Bryan Broussard

Senior Client Service Manager

Bryan Broussard, Sr. Client Service Manager, is responsible for the continued oversight of Empyrean client services, solutions, and overall experience while managing day-to-day client success and performance. He serves as an additional and escalated point of contact for his clients, coordinating the efforts of the Business Systems Analysts, Implementation Managers, and Customer Service Representatives to ensure seamless service delivery and support.

Bringing together an exceptional understanding of unique implementation needs, complex project development experience, and relationship management skills, Bryan works to ensure your team’s benefits administration success.

Bryan joined Empyrean in 2014. During his years at Empyrean, he has also held the roles of Benefits Analyst and Client Service Manager.

Bryan graduated from The University of Texas –San Antonio with a bachelor’s degree in Business.

Russell Ikasalo

Senior Implementation Manager

Russell Ikasalo, Sr. Implementation Manager, oversees the successful launch of your solution. A technology leader and experienced service delivery expert, Russell focuses on all aspects of the definition and build out of the Empyrean Platform for your benefits administration. He works with
other members of the Empyrean team to ensure a smooth transition from implementation to ongoing service.

Russell has 23 years of experience in the benefits and insurance industry. Prior to Empyrean, Russell served in various roles including Director of Integrations, Implementation Manager, and Conversion.

Russell joined Empyrean in 2017. His expertise includes benefits strategy and design, technology and service implementation, ongoing benefits administration, and application configuration management.

Rebecca DeBardelaben

Client Service Manager

Rebecca DeBardelaben , Client Service Manager, is responsible for the continued oversight of Empyrean client services, solutions, and overall experience while
managing day to day client success and performance. She serves as an additional and escalated point of contact for her clients, coordinating the efforts of the
Business Systems Analysts, Implementation Managers, and Customer Service Representatives to ensure seamless service delivery and support.

Rebecca joined Empyrean in 2021. Prior to that, she worked in human resources administration and as a payroll manager for 15 years.

Rebecca has a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Houston.

Robert Orkin

Solutions Consultant

Robert Orkin, Solutions Consultant, is responsible for the technical consultation and demonstration of Empyrean’s platform, ensuring that clients’ needs are efficiently and effectively addressed throughout the
sales process. In addition, Robert is responsible for leading the transition of clients from the sales process through to implementation to ensure that agreed upon
services are delivered in the appropriate manner.

Robert has 20 years of experience in the
health and welfare benefits administration space. Prior to joining Empyrean, Robert led a national team of implementation project managers at Mercer Marketplace. He also spent time in key implementation roles at Xerox (now Conduent ) and SHPS (now ADP)

Robert earned a B.S in Business Administration with concentrations in Human Resource Management and Marketing from Philadelphia’s Drexel University.

Doug Barrow

Sr. Implementation Manager

Doug Barrow, Sr. Implementation Manager, is responsible for the definition and build out of Empyrean’s system to meet the needs of his Health and Welfare services clients. Doug is the subject matter expert during the implementation process and works closely with the Director of Client
Services, Client Service Manager, Business Systems Analysts, and Call Center team to ensure Empyrean has the tools in place to properly administer Health and Welfare benefits.

Doug has over 30 years of industry experience and joined Empyrean after successful careers at Mercer HR Services, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, and Towers Watson. Doug has significant implementation experience with large, complex clients, including retiree and union populations, mergers and acquisitions, and ancillary services. Doug’s experience spans industry including consumer products, government services, health care organizations, manufacturing, and
transportation, among others.

Chris Redmond

Sr. Client Service Manager

Chris Redmond, Sr. Client Service Manager, is responsible for the definition and build out of our platform to meet the needs of health and welfare clients. Chris serves as a subject matter expert during the implementation process and works closely with the Client Delivery Manager, Project Manager, Business Analysts, and Call Center Team Lead to ensure Empyrean has the tools in place to properly administer the health and welfare benefits effectively.

Chris’s expertise in the health and welfare industry includes over a decade of industry specific experience. This is accompanied by a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management Information Systems from the University of Wisconsin.

Chris joined Empyrean in 2010 from ING (formerly CitiStreet). At ING, Chris served as a Vice President, Customer Relationship and Operations for 5 years and was directly responsible for managing all aspects of large market client teams. Prior to CitiStreet, she served as a Director of Electronic Commerce at Humana, where she worked with provider offices to utilize technology to improve office processes and efficiently interact with the health insurance carrier.

Jason Glaser

Strategic Account Advisor

Jason Glaser, Strategic Account Advisor, will serve as a trusted partner and advocate for you. Jason will provide you with updates around product strategies and initiatives, notify you of new partner relationships and products, and represent your voice within Empyrean’s future product development.

Jason will bring additional Empyrean consulting support as needed to meet your needs –for example, aligning our Compliance team for discussions as legislative updates occur. He will ensure the immediate service team and broader organization understands how to provide the highest level service and greater value for you.

Jason’s expertise includes over 14 years of benefits administration-specific work accompanied by a Bachelor of Business Administration degree focused on Information Systems and Management. His experience includes service implementation, ongoing administration, product development, data integration and operational excellence. Jason manages health and welfare benefits administration for many large, complex clients across several industries, including energy, transportation, retail and manufacturing.

Valenda Chancey

Compliance Manager

Valenda Chancey, Compliance Manager, has over 30 years of HR and Benefits experience focusing on total rewards, employee development, HR technology, and compliance. Leveraging this deep experience, Valenda leads Empyrean’s compliance consultation, advocacy, and governance efforts.

Valenda began her HR/Benefits career on the employer side, where she worked for several private businesses managing all aspects of their employer-sponsored benefit programs. She served as VP of Human Resources for a large multi-state HVAC company before making the decision to move to the third-party administration side of the business by joining Aon Hewitt. There, she worked for 10 years as a Health & Welfare Domain Manager before joining the Empyrean team in 2014.

Valenda’s experience has provided her with the vantage point of understanding the complexities and challenges of employer-sponsored benefit plans from both the employer’s and third-party administrator’s perspectives.

Valenda earned a B.S. from Texas Tech University. She currently resides in the Houston area.

Kimberly Longerbone

Vice President, IT

Kimberly Longerbone, Empyrean’s Vice President of IT, has over
25 years of experience building and leading world-class, service-oriented IT organizations and operations. As a leader in the
technology field, she uses her wide-ranging IT background,
extensive healthcare experience, and IT service management
knowledge to drive the strategic development and execution of
Empyrean’s technology.

Prior to joining the Empyrean team, Kimberly served as the
Assistant Vice President of Infrastructure, Security & Data
Services at Health e(fx) and worked at Hennepin Healthcare
Systems where she led Enterprise Technology and Applications,
as well as IT Customer Care. She has also held similar leadership
roles at UnitedHealth Group/Optum, IBM and Xcel Energy.

Kimberly earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science
degree. She holds a Project Management Professional (PMP)
certification, as well as numerous certificates in ITIL Service
Management and Asset Management. Kimberly was a recipient
of CIO Magazine’s “Ones to Watch Award” in 2018, and resides
in Minneapolis, MN.

Peter Magazzu

Director, Business Development

Peter Magazzu serves as a Director, Business Development at Empyrean, focusing on building broker, employer, and carrier relationships throughout the Lower Northeast/Mid-Atlantic Region.   

An industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience, Peter began his benefits career at Fidelity Investments, supporting Operations, Implementations, Sales and working with many carriers. Moving to ADP as a Senior Implementation Project Manager, he served as daily contact for clients managing their HR Talent Management and Compensation/Performance Management Services.

Peter went on as a Client Operation Lead role for Businessolver, where he served as a single point of contact for clients throughout benefits lifecycle. He also supported Businessolver’s Sales in a Customer Success Lead role, prior to joining Empyrean’s team.

Peter earned a B.S. in Business Administration from Curry College of Milton, Massachusetts. He currently resides in the Greater Boston city area.

Patrick Crouse

Client Service Delivery Leader

Patrick Crouse, Client Service Delivery Leader, has over 20 years of diverse experience in the insurance and benefits space. Patrick began his career at Minneapolis-based Assurant Health, where he spent ten years in roles of escalating responsibility, ultimately serving as a Customer Care Center Manager.

Patrick has been a member of the Empyrean team since 2012, and has held several different roles across the organization, giving him a unique perspective and institutional knowledge that drives his leadership effectiveness. As Client Service Delivery Leader, Patrick oversees the delivery of client service and support, managing and coordinating the efforts of Empyrean’s Client Service Managers, Business Analysts, Systems Analysts, and Call Center Representatives.

Patrick works closely with the Empyrean Implementation Team, ensuring a cohesive, supported client journey from launch through the delivery of ongoing service.

Patrick is a veteran of United States Army.

Ken Gooch

Director, Channel Enablement

Ken Gooch serves as Director, Channel Marketing for Empyrean where he focuses on building valuable partnerships with brokers and carriers. He brings deep industry knowledge with over 25 years in the health and benefits space.

Ken has held a variety of noteworthy positions throughout his career with Unum, MetLife, and Aetna. For the past decade, he’s been focusing on strategic business development to increase market share in the Voluntary Worksite space. This involved aligning with top national consultants, brokers, enrollment and communication firms, and benefits administration companies.

Ken resides in Frisco, Texas.

John Ruhmann

Director, Channel Enablement

John Ruhmann serves as Director, Channel Enablement at Empyrean focused on building and nurturing broker and carrier relationships across the U.S.

Ruhmann has spent the entirety of his decade long career in the insurance space, including ten years at Holmes Murphy & Associates, a Kansas-based independent risk management and insurance brokerage firm. There, he held several roles of increasing responsibility, ultimately operating as an Account Executive before joining the Empyrean team.

John earned a B.S. from the University of Central Missouri.

Christy Higgins

Director, Business Development

As Director, Business Development, Christy serves as an initial interface for new clients and prospects, subscribing to a consultative and client-first approach in finding solutions that best fit each client’s unique needs and employee populations.  

Prior to joining the Empyrean team, Christy spent time as Business Development Director, Leadership and Strategy at Development Dimensions International (DDI), an international human resources and leadership development consultancy. She also has held roles of escalating complexity and responsibility at organizations that have included global employee engagement firm BI Worldwide and The Hackett Group based in Atlanta. 

Christy earned a B.A. and M.B.A from Augusta State University.

Ed McShane

Director, Business Development

Ed McShane, Director, Business Development, has been a critical contributor to Empyrean’s growth since he joined the organization in 2013. Ed serves as an initial interface for new clients and prospects, subscribing to a consultative and client-first approach in finding solutions that best fit each client’s unique needs and employee population.  

Prior to joining the Empyrean team, Ed spent 18 years as a National Sales Manager at Benefit Concepts, a Rhode Island-based benefits Third Party Administration, compliance, and technology service provider. Ed also spent two years as a National Sales Manager at New Hampshire-based Benefit Strategies, LLC, (now Voya) a Third Party Administration firm specializing in benefit design, compliance and administration. 

Ed earned a B.A. from Stonehill College, and resides with his family in the Boston area.