Deconstructing Comp

Yvonne Guibert & Rafael Gonzalez
  • 5.0 (7)
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  • Updated Biweekly

Now in Season 6! We are still breaking down complex workers' compensation issues into bite-sized nuggets, one conversation at a time, with one slight twist. We are finally doing what we set out to do when we started: discuss the nuances of our fascinating system in "Cliff Notes" style summaries.  Yvonne Guibert and Rafael Gonzalez approach workers' comp conversations from different backgrounds. Still, they share many things in common, such as their love for family and friends, a passion for Latin culture, and good old-fashioned belly laughs. Join them as they chat with industry friends and colleagues, learn more about their roles, laugh, and have fun along the way. You might learn something along the way! See you soon! ¡Hasta pronto!

  1. 7h ago

    Brian Arnold: CCWC - The Happiest Conference on Earth!

    Send us Fan Mail 🎙️ Brian Arnold from World Insurance Brokers is here to talk about the California Coalition on Workers' Compensation (CCWC) Annual Conference, and more importantly, why showing up at conferences matters for your career. Networking Built His Career Brian's been in workers' comp for 25 years. He started as a claims assistant at a boutique TPA and worked his way up through different carriers and TPAs. But here's what really moved the needle: "It was mainly through networking that really helped me advance in my own personal career." He talks about how he built solid relationships through nonprofit boards, made meaningful connections in the Sacramento Valley, and how those connections are still carrying him forward today, now on the broker side at World Insurance Brokers, where he helps adjusters shine. Why CCWC Matters Brian deeply values the symbiotic relationship between brokers and adjusters: we need each other. That's the energy you'll find at CCWC: professionals actively working to make things better for injured workers and employers across California. The conference is California's premier educational forum for understanding the state's unique workers' comp system. It's where legislation, policy, and practice collide, and where you'll find the brightest minds in the industry. Things to Know About CCWC The Location: Disneyland. Yes, really. "Disney is a longtime supporter," Brian says. "The magic's everywhere. And it makes the conference a bit lighter once the heavy intellectual dump is done." There's even an in-park event Thursday night (limited free tickets available). The Sessions: Over 100 applications were submitted. A committee of seasoned professionals narrowed it down to 15 of the best sessions. You're getting rigorously curated sessions, not filler.  Who Should Attend? Any workers' compensation professional who seeks to better understand the nuances of the California workers' compensation system.  The Must-Sees: Legislative Updates: Paul Yoder and Jason Schmelzer report back on the real efforts. Best in the country.Bloggers Panel: A panel discussion that's always fun and informative! This year includes a 10th-anniversary tribute honoring the late David DePaulo.Trauma Trifecta: Defending TBI, PTSD, and Cumulative Trauma Claims in an Evolving Legal Landscape. Rare claims that can run away from you if you're not paying attention. This panel features: Yvonne Guibert (moderator), Anthony Carlton with Arthur J Gallagher, Mark Maragay with the NFL Los Angeles Chargers, Kate Lozano with Laughlin, Falbo, Levy and Moresi, and Dr. Garland Tang, Board-certified Neurologist with Institutes of Health. AI & Best Practices: Best Practices: Californians Can Learn From Other States to Find Solutions for Cost Containment, AI Adaptation and More How AI is reshaping reserving and claims management. This panel features: Stuart Colburn, Bill Zachry, Gerald Hogue from FedEx, and Mike Simmons from WKS Restaurant Group. CAT Claims: Blueprint for Handling CAT Claims featuring Tyrone Spears with City of Los Angeles, Jeff Rush with CA JPIA, and Stephen Peacock with Safety National on handling catastrophic claims. Managing Change: Managing Change, Culture, and Success During Transformation is all about advocacy, networking, and managing change during transformation and featuring Sheri Lawrence with SoCalGas, Barry Bloom with BDB Group, Angel Guerra-Chagolla with Arrowhead Evaluation Services, and Matthew Howard with City of Pasadena. Why It's Different: CCWC answers the "why" behind how the California workers' comp system works. It pairs networking with legislative backing so you understand not just what's happening, but where the industry is heading—especially with a new administration coming in. Check out CCWC's full agenda: https://ccwcworkcomp.org/Events/Annual-Conference-Agenda Register: https://ccwcworkcomp.org/Events/Annual-Conference What's on the Radar: Post-employment cumulative trauma claims are surging (now 1 in 4 to 1 in 5 claims). Permanent disability increases are overdue. The Fix California Workers' Comp initiative (fixcaworkerscomp.com) is advancing real reform efforts to restore balance to the CA workers' compensation system https://fixcaworkerscomp.com/ The Secret to Real Connection When Brian talks about presence, he nails it: "Be aware of where you are and give that your full attention." That's the real magic of attending a conference: when you show up mentally, not just physically, and allow yourself to be open and "fully present" for connections. That's when career-changing conversations actually happen. Make the Conscious Choice Brian's parting wisdom: attend. Make a conscious choice to invest in your career, your community, and your growth. We said it at the start of this season: try to attend at least one to two conferences per year. This is one not to miss! ¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

    37 min

  2. Jun 5

    Dave Chmiel: Brokers Cover The Gap

    Send us Fan Mail Yvonne and Rafael sit down with Dave Chmiel, Chief Claims Officer at Hub International. Together, they engage in a great conversation about the broker's perspective on workers' compensation. Episode Highlights ☕ The Core Message: Listening Changes Everything (00:02:38) From day one in the brokerage world, Dave was taught to listen, to understand what economic buyers (CEOs, CFOs) actually care about. That skill transcends the boardroom. When you truly listen, you access perspectives you'd otherwise miss. In workers' comp, where we're managing human situations, that's everything. 🎯 A 35-Year Career Built on Perspective-Shifting (00:02:40) Dave intentionally positioned himself to see the full ecosystem: Liberty Mutual (10 years): Claims management with major accounts; mastered total cost to riskBrokerage side (12 years): Kept managing claims while gaining the 30,000-foot view of client needsHub International (14 years): Chief Claims Officer, bridging claims and salesHe didn't climb a ladder; he expanded his lens. That's the difference. 🤝 The Three-Partner Model: What Brokers Actually Do (00:11:00) When asked what brokers can do that people don't realize, Dave explains the architecture: There are three partners in this equation: the client, the carrier, and the broker. The broker's job is to advocate for the client while maintaining a healthy relationship with the carrier. It's not zero-sum. It's about understanding all three positions and helping them work in alignment. That nuance matters. 🏢 From Middle-Market to Boutique at Scale (00:22:00) Hub was originally positioned as a middle-market broker, but has evolved into an "upmarket and complex risk broker." What's their differentiator? Boutique-style service, the kind of personalized attention and deep expertise you'd expect from a small firm, delivered at the scale of the sixth largest broker in the world. That's the sweet spot David and his team operate in. 📈 The Broker That Grows With You (00:28:07) "The best kind of broker is the one that's going to grow with you as an organization." A company that had two locations five years ago and now has forty is fundamentally different. The broker has to evolve too, more productive, more creative, more empathetic. That means understanding the distinctions: construction claims look nothing like transportation or sports and entertainment. And it means building trust-based alignment with carriers and TPAs, not just golf course friendships as we did 20 years ago. As Dave says, like a baseball manager whose team fights for you when they trust the vision. 🏒 Off the Ice: Goalie, Coach, Dad (00:40:30) Dave still plays hockey as a goalie, sharing how much he loves the sport and the camaraderie between players. He gets the biggest kick, though, out of coaching his daughters: a 13-year-old softball pitcher and a 10-year-old who plays basketball and soccer. He didn't have sports in his own middle school years, so he's living through their growth and development. "That's where I relax now," he says. It's where the same listening, mentoring, and protective instincts that define his broker role show up in his life outside work. ✨ Rare Energy in a Mature Field (00:41:15) "In the claims world, you don't often see the amount of energy that I think we collectively as a group have." When someone with 35 years still gets genuinely stoked about the work and the Elevate Work Comp conference community, it's not nostalgia, it's real. The Nugget Worth Holding How are you creating space to truly listen to what your stakeholders need? What assumption might you be missing about what matters to them? Connect with David: He means it when he says reach out. Whether you have questions about the broker perspective, career advice, or just want to continue the conversation, find him on LinkedIn: Dave Chmiel. He's serious about helping and mentoring anyone who's open to it. ¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

    49 min

  3. May 22

    Sandy Avina: Riskfetti is Here!

    Send us Fan Mail Yvonne and Rafael are so excited (and you can tell!). Yvonne declares she's Sandy's biggest fan! And honestly? After listening to this conversation, you'll understand why. Sandy Avina has figured out something our industry has been struggling with for over 100 years: how to make workers' compensation accessible, engaging, and even fun. Sandy Avina, MBA, is a Claim Services Manager with California Schools JPA, a self-insured public risk pool that serves K-12 school districts, community colleges, and regional occupational programs throughout San Bernardino County, California. What we get into: 📱 An Industry Image Problem — Workers' comp has been around for over a century, but most people don't understand it. Why? We talk about it amongst ourselves, but not so much outside the industry. Meanwhile, the plaintiff's bar, applicant attorneys, and others are actively shaping the narrative on social media, podcasts, and elsewhere. We're not telling our own story — so someone else is telling it for us. The result? High litigation rates and misaligned employee expectations.  🎬 Creativity Is the Default — Sandy unpacks the "curse of knowledge" — the more you become an expert in something, the harder it is to teach beginners. But here's the thing: creativity is our human default. Kids are naturally creative. We train it out of ourselves. Sandy decided to flip that and use humor, trending music, and creative storytelling to make insurance approachable. Videos like her "Bon Jovi unit of measurement" (halfway there!) explain complex claims concepts in a fun and memorable way.  🏫 JPAs and Public Risk Management — Working with school districts across San Bernardino County (the largest county geographically in the US), Sandy manages the complexity of serving districts from the mountains to the desert. Every district has different challenges, no budget for risk management, and someone wearing a "hat on top of a hat" trying to figure it all out. This is the real-world landscape most of our industry works in. 💡 The Real Disconnect — Insurance is marketed as a commodity ("buy our insurance because we're cheap!") when it's actually a contractual promise. We don't teach kids about insurance in school. We don't train managers on the basics. We don't talk about it until a claim is filed. And then we wonder why our image suffers. The fix? Start education earlier, communicate more clearly, and invest in your people. 💼 What We Could Be Doing Better — Two big opportunities: (1) Train your managers. Over one hundred years in, people still struggle with the concept of a no-fault system. Managers are the first point of contact for injured workers — they need to understand the basics and know that there's no retaliation. (2) Look beyond statutory benefits. A person's life is impacted in many ways outside workers' comp. For example, Sandy says TPAs and carriers could easily provide links to helpful resources, such as posting videos that explain to injured workers how to perform functional tasks with modifications, and adaptive living tips, as well as resources like the Kind Souls Foundation for people who are struggling and need a warm line for support. These are small actions to show we actually care about patient outcomes. And it often costs nothing. 📚 Riskfetti Is Here — Sandy (with Angel Guerra) has just released a book called Riskfetti: Risk Management for the Rest of Us. Sandy said, it's intentionally not the War and Peace of risk management — it's the "Go Dog Go" version. Aimed at people in small to mid-sized organizations who have risk responsibilities but no background in insurance. No jargon. No overwhelm. Just what you need to know. Sandy's closing wisdom: > "Creativity is the default for everyone. We just need to remember that." Off the clock: Sandy runs what her husband calls "Birdtown USA" (she's the mayor!) in her backyard — complete with feeders, cameras, and app alerts. She's currently trying to befriend the crows in her neighborhood. Did you know crows are very intelligent and have a structured schedule? When she retires, Sandy says, she's going to be a birder. 🐦 Resources Sandy mentioned: Pollack Peacebuilding Systems (a consulting practice) A book called Peaceful Leadership (Available on Amazon) Find Sandy: LinkedIn: Sandy Avina, MBATikTok: @riskinfluencerWebsite: riskinfluencer.orgBook: Riskfetti: Risk Management for the Rest of Us (Available on Amazon)¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

    57 min

  4. May 7

    Michael Brennan: Shark Tales

    Send us Fan Mail Yvonne is joining from her hometown of Bandera, Texas (where the weather can't make up its mind — thirties one day, nineties the next), and Rafael just got back from Chicago. Which is the perfect segue to today's guest — Michael Brennan, Chairman of the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission, joining us from a snowy Chicago, where, apparently, the high twenties counts as mild. Brrrrrr.  Highlights of this episode:  ⚖️ Workers' Comp Is a Right, Not a Giveaway — Michael gets personal here. As the grandson of a permanently disabled worker who received nothing back in the 1920s, he brings a deeply human perspective to why this system matters. Workers' comp protects both the worker and the employer — and that point gets lost far too often. 🏛️ Inside the Illinois Commission — Illinois is not a fund state. The Commission's role is as an adjudicatory body — they resolve disputes, they don't pay benefits. With over 350 insurance carriers writing workers' comp in Illinois and 500+ self-insured employers, the scale is massive. Michael puts it simply: workers' comp is a $3 billion industry in Illinois alone. 🤝 Collaboration Is the Secret Sauce — Michael credits a lot of Illinois' progress to building real relationships with the bar, stakeholders, business, labor, and medicine. His philosophy? "When you're throwing rocks at one another, you usually don't get too much done." During COVID, he held monthly calls with 40-50 attorneys to navigate changes together — and it worked. 📱 The Challenge for the Next Generation — Remote work has changed everything. Michael shared that perhaps younger attorneys and adjusters are missing out on the hallway conversations and organic relationship-building that shaped veterans like Michael. His advice: pick up the phone. Call each other. The technology is there — use it to connect with your colleagues, not just to communicate. 📄 Going Paperless — and Making It Stick — When Michael came in, the Commission was drowning in paper. His number one goal: go paperless. By April 2021, they had done it system-wide. The bar resisted at first. Then begged for more. Last year, they settled over 30,000 cases and disposed of slightly more cases than were filed new. That reflects a system that's working. "Same rules, new set of sharks." — The line that brought Michael Brennan from the attorney general's office, where he was prosecuting medicaid fraud, into the wonderful world of workers' comp. And honestly? It's one of the best descriptions of insurance and law that we've heard. Michael's closing thought: "My hope is that by the time I walk out, our workers' compensation system will be in better shape than we found it." Sounds familiar, doesn't it? 😄 For more information about the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission, click here.  Hasta luego! 👋 ¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

    50 min

  5. Apr 23

    Heather Lore: Betting on the Next Generation

    Send us Fan Mail Yvonne and Rafael sit down with Heather Lore, Executive Director of the IAIABC, for a conversation that covers some important (and undertalked) topics in workers' comp right now. What we get into: 🌍 A Truly Global Community: The International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC) is the oldest workers' comp organization in the country, at 112 years, with members spanning the US, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia. There's something powerful about realizing that professionals around the world are grappling with the same challenges and learning from one another. 🌡️ Heat-Related Injuries: They're more common than the data shows. Heather says this is largely because they're underreported. She breaks down what's happening, what states like Oregon and California are doing about it, and what employers can do today. Here's the WCRI research study, and it's worth a read. ⚖️ A Noble Profession: No matter your role in workers' comp, everyone is pulling toward the same outcome: getting an injured worker back to a functioning life. That's a mission worth discussing further.  🌱 The Next Generation of WC Professionals: Workers' comp is a harder sell than it should be. Heather makes the case for why it's actually a fascinating career, and shares a simple job posting tweak that one organization used to send applications through the roof. 🏆 The IAIABC Next Gen Awards Program: It's Heather's favorite thing the IAIABC does. Since 2017, they've recognized 68 rising leaders from every corner of the industry. She's currently sorting through nominations for the next cohort... and says it's going to be really difficult choosing award recipients, and it's a good problem to have. Heather's parting thought: The IAIABC's vision is a world free from the pain and loss of work injuries and illnesses. She says it's important to find small ways to have an impact. That's where joy and meaning live. Until next time, ¡Hasta luego! 👋 ¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

    46 min

  6. Apr 9

    John Cattie: Lien on Me!

    Send us Fan Mail What happens when Medicare and multiple liens enter the claim, and how do you navigate them without derailing resolution? In this episode of Deconstructing Comp, Yvonne Guibert and Rafael Gonzalez talk with John Cattie, managing partner of Cattie and Gonzalez, PLLC. The conversation focuses on Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) compliance and the broader landscape of federal lien resolution in workers’ compensation claims. Together, they explore the key components of MSP through the lens of lien management, diving into the different types of federal liens that can arise and how they shape settlement strategy. The discussion centers on the practical challenges of identifying, navigating, and resolving multiple reimbursement interests—an area where confusion and delays often occur in real-world claim handling. John shares practical insights on common missteps, from overlooking lien exposure to mismanaging repayment obligations, and how claims professionals and attorneys can more effectively navigate these complexities to avoid delays and unintended consequences. He highlights key federal lien types, including Medicare, the Veterans Administration, and TRICARE, while reinforcing the importance of identifying other potential reimbursement interests that may impact settlement. Tune in for a grounded perspective on a complex and often challenging topic (this one made Yvonne’s head hurt), helping listeners better understand how to approach Medicare’s role and lien resolution within the broader claims process. At the end of the episode, John shares fun facts about his favorite pastime, Fantasy Football, and tells us about the sports photos on his wall. Steve Garvey is the Padres baseball player Yvonne could not remember.  For more information about federal liens in workers' compensation, contact John Cattie or Rafael Gonzalez at Cattie and Gonzalez, PLLC.  ¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

    46 min

  7. Mar 26

    Anbar & Ali: Stop Chasing The Diagnosis!

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Deconstructing Comp, what was intended to be a conversation about when substance use is considered industrial… turned into a much deeper exploration of how, and why, care in workers’ compensation often breaks down. Yvonne and Rafael talk to Dr. Tomer Anbar and Dr. Ramsey Ali and enjoy a powerful, layered conversation that challenges how we think about care in workers’ compensation. Dr. Anbar takes us back to the origins of the workers' compensation system: why it was created, how it was structured, and where the “architecture of care” has started to break down over time. He reframes workers’ compensation not just as a set of rules and processes, but as a living ecosystem that requires alignment between medical care, human behavior, and system design. A central theme emerges throughout the conversation: we need to stop chasing a diagnosis! Dr. Anbar says,  “At some point, we have to stop chasing the diagnosis and start treating the human in front of us.”  Anbar suggests that instead of focusing solely on labeling conditions, we should shift toward a better understanding of function, behavior, and the full biopsychosocial picture driving recovery, or the lack of it. Dr. Ali builds on this foundation with a deep dive into PTSD and substance use disorders (SUD) in the workers’ compensation setting; two conditions that are often misunderstood, underdiagnosed, or treated in isolation. Dr. Anbar explains how this contributes to disability and unnecessary epidemics. Together, they explore how these conditions intersect, how delayed recovery takes hold, and why fragmented care models often miss what matters most. Dr. Anbar also introduces the concept of psychoneuroimmunology, highlighting the connection between the mind, nervous system, and immune response, and reinforcing the idea that recovery is complex, dynamic, and deeply human. This episode invites listeners to think differently about causation, complexity, and the human experience behind every claim, and challenges the industry to move beyond diagnosis-driven thinking toward a more integrated, evidence-based, and human-centered approach. Dr. Anbar references a recent article in PRIMA Public Risk Magazine titled, How Risk and Claims Leadership Are Reversing the PTSD and Disability Crisis Among First Responders. Yvonne mentions a recent Institutes of Health webinar titled When Substance Use is Industrial.  ¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

    56 min

  8. Mar 10

    Liva Rivera: Social Media and Community

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Deconstructing Comp, Yvonne Guibert and Rafael Gonzalez talk with Liva Rivera, Chief Communications Officer at Hamilton, Miller, and Birthisel Law Firm, for a lively conversation about the power of social media in building relationships, expanding professional networks, and supporting mentorship within the workers’ compensation community. Liva shares how platforms like LinkedIn have evolved from simple professional profiles into powerful tools for connection. Rather than approaching social media with a rigid strategy, she explains how authenticity, curiosity, and consistency have helped her build meaningful relationships across the industry. What began as casual online engagement eventually led to real-world collaborations, friendships, and opportunities, demonstrating that the workers’ compensation community is often much smaller and more connected than people realize. The conversation also explores the human side of social media. Liva discusses how showing up online can sometimes invite criticism or skepticism, but she encourages professionals not to let that stop them from participating. Social media, when used thoughtfully, can amplify voices, foster mentorship, and help newer professionals find their place in the industry. For those who feel unsure about posting or engaging, Liva offers a refreshing perspective: you don’t need a perfectly curated plan, just start joining the conversation. Yvonne, Rafael, and Liva also dive into the importance of mentorship and community, highlighting how social platforms can bridge generational gaps and help emerging leaders connect with experienced professionals. Whether it’s sharing insights, celebrating successes, or simply supporting each other’s work, these digital spaces can strengthen the professional fabric of our industry. If you’ve ever wondered how to use social media in a way that feels genuine, productive, and relationship-driven, this episode offers practical insights and plenty of inspiration.  We talked about Rise Professionals on the episode. Be sure to check out their website and their 2026 Annual Leadership Summit under events.  ¡Muchas Gracias! Thank you for listening. We would appreciate you sharing our podcast with your friends on social media. Find Yvonne and Rafael on Linked In or follow us on Twitter @deconstructcomp

    58 min
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About

Now in Season 6! We are still breaking down complex workers' compensation issues into bite-sized nuggets, one conversation at a time, with one slight twist. We are finally doing what we set out to do when we started: discuss the nuances of our fascinating system in "Cliff Notes" style summaries.  Yvonne Guibert and Rafael Gonzalez approach workers' comp conversations from different backgrounds. Still, they share many things in common, such as their love for family and friends, a passion for Latin culture, and good old-fashioned belly laughs. Join them as they chat with industry friends and colleagues, learn more about their roles, laugh, and have fun along the way. You might learn something along the way! See you soon! ¡Hasta pronto!

Information

  • Creator
    Yvonne Guibert & Rafael Gonzalez
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    152
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Deconstructing Comp
  • Show Website
    Deconstructing Comp

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