MEET THE CAPITOL BENEFITS TEAM

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Joshua Lavine
President

Josh has over 22 years of experience in the insurance and financial services industries. As a former member of the Life Underwriter's Training Council, he worked to teach insurance agents advanced concepts and best practices relating to many types of insurance. He held executive management positions with several financial services firms prior to starting Capitol Benefits, LLC. He continues to serve on many boards and is currently the chair of the Watch D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) program at a local elementary school. He coaches soccer and basketball and enjoys spending time in Bethany Beach, Delaware. He lives with his wife Marisa and their two kids in Gaithersburg, MD.

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Jacqueline Jenkins
Operations

Jackie joined the Capitol Benefits team in 2013 as the Director of Marketing and Business Development. She has quickly become a leader within the organization and the "go-to" person in our organization when something needs to get done quickly and correctly. Prior to joining our team, she was the president of her sorority at the University of Maryland, College Park. She also was a member of the University's dance team. Jackie lives in North Potomac, MD with her husband, John.  

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Monica Venor
Commercial Lines Account Manager

Monica has over 35 years in the insurance industry. While she has experience in all lines of insurance, her focus is working with businesses on their commercial insurance needs.  She is active in the community and belongs to a corvette club. Monica currently lives in Germantown, MD with her husband Mike and two dogs.

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Kelly Grossberg
Marketing & Business Development

Kelly is our Director of Business Development; we also call her the Capitol Benefits cheerleader.  Kelly has been building relationships within the insurance industry and beyond since February 2016 when she first joined us. Kelly has 4 adult children, and can be found strolling the neighborhood with her dog Frankie, bicycling along the many bike trails in the DC region, enjoying live music, visiting wineries, hiking and traveling.  Kelly lives in the Lakelands neighborhood of Gaithersburg.

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Wanda Jackson-Ferrell
Personal Lines Account Manager

Wanda is a licensed agent that has been servicing clients in the insurance industry for over ten years.  Her focus is on working with individuals and families with their personal insurance needs.   She is a member of several Montgomery County, MD Veterans Organizations and is also the past President of American Legion Auxiliary, Unit 86 in Rockville, MD.

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Alan Putterman
Personal Lines Account Manager

Alan has over 30 years of experience in the insurance industry. He worked with BB&T Frederick Underwriters, Prudential, and several other insurance agencies before settling in with us. He currently lives in Hagerstown, MD with his wife Linda. He is active in the community and enjoys spending time with his grandchildren.

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Bruce Ulizio
Employee Benefits Specialist

Bruce has 11 years of experience in the insurance industry. He has held District and Regional management positions and has been involved in training new agents in various area of the insurance industry. His customer-focused service has led to him being asked to assist with multi-location accounts throughout the country. Bruce has been a guest speaker at various Regional and State meetings. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Stafford, VA.

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Robert Sonken
Employee Benefits Specialist

Bob's involvement with employee benefits spans over 20 years. His experience in benefits communication includes working with small local firms and large, international companies. He enjoys spending time with his wife and two boys and exploring different parts of the country.

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Lisa Gotkin
Benefits Department Manager

Lisa is a licensed insurance producer who works with employers and carriers to oversee the implementation of group benefits. After obtaining valuable industry experience working for a dental carrier, Lisa transitioned to employer group benefits over twelve years ago. She enjoys working with clients and carriers to ensure that those enrolled in benefits have a positive experience. Lisa lives in North Potomac, and loves traveling with her husband and two sons - especially if they are at a beach.

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Maggie Hydeck
Personal Lines Service Manager

Maggie joined the Capitol Benefits team in 2018 as a customer service specialist. Maggie is married and has two children who keep her very busy along with volunteering with their school and scouts.

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Danielle Kean-Grassi
Director of Employee Happiness

Danielle is a certified Anxiety Strategist and Mental and Emotional Health Coach. She has worked 1:1 with clients, creating strong boundaries and bringing a different perspective to anxious tendencies when stressful situations arise. Danielle also develops weekly mental health videos for Employee Benefit programs. She is the author of ‘Grief is Only Suppressed Gratitude’, a self-help memoir about the passing of her mother, and the author of the children’s book, ‘Hugging Olivia’, teaching kids to love themselves through hard emotions, such as people-pleasing. She executes many Capitol Benefits employee engagement activities. Danielle loves to travel and enjoys hiking and spontaneous local adventures. Danielle lives in Olney, MD with her husband, Matt.

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Christy

Christine Barrett
Personal Lines Account Manager

Christy has been in the insurance industry for over 9 years. Experienced in all lines of insurance, she specializes in assisting clients on our personal lines team. She is a member of the Sons and Daughters of Italy Mother Cabrini Lodge 3003, a frequent school volunteer, and treasurer of her homeowner’s association. Christy enjoys spending time with her friends and family, especially her husband, two daughters and their two pups, going to the beach, playing recreational field hockey, traveling, and reading.

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Debra

Debra Parker
Director of Operations

Debra has over ten years of administrative and managerial experience within various industries. Debra mainly supports Capitol Benefit’s Group Benefits Department, while simultaneously facilitating other departments within the business. Debra loves traveling with her family, reading, and going on adventures, usually dragging along her husband, two daughters, and son.

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Lauren

Lauren Smith
Commercial Lines Account Manger

Lauren has over 10 years of experience in the insurance industry. Within a year of working as an office assistant at an insurance agency, she knew that insurance was a perfect fit for her! She went on to get her license and continued to hone her skills. Lauren's focus is working with business owners on their insurance needs. She and her husband live in Montgomery County. They enjoy traveling and having a regular share in volunteer work.

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Elizabeth Lockett
Commercial Lines
Account Manager

Liz joined the Capitol Benefits team in 2021. She has been a licensed insurance agent for over 15 years with a focus on commercial insurance. Outside of work, Liz enjoys spending time with her children, cooking, crafting, and day trips with her family. She lives with her husband and two children in Silver Spring, MD.

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Matthew Duncan
Insurance Agent

Matt comes to the Capitol Benefits team with over 18 years of experience in marketing, insurance, and financial services. A resident of Poolesville, Maryland, Matt is married with 2 children. He enjoys golf, and traveling and has been active for several years with Poolesville youth sports, where he coaches little league baseball and flag football. During his personal time, you can find Matt and his family boating and swimming at the lake.

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Dana Smith

Dana A. Smith
Account Executive

Dana has over 30 years of experience working as an Account Executive and Sales Manager in the insurance industry servicing individual, small, large and jumbo accounts. Dana is currently an Account Executive for Capitol Benefits for our small group market segment.

Dana is married, has one son who is in college, and a 140-pound XL Bully named Braxton who thinks he is a lap dog! She is also a co-author of an Amazon Best Seller coffee table book called “ I am She” and is a member of numerous organizations such as the National Association of Health Services Executives (N.A.H.S.E.) and the National Black MBA Association.

In Dana’s spare time, she enjoys attending sporting events, traveling, and spending time with her friends.

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Natasha

Natasha Beckham
Personal Lines Account Manger

Natasha has over 10 years of experience working in the insurance industry and currently works as a Personal Lines Account Manager for Capitol Benefits. She has a daughter named Lia, and two dogs: Waylon and Shooter. Natasha serves as the membership chair on the board for the Chamber’s Young Professionals group (HYPE). She is the President of the PTO and serves on the school-Based Decision Making (SBDM) Council. In Natasha’s spare time, she enjoys running, cooking, and watching Kentucky Basketball.

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Mindy Linowes
Employee Benefits Specialist

Mindy has over 25 years of experience working with employers and structuring their employee benefit plans. She specializes in implementing unique cost containment strategies, evaluating various funding arrangements and technology solutions, developing innovative employee engagement programs, and providing support with compliance requirements. She was a founding sponsor of the Health and Wellness Trailblazer Award with the Alliance for Workplace Excellence. Mindy held a 4-year term on the Health and Wellness Corporate Advisory Council and is a past board member of the Corporate Volunteer Council. Mindy is an avid equestrian and enjoys hiking and skiing with her family. She lives with her husband, Gary in Rockville, MD. Her son lives nearby in Washington, DC and her daughter and son-in-law live in Cincinnati, OH.

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Tina Sanazzaro
Insurance Agent

Tina has been in the insurance industry for over 20 years.   Her focus is on working with individuals and families to make sure they are properly protected in the event of an unexpected loss.   Tina is married with 2 children.  She enjoys reading, boating, and relaxing with her family.

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Paulina Garduno
Marketing and Operations Coordinator

Paulina is a graduate from the University of Maryland and began her journey with us as an intern her sophomore year. She now works with us full time as our Marketing and Operations Coordinator. When Paulina isn’t helping out in the office or finding new social media trends, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family, running, and exploring new parts of Washington D.C.

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Jessica Porter
Benefits Advisor

Jessica has been in the insurance industry for 25 years. Her professional journey has seen her excel in various roles, including sales, market coordinator, and market trainer. Beyond her career, Jessica is a devoted mother to two athletic boys. Evan, her older son, is currently enrolled at Salisbury, actively participating in lacrosse. Meanwhile, Noah, the younger one, is a high school football player. Jessica finds joy and fulfillment in dedicating most of her free time to watching her sons excel in their respective sports. The family's ideal vacation revolves around water, catering to Noah's love for swimming and Evan's passion for fishing.

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Sandy McDarby
Employee Benefits Account Manager

Sandy McDarby, joined Capitol Benefits in 2023 and is an Employee Benefits Account Manager. She plays a key role in enrollment processing, carrier coordination, client renewals, and onboarding. She began her career as a research analyst and underwriter in the insurance industry. Sandy later co-founded and managed two small businesses while raising four children. She holds a master’s degree in management.

Sandy enjoys decorating cookies, volunteering, traveling, spending time with family and friends, and visiting the beach. She resides in Gaithersburg, Maryland, with her husband and four children. Her diverse background and dedication make her an invaluable asset to the Capitol Benefits team.

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Amy Rossman

Amy Rossman
Personal Lines Account Manager

Amy has over 25 years of experience in the insurance industry and is a Personal Lines Account Manager for Capitol Benefits.  She is passionate about insurance and working with individuals and families, identifying areas of risk and exposure, and educating and selecting the right coverages and services for them. Amy holds two insurance designations – Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR) and Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC).  

She lives in Fargo, ND with her two dogs: Farley and Winston, and two cats: Mercury and Midnight. Originally from Minnesota, she enjoys watching MN Vikings football and attending concerts, traveling, cooking, and spending time with friends and family.

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