2026 ICT Workers' Compensation Conference Agenda

8 – 8:30 a.m.

Registration and Breakfast  

8:30 – 8:40 a.m.

Welcome Albert Betts, Jr., Executive Director, ICT

8:40 – 9:35 a.m.

On the Horizon: Workers’ Compensation Priorities for the 90th Legislative Session  

Moderator: Albert Betts, Jr., Executive Director, ICT 

Panelist:  Amy Lee, President, Steadfast Policy Strategies, LLC. 

Panelist: Bill Weldon, Senior Counsel, Travelers 

Twenty years ago, workers’ compensation was a contentious legislative issue.  Much has changed during this time.  How does the legislature view workers’ compensation and what’s ahead in the interim and upcoming 90th Legislative Session. This session will examine where workers’ compensation currently stands legislatively, how it is positioned within the new House committee structure, and the political forces shaping the debate. Panelists will highlight current issues, explain what is driving legislative priorities, and discuss the potential impacts on employers, insurers, and the broader workers’ compensation system. Attendees will gain valuable insights to better anticipate change, understand the policy landscape, and plan strategically for the session ahead. 

9:35 – 10:30 a.m.

TBA

10:30 – 10:50 a.m.

Networking Break 

10:50 – 11:00 a.m.

Kids’ Chance of Texas 

Joann Anderson, Manager, Workers’ Compensation Insurance 

Kids’ Chance of Texas creates and supports scholarship programs that provide educational  opportunities for kids in Texas, who have had a parent catastrophically or fatally injured while  in the course and scope of their job. 

11:00 – 11: 15 a.m.

ICT Education Foundation: Supporting the Next Generation of Workers Comp Professionals 

Rich Johnson, Director of Communications, ICT 

Since 2002, the Insurance Council of Texas and the ICT Education Foundation have supported the development of the next generation of insurance professionals through scholarships and university support across Texas. To date, we have awarded more than $1.6 million to students preparing for insurance careers and to partner programs. 

11:15 – 12:10 p.m.

I’m Not Biased 

Speaker:  Anastasia Settle, Case Management Liaison, Carlisle Medical 

Ethical behavior and bias. Ms. Settle will discuss why we have bias and teach participants to recognize and respond to internal and external bias. We will discuss how bias affects the workers’ compensation arena and explore ways to increase objectivity. 

12:10 – 1:25 p.m.

Networking Lunch 

1:25 – 2:20 p.m.

The Future of Work Comp is AI 

Moderator: Frank Huang, Managing Director & Consulting Actuary, Davies North America 

Panelist: Eric Yen, Founder & CEO, Stream  

Panelist: Stephanie Kinney, Administrative Law Judge, Commonwealth of  

Kentucky 

How AI and technology are reshaping workers’ compensation, featuring insights from a Kentucky workers’ compensation judge versed in AI’s legal impact. The panel will cover the past, present, and future of AI, followed by real-world use cases, with ethical considerations woven throughout the discussion to provide a balanced perspective. 

2:20 – 3:15 p.m.

A Worker Recovery Mindset 

Melissa Steger, Executive VP of Business Development, WorkCompCollege.com and President, Melissa Steger Enterprises 

An approach that emphasizes supporting injured employees beyond medical treatment by addressing psychological, social, and workplace factors. Attendees will learn how fostering a positive, recovery-oriented culture can improve outcomes, reduce disability duration, and promote successful, sustainable returns to work for injured workers. 

3:15 p.m.

Closing Remarks – Albert Betts, Jr., Executive Director, ICT