Our People

Brenda P. Wells, Ph.D., CPCU, AAI, CRIS

E-mail:  brenda@riskedstrategies.com

Brenda Powell Wells holds both a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Ph.D. in Risk Management and Insurance from the University of Georgia. She also holds the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Accredited Advisor of Insurance (AAI), and Construction Risk Insurance Specialist (CRIS) designations.  She has been in the insurance field for over 30 years.

Her philosophy is simple–you should be able to learn what matters most to you, in an efficient and cost-effective manner.  She specializes in education both on and off her beloved East Carolina University (ECU) campus.  She coaches insurance agency principals on how to start and grow their agencies.  From selecting agency management software to structuring compensation that really motivates employees and producers, she can train you to manage your insurance agency.

She teaches audiences of 2 to 2,000 about cutting edge research topics including telematics and autonomous vehicles. And, she educates juries on the legalities and nuances of insurance products so they can make informed decisions.  She provides very effective webinars that are tailored to your audience and your specific needs.  With a background in professional education and having performed as a stand-up comedian, she is a highly-sought-after public speaker who delivers effective and entertaining presentations for audiences of all types.

Brenda started teaching college in 1989, and since that time she has won numerous teaching awards.  In 2009 she moved to ECU to build a new risk management and insurance program. She presently serves as the director of that program and is the Robert F. Bird Distinguished Professor of Risk and Insurance.  At ECU she serves on the College of Business Scholarship Committee and the Chancellor’s Committee on the Status of Woman (CCSW).  She was named as a 2017 Woman of Distinction by the CCSW.

Her research and litigation interests include life insurance twisting, business ethics, mass tort litigation in the pharmaceutical industry, the effect of marijuana legalization on the insurance industry, personnel risk management, social media risk management, and how insurance education impacts public attitudes towards the insurance industry.  She is a property and liability contract expert, and has testified on subjects such as the difference between surety bonds and liability insurance policies.

Brenda has published her research in several academic journals, including Journal of Risk and Insurance, Journal of Insurance Regulation, Journal of Insurance Issues, CPCU Journal, Risk Management, Journal of Applied Risk Management and Insurance, Journal of Services Marketing, Small Business Institute Journal, Journal of Applied Business Research and Journal of Risk Education.

Brenda was previously an entrepreneur in the jewelry industry as a co-owner of Rockin’ Belles, LLC, the producer of JuJuBelle® jewelry. In her role as Chief Operating Officer of the company, she oversaw operational policies and procedures, motivated and trained the sales force, managed the company’s advertising and social media campaigns, and occasionally designed some of the jewelry products.

Nationally, Brenda is a member of the American Risk and Insurance Association (ARIA), Western Risk and Insurance Association (WRIA) and the Southern Risk and Insurance Association (SRIA). She is a past-president of SRIA and WRIA., and a current board member of WRIA.  She is also a member of the National Cannabis Risk Management Associtaion.  Previously, she founded the Texas Risk and Insurance Professional Society (TRIPS), a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to supporting risk management and insurance education in Texas.

When she has free time, Brenda loves to create art.  She works in acrylics, and has painted several pieces for beach houses in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  A do-it-yourselfer, she enjoys gourmet cooking and interior decorating and design.  She has performed as a stand-up comic at the Addison Improv in Dallas, Texas, and at Hyena’s Comedy Club in Arlington.

Our Team

With 30 years experience in the risk and insurance field, Brenda has assembled a far-reaching network of experts in many areas.  If you have a particular need for services,  please contact her at brenda@riskedstrategies.com and let her know what you are looking for.  She can probably help you find just what you need!