Joanne Scudder
Lindenhurst
Summary
Experienced professional with over 30 years of administration and business analysis experience. Skilled in analysis, team management, and customer service. Excels in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments with a focus on internal and external customer satisfaction. Passionate about utilizing life insurance knowledge, adaptability with admin systems, and strong interpersonal skills to achieve positive outcomes daily. Committed to upholding due diligence and compliance as top priorities for all customers.
Overview
23
23
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Client Delivery Consultant
Zinnia
11.2024 - 02.2025
- Refined carrier requests to provide estimations and establish new development requirements, quality assurance, UAT needs. Agile environment.
- Utilized JIRA to manage projects and sprints, create user stories/scopes, scrums, stand-ups, backlog, team capacity
- Defined and documented detailed business requirements and technical estimations for insurance system changes requested by carriers.
- Conducted impact analysis and collaborated with QA to validate development output that met user expectations.
Senior Business Analyst
Equisoft
01.2021 - 01.2024
- Obtained administrative system modification requirements and state regulatory changes with client, stakeholders and developers to refine client needs in an Agile environment.
- Created Epics, user stories in JIRA, test case scenarios, tested development, documented defects, retesting of defects on Term, Final Expense, Whole Life and Annuity products.
- Obtained client UAT sign offs. Facilitated weekly Team refinement meetings with Developers and Quality Assurance team members, Business Analyst Reviews with QA team for approval of Testing Artifacts, Facilitated Daily Stand Up (SCRUM) meetings, Retrospectives, Team Bandwidth per Sprint, and facilitated ad-hoc meeting with clients for further clarification of needs not revealed by client in initial discovery. Managed JIRA story board for each project sprint (current and backlog). Provided Release Notes to client after each sprint regarding updates to client’s UAT environment.
- Led multiple projects in Agile environments focused on insurance system enhancements and compliance updates for Life and Final Expense products.
- Authored and reviewed test scenarios and testing artifacts in collaboration with QA teams.
- Translated client needs into epics, user stories, and functional specifications using JIRA and Confluence
- Partnered with stakeholders to plan and coordinate User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and secure approvals
- Conducted impact and root cause analysis for system issues and new feature requests.
Business Analyst/Quality Assurance Analyst
Concentrix
01.2017 - 01.2021
- Clarified administrative system modification requirements and state regulatory changes with clients, stakeholders and developers to create Business Requirement Documents (BRDs).
- Created test case scenarios, tested development, documented defects, retesting of defects on Term, Whole life, Universal Life, and Annuity products.
- Developed Business Requirements Documents (BRDs) based on stakeholder discussions and regulatory changes.
- Obtained client UAT approval sign offs. Managed JIRA sprints and backlog
- Coordinated with clients to gather feedback, support UAT, and verify that changes met business expectations.
Business Analyst
CSC
01.2016 - 01.2017
- Created test case scenarios, tested modifications
Tester
Zags
01.2014 - 01.2015
- Responsible for testing of Homeowner’s Insurance, including administrative and managerial procedures. Liaison between client and developers for clarification of scope, modifications, user acceptance test plan (UAT Plan). Documented and reported all defects. Acted as interim Test Team Lead
- Tested and validated system enhancements for Homeowners (P&C) insurance, ensuring compliance with underwriting and claims processes.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to define scope, functional requirements, and user acceptance criteria
- Prepared and executed UAT test plans, tracked defects, and ensured successful remediation prior to release
Life Underwriting Administrator
AMAC
01.2012 - 01.2014
- Managed day to day operations of Life Insurance Division. Direct report to CEO. Responsible for hire/fire, train, supervise in-house and remote life insurance agents and administrative staff.
- Conducted internal audits, troubleshooting of database issues. Created procedure manuals. Established and maintained great relationships with life insurance carriers (underwriters, support staff and Sr. management).
- Monitored sales calls for consistency, accuracy of quotes and regulation/compliance issues. Supplied monthly production reports to CEO.
Compliance Business Analyst
New York Life Insurance Company
01.2011 - 01.2012
- Responsible for interpreting States’ Regulations/Company Procedures, identifying violations, errors and trends of company financial advisors.
- Effectively handled case load of approximately 40 inquiries/complaints per month and determining appropriate action for resolution and future prevention as well as reassigning investigations to appropriate areas such as Service, Agency, General Office and General Counsel as warranted. Reported directly to VP Esquire of Compliance.
New Business/Licensing Coordinator
Insure Co.
01.2011 - 01.2011
- Audited applications and handling all aspects of licensing and new business.
Risk Management Administrator
Premier Consulting Partners
01.2010 - 01.2011
- Auditing applications and handling all aspects of new business, customer service and retention.
Business Analyst/Quality Analyst/Project Manager
Aviva Life and Annuity Co.
01.2006 - 01.2009
- Project manager for New York state regulatory issues. Subject matter expert for development, testing of new policy administration as well as Anti-Money Laundering.
- Conducted business analysis, internal audits and quality assurance reviewing the areas of regulatory/compliance, new business/underwriting, policy service, call center, claims, licensing/commissions.
- Led lift-and-shift projects between LifeComm, CAPSIL, LifePro, and other admin systems.
- Assisted management with external and state audits. Direct report to Sr. VP of Administration.
BA/Project Implementation/Manager of Specialized Client Services and Gen Accounting
Bankers Life Insurance Co. of NY (Aviva)
01.2002 - 01.2006
- Successfully performed in two positions during this time: implementing new products (rate table creation, submission of product specifications, regression programming, document production issues and enhancements), completing administrative system conversion of over 180,000 contracts by leading two teams, managing teams and functional areas.
- Created training documentation of new processes/procedures. Project Manager of converting over 30 joint venture companies. Managed daily activities and workflow of 25 customer service representatives.
- Conducted interviews, hiring, training, annual performance reviews.
- Analyzed ACD call center activity and took necessary action to meet company service standards. Resolved escalated service issues.
- Responded to Insurance Department complaints and assisted Legal department with reviews.
Education
Business classes -
Nassau Community College
High School graduate - undefined
Hicksville High School
01.1985
Skills
- Soft Skills: Internal and External Customers
- Carrier Administration and Business Analysis
- Software Vendor Representative
- Gap Analysis/Discovery
- Business Analysis
- SME of numerous admin systems
- Life Insurance Products (including Variable) SME of Term, Whole Life, Universal Life
- Annuity Products (including Variable) SME
- Final Expense Products SME
- Homeowners Insurance Novice
- Conversions/Lift and Shift Projects to and from LifePro, Capsil, OIPA, Vantage, LifeComm, Ingenium
- SDL
- JIRA Management: sprints, backlog, ceremonies, user stories and refinement
- CRM
- Regression Testing
- Workflow Diagrams
- Product Implementation
- Illustrations
- Performance Management
- Recruitment
- Training and Development
- Regulatory/Compliance SME
- Team Relationship Building
- UAT/Client Sign-off
- Mapping
- Waterfall Methodology
- Agile Methodology
- Business analysis
- Requirements gathering
- Planning and execution
- Customer service management
- Training and mentoring
Certification
- LOMA certifications: ACS, AIAA.
- Completed 5 of 10 FLMI exams (currently self study to obtain)
- Compliance certification
- Currently pursuing Professional Business Product Owner, Business Analysis, Project Manager, SQL (intermediate) Certifications
Software
Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office applications, as well extensive experience in administrative and management systems: CAPSIL, VANTAGE, LIFECOMM, INGENIUM, LIFEPRO, ZAGSUITE, CYBERLIFE, OIPA, AWD, GIAS (CORE FUSION), SQL, TEAMS, JIRA, DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT, ODEN TRACK, VISIO, CONFLUENCE, POWERPOINT
Affiliations
- LOMA
- American Cancer Society
- COURSERA
Timeline
Client Delivery Consultant
Zinnia
11.2024 - 02.2025
Senior Business Analyst
Equisoft
01.2021 - 01.2024
Business Analyst/Quality Assurance Analyst
Concentrix
01.2017 - 01.2021
Business Analyst
CSC
01.2016 - 01.2017
Tester
Zags
01.2014 - 01.2015
Life Underwriting Administrator
AMAC
01.2012 - 01.2014
Compliance Business Analyst
New York Life Insurance Company
01.2011 - 01.2012
New Business/Licensing Coordinator
Insure Co.
01.2011 - 01.2011
Risk Management Administrator
Premier Consulting Partners
01.2010 - 01.2011
Business Analyst/Quality Analyst/Project Manager
Aviva Life and Annuity Co.
01.2006 - 01.2009
BA/Project Implementation/Manager of Specialized Client Services and Gen Accounting
Bankers Life Insurance Co. of NY (Aviva)
01.2002 - 01.2006
High School graduate - undefined
Hicksville High School
Business classes -
Nassau Community College
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