop their communication and leadership skills.”

The Excellence in Diversity Award will be presented at the PLUS Foundation Luncheon on Wednesday, November 11 at 11:30 a.m.

Join us in congratulating Christine, Carl, Taylor, Gordon, Charlie, and Merial as we celebrate their contributions to the professional liability insurance community. We look forward to honoring them in San Diego.

Learn more about the 2026 PLUS Conference at PLUSweb.org.