Meet the Masters – Unplugged and Unscripted

Want to know what separates a successful Benefits Advisor from an average one? Join us for this special 90-minute interactive Zoomcast, where you will have the opportunity to learn from the best in the business.

In this Zoomcast, you’ll gain insights on:

• How top advisors are approaching 2026 planning conversations
• What’s changing in client expectations—and how to stay ahead
• Advice for building trust and long-term value
• Open Q&A with our expert panel

Meet the Panel

Andrea Ballett

With more than forty-one years in the industry, Andrea has built a practice anchored in education, transparency, and long-term relationships. She focuses on clients with fifteen or more employees and supports organizations ranging from very small groups to those with more than six hundred employees. Andrea works primarily in the GTA, with clients in multiple provinces. Her philosophy is simple: educate clients so they can make informed decisions today and tomorrow.

Sarah Becker

Sarah brings nearly twenty-five years of experience from both regional and global advisory firms and now partners with Barill and Company. She specializes exclusively in group benefits and helps organizations create plans that balance cost sustainability, employee understanding, risk management, and program effectiveness. Sarah is known for making benefits meaningful and accessible. She contributes to HR associations, CGIB, and the National Group Benefit Meetings. Much of her work is rooted in the non-profit sector, although she thrives with any organization that values the physical, financial, and emotional wellbeing of its people.

Michael Wortsman

With more than twenty years of industry experience, Michael has dedicated his career to helping organizations support their employees with innovative benefit solutions. After joining his father in the industry, he founded The Employee Benefits Company and built a reputation for responsiveness, creativity, and deep technical knowledge. Now a founding partner at Bridgewell, Michael continues to help employers compete for talent by designing plans that meet the demands of a global workforce. He is a long-standing member of the Canadian Group Insurance Brokers, a former Manulife Small Business Advisor Panel member, and a frequent contributor to industry publications and seminars.

Dave Patriarche

Founder and Registrar of CGIB, Dave has been operating Mainstay Insurance Brokerage since 1996. His practice is focused one hundred percent on employee benefits. He works exclusively in Ontario and typically serves groups ranging from two to twenty lives, while also supporting clients with more than one hundred and fifty lives. Dave is recognized across the industry for his expertise, his work on advisory panels, and his role as an Expert Witness in employee benefit cases. He also serves on the FSRAO Technical Advisory Committee on Insurer Oversight of Managing General Agencies.

This session is presented by The Benefits Trust, Canada’s largest independent third-party administrator, ensuring you have the tools and knowledge to serve your clients better.