Meet our leadership team

Andy Nelson was named President of TRANZACT in 2016 and has been a senior executive with the company since 2003. He was an early partner in TRANZACT and was a member of the management team that grew and developed the business from its inception to over $500 million in revenue and 2,500 employees. Mr. Nelson served as Head of BDA as well as TRANZACT’s President while at Willis Towers Watson.

Mr. Nelson has spent his entire career in direct-to-consumer marketing and has deep expertise in the insurance industry. Mr. Nelson serves on the Board of Directors for both Consumer Cellular and Tivity Health.

WHAT "BE REAL" MEANS TO ANDY

To “BE REAL,” you must be authentic and candid, hold yourself responsible for your own actions, address things heads on, create clarity and never leave things unsettled.

Mitch is the Chief Operating Officer at TRANZACT and is one of the company’s founders. He has more than 25 years of experience in business, marketing, operations, and legal work. Before TRANZACT, Mitch graduated from Emory University with a BBA and completed his law degree from George Washington University Law School. He then practiced corporate law for several years. Later, Mitch took on the role of Senior Vice President for Paradigm Direct which became Mosaic Performance Solutions of North America and eventually in 2003, TRANZACT. Since 2003, he has led TRANZACT through multiple acquisitions and continues to provide thoughtful leadership and operations across our three core pillars of business: Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, and Life Insurance.

Mitch is originally from Miami Beach and has remained loyal to his favorite Miami teams, especially the Dolphins, throughout the years. He currently resides in New Jersey with his wife Marci, their two daughters, and adorable dog Bruno. Mitch is an active philanthropist in the greater NJ community, and he enjoys spending his weekends playing golf with his buddies. He hopes to play at the Top 20 golf courses in his lifetime and is halfway there with 10 completed already.

WHAT "BE REAL" MEANS TO MITCH

“BE REAL” means being authentic while treating people with the utmost respect.

Michael Akrop is the Chief Financial Officer of TRANZACT and has extensive experience in the direct-to-consumer retail space. He has led the Finance organizations and held senior executive roles for various ecommerce companies including Zappos.com, Vroom, and Leesa Sleep. He helped lead the successful acquisition and subsequent integration of Zappos by Amazon in 2010 and continued to grow the business over the course of his 10 years with the company. Most recently, as CEO, Michael helped build Leesa Sleep, a premium direct to consumer mattress brand, into a recognized leader in the category. In 2023 he led Leesa to a successful exit in a sale to 3Z Brands, a vertically integrated mattress company with a portfolio of premiere brands. Michael has a passion for brand building and helping companies achieve scale, all while focusing on company culture and employee engagement.

Michael lives in New York with his wife and enjoys traveling, cycling, and spending time outdoors in the Adirondacks. He is lifelong Chicago Cubs fan and always roots for his alma mater, the Indiana Hoosiers.

WHAT "BE REAL" MEANS TO MICHAEL

To “BE REAL” means bringing the best version of yourself everyday while being true to yourself and those around you. It requires a promise to deliver on the commitments you have made to others and to hold yourself accountable for your actions with the utmost integrity.

Jake Davidow is the Chief Marketing Officer. Prior to joining TRANZACT, Jake worked at Guaranteed Rate where he headed up Performance Marketing for Consumer Direct and spent 10 years at JP Morgan Chase where he had several roles, most notably building the in-house marketing agency that serviced all line of businesses. Before joining the bank Jake worked in paid search and SEO at media agencies in London and New York where he had P&G as a client.

Jake is originally from South Africa and graduated from the University of South Africa with a degree in law and criminology. He lives in Morganville, New Jersey with his wife, three children and dog.

His passions outside of work include CrossFit, getting outside as much as possible and living vicariously through his children.

WHAT "BE REAL" MEANS TO JAKE

To BE REAL means to be true to who you are and those who are around you. It allows us to be honest and forces us to look at success and failure without ego. To BE REAL opens us to being vulnerable – it exposes who we are and what we believe. To BE REAL is to act with kindness, respect and integrity, so that everyone feels safe being real too.

Cameron leads the technology teams at TRANZACT. With a 25-year career overseeing the design, build, operation, and growth of innovative telephonic, agent-desktop, and web-based tools, Cameron has been a pioneer in helping health plan enrollees obtain optimal insurance coverage.

Before joining TRANZACT, Cameron spent 12 yrs as the head of product & technology within the Benefits Delivery & Administration segment of WTW. He was also one of the founders of the Medicare enrollment services startup, Extend Health.

Cameron resides in Park City, Utah, with his three teenage children. Together, they regularly enjoy skiing, biking, and water/wake sports—taking full advantage of their proximity to the mountains and local lakes.

WHAT "BE REAL" MEANS TO CAMERON

To “BE REAL,” means to exercise intention and personal integrity in all interactions.

Laurie joined TRANZACT in 2014. Prior to joining TRANZACT, Laurie practiced law at two Am Law 100 law firms. Laurie currently serves as the President of the Insurance Advertising Compliance Association (IAdCA).

Laurie earned her J.D., magna cum laude, from Brooklyn Law School and her B.A. from SUNY Albany. She lives in Oceanport, NJ with her 2 sons and rescue dog and enjoys participating in triathlons in her free time.

WHAT "BE REAL" MEANS TO LAURIE

“Be Real” means having the freedom to be yourself without fear of judgment or rejection. It requires us to accept that no one is perfect and that, together, we can learn and grow into the best versions of ourselves.

Tatsiana is the Chief Accounting Officer at TRANZACT and has been with the company since 2008. Before joining TRANZACT, Tatsiana earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Suffolk University in Boston and worked in public accounting. She is also licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in New York. Tatsiana currently resides in New Jersey with her husband Erick of 17 years and their two children. In her free time, Tatsiana enjoys running, cooking, and going on adventures with her family and friends. She also volunteers in the Northern NJ communities whenever she can.

WHAT "BE REAL" MEANS TO TATSIANA

To “BE REAL” is to stand by your decisions and actions while staying curious and being open to other perspectives. “BE REAL” means to be honest and fair at the same time.

Justin is a senior leader who has been with the company since 2000. Over his 20+ year career, he has had several roles that have included managing client relationships, leading our sales organization, and most recently as head of our third-party strategic partnerships. Justin lives in Tampa, FL, with his wife, three children, and their dog Ollie. Justin enjoys spending time with his family, traveling, and playing golf in his free time.

WHAT "BE REAL" MEANS TO JUSTIN

To “BE REAL” means to speak your truth because you care enough about others to be authentic with them. To “be unstoppable” means a tireless pursuit of making something happen because it matters. It’s an attitude more than an action.

Amy joined TRANZACT in 2005 and is currently the Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Chief of Staff. Before TRANZACT, she graduated from the State University of New York at Albany and spent 10 years working in the direct-to-consumer space.

Amy lives in New York with her husband, two sons, and Marty the dog.

WHAT "BE PASSIONATE" MEANS TO AMY

“BE PASSIONATE” means always striving to perform at your highest level to drive top-quality work and exceptional results.

David is TRANZACT’s Chief Administration Officer, and adds 25 years of direct marketing technology, business, and operations experience to our leadership team. David holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Colorado College and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix. He enjoys primarily residing in Miami, FL as well as Fort Lee, NJ. David is married, has two adult children, and enjoys running, exercising, and traveling.

WHAT "BE DIRECT" MEANS TO DAVID

“BE DIRECT” means consistently interacting and leading with clarity, intention, and honesty to help foster trust and effective listening skills. The challenge is to BE DIRECT even during our most difficult conversation(s) which is essential for TRANZACT’s continued growth. So, BE DIRECT with respect.

Kelly officially joined the TRANZACT team in 2025 after 25 years with WTW, TRANZACT’s former owner. At WTW, Kelly held a variety of Human Resources Advisory and Operations roles across various businesses. Most recently, she led Human Resources for WTW’s Benefits, Delivery, and Administration segment, which included the TRANZACT business.

Kelly graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in accounting and had a short accounting career before transitioning to Human Resources.

Kelly lives in Chicago, IL, with her husband, two sons (when they are home from college), and two dogs. She is an avid gardener and loves spending any free time in the mountains of Colorado.

WHAT "BE REAL" MEANS TO KELLY

To BE REAL means fostering an environment where vulnerability, empathy and honesty are paramount to transparency and growth, and it encourages meaningful conversations, sharing of perspectives and respect.

Michele is a Senior Vice President at TRANZACT overseeing the Life and Supplemental business segment. She has over 20 years of experience in direct-to-consumer marketing and sales across several lines of business. Before joining TRANZACT, Michele worked at LCS/Client Logic Solutions developing and managing loyalty and continuity programs for consumer goods and service-based offerings. Michele holds a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Rutgers University and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix. Michele lives in NJ and enjoys traveling and spending time with her family.

WHAT "BE AUTHENTIC" MEANS TO MICHELE

To “BE AUTHENTIC” means being true to yourself and others and doing so with a high degree of integrity and respect.

Joanne spent the first seven years of her career as an attorney specializing in commercial litigation. From there, she joined a boutique consulting firm specializing in large capital breakthrough projects, executive coaching, and the development and delivery of bespoke leadership development programs for Fortune 500 companies predominately in the energy sector. After several years Joanne became the Business Leader for the Americas Group and ultimately the COO for the company. During her leadership tenure, she guided and led the team to deliver on their breakthrough targets for 9 out of 10 years. She then joined Tranzact in 2017 and created a performance management focus, providing in-house coaching, development, and creation of initiatives designed to enable best practices in various business areas, often around culture, vibe and innovation.

Joanne splits her time between New Jersey and Houston, Texas, is a swimmer, runner, and cyclist, participating in many marathons and triathlons, and is an avid reader and golfer.

WHAT "BE REAL" MEANS TO JOANNE

Being authentic and direct makes Tranzact a unique company—our culture is evident throughout the entire organization and contributes to our success. Having worked with hundreds of companies throughout the years, I have never seen a company live its values more than Tranzact.

Corey joined the TRANZACT team in 2020 as Chief Technology Officer. Corey has over 15 years of experience in the technology and insurance industries. Before TRANZACT, Corey served as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army working as an aircraft mechanic. Upon leaving the Army, Corey attended and graduated from Neumont University, where he began his focus on technology and software development. After school, Corey started with and later led teams as VP of Engineering at ExtendHealth and later HealthMine.

Corey lives in Ridgewood, NJ with his two children that are beginning college and starting their professional careers. He loves to hike and snowboard with his children whenever he can.

While he won’t call himself an avid golfer, he’s enjoyed the sport for most of his life and continues to play with marginal success.

WHAT "BE REAL" MEANS TO COREY

“BE REAL” means to say what’s on your mind, even when the conversation can be challenging or not well received. It also means that it’s safe for others to do the same without concern for their safety. It requires being genuine, operating with a strong sense of integrity, and personal responsibility.

Brian is a Senior Vice President at TRANZACT and has been responsible for the Medicare Advantage Business since 2018. He joined TRANZACT in 2013 and has spent time working to improve the business across all 3 verticals (Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement, and Life & Supplemental Insurance) as well as leading the Optimization team. Previous to TRANZACT Brian spent 13 years in the consulting business working for Accenture and Slalom Consulting. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics from Mary Washington University and a master’s degree in business administration from Cornell.

Brian lives in Montville, NJ with his wife of 15 years, their two children, and their dog Koda. As an avid sports fan who enjoys the outdoors, Brian’s favorite sports include golf, rugby, skiing, and any other sport he can play with his children. As a spectator, he is a diehard New York Jets and Yankees fan.

WHAT "BE REAL" MEANS TO BRIAN

To “BE REAL,” encompasses being authentic, tackling difficult issues and conversations head-on while providing clarity and transparency. It is the lifeblood of TRANZACT and what makes us unique.

Sarah Sherman is the Senior Vice President of Finance at TRANZACT and has been with the company since 2018. Before joining TRANZACT, Sarah worked as an Investment Banking Associate in Morgan Stanley’s Media & Telecommunications group. She received her MBA at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. Before starting at Darden, Sarah worked as a Senior Consultant with Navigant Consulting, Inc. in Washington DC, focusing on forensic accounting and international arbitration. Sarah completed her undergraduate degree at UVa’s McIntire School of Commerce in 2010.

WHAT "BE UNSTOPPABLE" MEANS TO SARAH

“BEING UNSTOPPABLE” means the ability to persevere in the face of adversity by thinking creatively, working collaboratively, and maintaining a “whatever it takes” attitude.

Michael Wolkonowski is the Head of Sales for TRANZACT and has been with the company for 8 years. He has over 16 years of sales experience in the direct-to-consumer insurance space and has held several positions with the company from Sales Manager, Sales Director, Senior Sales Director, and now his current role. Before joining TRANZACT Michael worked as a Sales Manager for Allstate Insurance and helped launch multiple Life and Property and Casualty insurance programs. He has a passion for developing people, driving results, and creating a culture, and vibe, that is unmatched.

Michael lives in Davidson, NC, with his wife and two children. They have three dogs and seven fish. Michael loves taking family trips, exercising, competing in everything with his twin brother, and relaxing with his family.

WHAT "BE REAL" MEANS TO MICHAEL

“BE REAL” means caring about your colleagues enough to share authentic feedback with them. This type of person understands the value of positive or constructive contributions, and how they benefit the individual and TRANZACT.