Since June 2023, Chris Campbell has led BetterLife as Board Chair, Chief Executive Officer, and President. Before joining BetterLife, he served as President of eFinancial, a leading direct-to-consumer life insurance agency, from 2017 to 2021. From 2010 to 2017, he held the position of Senior Vice President, Marketing & Communications at CNO Financial, a multi-channel life and annuity company. With over 25 years of experience in life insurance, Chris has worked with Farm Bureau Financial Services, Aviva, Allstate, and CNA Insurance. He brings deep strategy and marketing expertise and has also led sales, operations, analytics, and IT organizations.
Chris actively engages in philanthropic efforts, currently serving on the boards of the National MS Society as Vice President, Wisconsin Chapter, and Federal Home Loan Bank Member Advisory Committee, as well as treasurer of LaSalle Street Church. He has previously served as Chairman of Meals on Wheels Chicago, as a board member of WFYI (Indianapolis Public Radio), and as Chairman of the LIMRA Marketing Conference, the life insurance industry’s largest event. He regularly participates in World Vision’s efforts in Tanzania with his wife and two daughters. An avid science fiction fan, Chris believes it encourages us to reach for a better world while staying grounded in reality. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Dartmouth College and his Master of Business Administration degree from Kellogg Graduate School of Management.
Daniel BiankDaniel Biank is the Vice President of Regulatory & Government Affairs for Accuray, the leading USA-based manufacturer of radiation therapy systems for treating cancer. He has over twenty years of engineering, regulatory, and leadership experience across major medical imaging manufacturers and Accuray, as well as experience in law practice advising investors and ventures in launching new medical technologies for global markets. He is passionate about building community and collaborations both in Wisconsin and industry. He has successfully led advocacy among member-driven trade associations and political stakeholders to shape policies to accelerate the practical availability of healthcare innovations to patients.
Daniel is a National Association of Corporate Directors certified director (NACD.DC). He earned his Juris Doctor (JD) from UW-Madison, Master of Engineering (MEng) from U of Illinois-Chicago, and Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Valparaiso University. Daniel lives with his wife and seven children outside of New Glarus, Wisconsin, where they enjoy serving in their church and local community with the Wilhelm Tell Festival, 4-H, running, and soccer programs.
Bradley BodellBradley Bodell brings over 25 years of experience driving technology transformation for the insurance industry. For the past four years, Brad has led Ryan Specialty’s technology teams and is responsible for developing the vision, strategy, and technology capabilities needed to enable and support revenue growth, drive operational excellence, integrate new acquisitions, and mitigate risks across the enterprise. Brad is currently focused on setting the AI strategy and driving hands-on enablement of AI capabilities across Ryan Specialty — with particular emphasis on insurance operations and underwriting.
Previously, Brad was the CIO at Trustmark Insurance in Lake Forest, IL, where he led their cloud migration. Prior to Trustmark, Brad was the CIO at CNO Financial Group in Carmel, IN, where he led their sourcing transformation. In addition, he spent 13 years at MetLife in Bridgewater, NJ, in software engineering and business operations roles.
Brad currently serves on the BetterLife Board of Directors, where he chairs the AI Transformation Committee. He has also served on the boards of two non-profit organizations — as Finance Chair at the Indiana Youth Institute and as a Board Member at the Indiana Chapter of the American Red Cross.
Brad received a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, and his master’s degree in management from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University. He and his wife, Katie, have two adult boys and live in Chicago, IL.
Mary BradleyMary Bradley has served on BetterLife’s Board of Directors since 2011. Mary is the Chief Operating Officer at the Institute for Excellence in Education and the National Charter Schools Institute. This non-profit education organization works in over 30 states nationwide to support and improve education. In this role, Mary leads the organization’s day-to-day operations, strategic direction, and growth initiatives and oversees the company’s software platform products offered as a service.
Previously, Mary served in executive leadership roles at Central Michigan University and Chicago Public Schools, overseeing over 130 schools, the opening of new charter and district schools, and strategic programmatic investments in neighborhoods across Chicago.
Mary has a Bachelor of Science in Education, a Master of Business Administration, and a Juris Doctorate with an emphasis in administrative law. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership.
Mary is a fifth-generation and lifelong member of BetterLife and an active member of BetterLife Members – Bannister, MI. Through her community volunteer work and involvement in the Czechoslovakian dance group, she focuses on how we can embrace tradition while spurring growth for current members and generations to come.
Russell Denk is a recently retired Partner at a CPA firm, having worked his entire career in the insurance industry. As a CPA, he served life, health, and property/casualty insurers for almost 30 years. He was also the President of a property/casualty insurance company and Executive Director of an associated member benefits organization serving Wisconsin public educators for ten years. Over his career, Russ has earned designations as a CPA, a CPCU (Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter), and Series 7, 24, and 63 investment licenses. He has been very active in leadership roles and as a board member of his professional associations and nonprofit community organizations.
Russ’ core values include “leaving the world a better place than when you entered it,” “finding opportunities to serve those in need and others in your community,” and “life is a continuous learning adventure.” Those values, along with his financial, insurance industry, and board experience, fit ideally into the work and vision of BetterLife.
Maria Ferrante-SchepisAfter serving in various marketing leadership roles in both small and large insurance carriers, Maria Ferrante-Schepis became a published author, consultant, and established thought leader for insurance and finance professionals and executives.
Her Amazon bestselling book, “Flirting with the Uninterested; Innovating in a ‘Sold Not Bought’ Category,” published in 2012 and co-authored with Mike Maddock, explored the challenges and opportunities in the insurance industry. Her second book, “Unfair Comparisons; Nuancing The ‘Sold Not Bought’ Category”, released in 2025, continues this insightful journey, exposing subtle and not so subtle nuances that will help the industry make further progress.
Maria’s mission is to help close the gap between consumer perceptions and the industry’s intentions. As founder of ThinkWorthy Consulting, LLC, Maria helps passionate leaders to think differently about persistent industry challenges and prioritize those most worthy of their attention for better results.
Maria has served on the board of directors at BetterLife since 2022 and as lead independent director since 2025. She also serves on the board of directors for Homesteaders Life Company in Des Moines, Iowa, and has advised several Insurtech startups in the US, UK, and Ukraine.
Maria holds her Bachelor of Business Administration degree and Master of Business Administration degree from Hofstra University, a Chartered Life Underwriter designation from the American College, and is a Fellow of the Life Management Institute of LOMA. She also holds the NACD.DC designation from the National Association of Certified Directors.
Mike HosekMike Hosek has served on the BetterLife Board of Directors since 2019. Mike is the Operations Manager at Americom Communications, who heads the accounting, finance, and human resources departments. Before that, Mike worked in the banking and finance industry.
He holds Bachelor’s degrees in Accounting and Business Administration from Doane University. He is a Pius X Board of Advisors and St. Patrick’s Church Finance Committee member.
Mike has been a member of BetterLife for over 38 years. He is active in the fraternal industry, serving as an officer for both the Knights of Columbus and BetterLife Members – Lincoln, NE. He is an involved community member and philanthropist, leading fundraising events such as Lincoln’s Walk to End Hunger. Mike is the current chair of the Audit Committee and previously was the Enterprise Risk Management Committee chair.
Duane JirikDuane Jirik has served on the BetterLife Board of Directors since 1998. Duane is the Mayor of New Prague, Minnesota. He served on the New Prague City Council from 1998 to 2010 and is a charter member and the inaugural president of the New Prague Area Lions Club. Before retiring in 2021, Duane dedicated 35 years to a career in criminal justice, holding an Associate of Applied Science degree in Law Enforcement from Normandale Community College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Concordia University.
Duane has been an active participant in his member group, BetterLife Members – New Prague, MN, for over 58 years, serving as an officer. Duane is happily married and has two sons. Duane’s belief in the transformative power of fraternal organizations like BetterLife is evident in his commitment to giving back to the community and fostering positive change in those around him.
Terry PlacekTerry Placek joins BetterLife from CSA Fraternal Life, where he served on the Board of Directors for 15 years. He has proudly served CSA for over 60 years, holding numerous offices, including President of District Council #8, and is currently Treasurer of his Lodge.
He has attended many AFA seminars and LOMA 281 trainings, and remains a long-time SNPJ member.
Terry earned a bachelor’s degree from Point Park University. He retired after 30 years as an Electrical Engineer at Allegheny Technologies.
Terry’s wife, Kathy, along with his two daughters and three grandchildren, are all active members who participate in many community service projects.
Dan ShinnickDan Shinnick has served on the BetterLife Board of Directors since 2017. Before retiring, he served as CEO and Board Chair for BetterLife. Having held leadership roles with Thrivent, CUNA, and Columbian Financial, Dan has experience in life insurance, marketing, actuarial, fraternal, and business development.
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Education and History and a Master of Science in Actuarial Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He was a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA) and an American Academy of Actuaries (MAAA) member. Dan is a board member and an active volunteer with the Vulnerable Children’s Foundation, which focuses on educating at-risk children in Lusaka, Zambia. He has coached over 30 youth sports teams and is currently an adjunct professor in the Business School at Wisconsin Lutheran College. Dan is a proud member of BetterLife Members – Madison, WI. He and his wife have been married for 42 years; they have four children and three grandchildren.