When Dan isn’t meeting with Maniaci clients, he’s busy building and nurturing his team of benefits crusaders. Maniaci is structured around Dan’s deeply-held principles and follows a strong moral compass. Everything is personal with Dan, and his mission is to always do the right thing.
Dan grew up in Southern California and attended Loyola University. When Dan isn’t working, he enjoys spending time with his grandkids, reading, and golfing.
Having entered benefits consulting in 1996, Eric provides unmatched insight and guidance to employers of all sizes and industries. He brings a wealth of creative solutions and outside-the-box ideas to the planning table.
Eric currently serves on the advisory board for several insurance carriers, including Blue Shield of California, Kaiser Permanente, and Health Net of California.
Eric graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Business. Eric is married with two kids. He enjoys coaching his son’s baseball team and is the reigning cornhole champion at our national TRUE Network’s conference.
Karina is the definition of loyalty. She took her first job out of college at Maniaci. She’s climbed the ladder of success by making thoughtful, strategic decisions that have helped grow the business year-after-year. In 2010, Karina became an owner of the company. Through Karina, Maniaci remains a well-oiled and efficient employee benefits machine.
When Karina isn’t in the office, you’ll most likely find her and her husband chasing around their young daughter and two dogs. They enjoy trips to Disneyland, dance parties in their living room, and supporting local restaurants with “takeout Thursdays."
Nicole was born and raised in Visalia, California. After graduating high school, she studied everything from psychology and nursing to computer science and coding. She began her benefits career in 2015 working for a full-service TPA where she managed the customer service department. She took three years off to stay at home with her daughter, but being the entrepreneur that she is, she started an online handmade baby clothing boutique while juggling full-time mommy duties. She has since rejoined the benefits world and is bringing her wealth of knowledge and experience to the Maniaci family of clients.
Nicole still resides in Visalia, with her husband and two daughters. On the weekends, she likes catching up on shows, sewing, and hanging out with friends and family.
Kendell joined Maniaci in 2022 with a wealth of knowledge and wisdom from her 11 years of experience in the insurance industry. She began her benefits career in 2011, working as a Customer Service Representative and Quality Analyst for Cigna Global. In 2017, she joined a full-service TPA, where she worked as the Customer Service Manager. Kendell is known for her go-getter attitude and being dependable. She isn’t afraid to take on any difficult task and does so head on. Kendell has a passion for service, and it shows!
In her free time, you can find Kendell spending quality time with her children, exploring the outdoors, enjoying a glass of wine (or 2) or working out.
Elizabeth is one of the most diligent and organized people you’ll ever meet. Her technical skills and attention to detail help clients standardize and maintain clear benefits and HR processes. She is proactive instead of reactive and she’s always dedicated to doing her job right the first time.
In her personal time, Elizabeth is a Lego master. She recently purchased the Lego World Map set, which includes the most pieces ever for a set (11,695). She also enjoys creating her own designs, including the file organizer she made for her desk.
Brianna joined the Maniaci team in 2023. For over eight years, she worked in the Property & Casualty space but was ready for a change so joined our Employee Benefits world. Her background allowed her to hit the ground running and she has been an all star member of our team since joining. She highly values our relationships with our clients and the service we provide. In her free time, you can find her exploring the outdoors, hiking, running and mountain biking. In her off time, she loves watching her son play sports and enjoys time with friends and family at home or near a beach.
Erin assists with Maniaci’s strategic direction and people management. She is responsible for the oversight of our Group Services Department. She brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the Maniaci team.
When she’s not managing the team, you can find Erin at the beach, down in Coronado with family, sipping cocktails with her girlfriends or simply lounging at home with her two fur babies.
Anissa joined the Maniaci team in 2023, specializing in client relations with a focus on analyzing and optimizing employee benefits. With a strong background in hospitality, she brings a unique perspective to understanding client needs and expectations. Anissa is always excited to contribute to our mission and support our clients from behind the scenes. In her role, she assists our Small Group Department in evaluating current benefits offerings and exploring innovative alternatives for both current and prospective clients. Her analytical skills and attention to detail play a crucial part in ensuring our clients receive tailored and effective solutions.
Outside of work, Anissa enjoys reading, going to concerts, traveling, and spending quality time with her husband, friends, and family. You can always find her jamming out to music or with her head stuck in a good book.
As an ex-collegiate baseball player, Brandon understands the value of self-discipline, accountability, and teamwork and he applies these values to all aspects of his life. After graduating from Pitzer College, he worked in public accounting and earned his CPA license before joining our team in 2013. He is a resourceful and focused professional who brings many skills and talents to the table. This includes spearheading the development of The Benefit Breakdown - a video series focused on educating HR and employees (check out our Resources tab to view our videos). His mind is always several “plays” ahead, giving Maniaci clients the time they need to reach their desired end game.
When Brandon is not in the office, he enjoys being a family man. His weekends are filled with trips to the beach and sporting events with his wife and their two kids.
Brittany attended Colorado State University on a full-ride athletic scholarship where she played on their Division 1 women’s softball team (go Rams!). After graduating college, she worked in the wine sales industry for world-renowned E&J Gallo Winery. This experience provided her with extensive sales and customer service training, which helped her exponentially when she joined the Maniaci team in 2009. Brittany works with clients of all sizes to help develop and execute benefit strategies and spends time getting to know her clients to support their overall business goals.
When she’s not busy helping Maniaci clients, you can find Brittany cheering on the Dodgers, working out, or tossing a ball around with her two dogs, Merle and Missy.
Ashley has been part of the Maniaci team for over a decade. What started as a part-time gig quickly grew into a life-long career in the benefits industry. Clients absolutely love her. She will go above and beyond to make sure her clients are happy. She’s one of the reasons our retention rate is over 98%.
When Ashley isn’t helping clients, she’s enjoying her new found love - biking. She purchased a motorcycle during the COVID pandemic and enjoys riding with her friends on the weekends.
Kenneth is a graduate from California State University, East Bay where he majored in Statistics with a concentration in Data Science. Right after graduating in May 2021, he started his employee benefits journey as a Benefits Analyst bringing his analytical and technical background into the insurance industry. After building a core foundation, Kenneth found his way to Maniaci in July 2022 where he continues brick by brick developing his overall knowledge and client service skills in the insurance field. In his free time, you can find Kenneth spending time at the ocean riding waves and soaking up the sun.
Marisa attended UC Riverside and joined Maniaci immediately out of college in 2006.She spent the bulk of her early career with Maniaci, as an Account Manage until she relocated to Northern California. In 2012 she accepted a position as a Senior Account Manager for Kaiser Permanente’s Small Business Unit. She supported brokers and managed one of the largest books in her department. She recently returned to take on a new challenge as an Employee Benefits Consultant. When not in the office, Marisa enjoys traveling, going on walks, and spending time with her husband and their two French Bulldogs.
Maureen is a genuine people person. 90% of her clients are her friends. While they don’t start off that way, clients quickly come to love Maureen. Their relationship extends beyond business transactions because Maureen truly cares about the people she works with. She takes pride in helping others and making sure they are taken care of.
In her off time, Maureen is a social butterfly. She enjoys being around family and friends, traveling, and spending time with her two sons. She’s also a regular blood donor—she’s donated over 11 gallons of blood. Did we tell you she loves helping others?
Christine graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a B.A. in Human Development. She began her professional career with Maniaci in 2017. She is extremely detail-oriented, loves customer service, and is one of the sweetest and kindest individuals you will encounter. In her free time, Christine loves to visit Disneyland, spend time with her family and cuddling on the couch with her dog, Vader.
Andrew attended Cal State University, Fullerton where he studied Comparative Literature. He is a seasoned-sage of all things benefits-related. With over a decade of experience as a Senior Benefits Analyst, he has mastered the art of deciphering insurance jargon, negotiation and turning complex policies into plain English. From crunching numbers to unraveling the mysteries of healthcare plans, Andrew is the go-to guru for all benefit inquiries. When not buried in spreadsheets, he spends his spare time with his lovely wife while listening to jazz records and dabbling in music and creative writing. He is also searching for the perfect cup of coffee because even analytical minds need a little caffeine boost now and then.
Jason grew up in Omaha, Nebraska and attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he obtained a Bachelor’s in Meteorology-Climatology. After college, he earned his Master’s in Meteorology and worked for five years as a TV meteorologist at two different stations, one in Joplin, Missouri and Lincoln, Nebraska. He says, working in media and weather taught him how to work under pressure. Jason currently works as a Benefits Analyst with the Maniaci team. In his free time, he enjoys being with friends, family and his dog, Grizzly. He also loves (and stresses over) Nebraska sports (Go Big Red!). Jason says the perk about staying in Nebraska is not experiencing LA’s boring, nice weather. He loves blizzards, thunderstorms and of course doing his past time activity, storm chasing!
Kaycie joined the Maniaci team in May of 2022. She began her career as a COBRA specialist then later joined our firm to expand her benefits knowledge and expertise. She currently lives in the beautiful state of Idaho with her husband and two children. Kaycie has a fun and bubbly personality that brings a positive attitude to our team. With her optimism about her future, she continues to excel in her career with our team. Kaycie enjoys spending time with family and friends – doing mini vacations or just hanging in the backyard. The perfect day for her would include sunshine and 90’s or 2000’s country music with an ice-cold beer or cocktail.
Sam joined the Maniaci team in 2018 as an Assistant Account Manager. Over the years, she quickly expanded her knowledge of the benefits industry. She earned two promotions and currently works as our small group Consultant & Department Manager. Her role is to assist our clients with developing and maintaining their employee benefits programs, while providing consulting services such as plan recommendations and cost-saving strategies. In her free time, Sam enjoys cooking, exploring the Texas Hill Country, and tackling DIY home projects with her husband.
Monica joined Maniaci in 2006 as an assistant in our senior sales department. She provided support to our sales agents with Medicare sales throughout California, Oregon and Washington. Eager to grow her career, she broadened her knowledge throughout the years and learned all of the complexities involving Medicare, becoming our Medicare “guru.” She has a passion for helping others and providing outstanding customer service. She has now evolved into the Director of Client Services for our Medicare and Individual Department.
On a personal note, Monica enjoys working out and going on hikes with her husband Joseph.
Nathan joined the team in 2014. He currently manages sales for our individual and senior services department. Nathan’s customer relations skills are the epitome of our tagline, “Service Beyond the Policy.” Whether your encounter with Nathan is for an individual dental plan, or a high-volume life insurance policy, all clients are valued and treated with respect and gratitude.
Nathan is originally from Tucson, Arizona. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Economics before starting his career in California. He is married with three kids. After him and his wife shuttle them all through college, he hopes to spend more time following his hobby of flying.