History, Team & Experience

Drew Skibitsky, COO

Chief Operations Officer and Partner, Drew began working with Matt in 2010 after graduating from American University, where he studied Business Administration and Spanish. When he first joined Matt’s team, it was in a period of rapid growth and in need of someone to assist with daily and long-term operations. Drew began to wear many hats within the organization and spent his time helping a diverse range of clients with their different service and operational needs. This period allowed him to learn the business from the inside out.

Since starting with MWE over seven years ago, Drew has helped the company to grow its portfolio of voluntary benefit offerings, as well as to streamline implementation processes for new clients. He enjoys the opportunity to help employees choose benefits that are tailored to their needs and sees voluntary benefits as a fantastic evolution from traditional employer-sponsored benefits.

Will Fedo, Operations Manager

Will, a long-time Baltimore resident with 30 years in the area, began his career in the insurance industry in January 2012 as an agency recruiter. He quickly transitioned to a benefits consultant role, where he specialized in designing comprehensive benefits packages for small companies. Since 2016, Will has held leadership positions at MWE, including Office Manager and Business Manager.

Recently promoted to Operations Manager, Will is focused on optimizing workplace processes, enhancing team collaboration, and ensuring seamless support for enrollment, billing, and claims. With over a decade of experience in recruitment, benefits consulting, and operational management, he continues to drive innovation and efficiency, contributing to the company’s growth and excellence in client service.

Erin Burns, Client Advocate & Marketing Associate

Erin is Maryland born and raised and graduated from the Salisbury University Perdue School of Business with a degree in marketing and communications in 2021. She joined MWE in the Spring of 2022 and began introducing MWE to social media aiming to have a larger social presence. Erin introduced MWE to platforms like Instagram to showcase the vibrant personality and comradery that drew her to MWE. She assisted Matt, Drew, and all other benefits counselors in curating eye-catching, informative, and effective enrollment marketing materials and more. In addition to marketing, Erin has recruited and helped direct our 2022 Summer Intern Program and entered her role as a benefits counselor and account manager. Erin is proud to be apart of the work that MWE does and is fulfilled in learning new skills every day.

Lori Shaddock, Group Benefits Administrator

Lori’s duties are to ensure all benefit programs are managed properly to maintain and enhance company and employee satisfaction, provide excellent customer service and quality benefits plans.

Responsible for facilitating and disseminating information about benefits programs, respond to the company and employees’ inquiries and concerns of benefits processes, update benefits information, and resolve discrepancies and disputes. Support the company’s initiatives on developing new benefits plans.

Lori started her insurance career in 2009 and joined the MWE team in 2022. With over 12 years of experience in life and health insurance, Lori has helped countless clients with plans that fit their lifestyles and give them peace of mind. Lori and her husband, Dale, have been married for over 31 years and have three terrific children: Erika, Wade, and Cole, plus a terrific son-in-law, Will. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, gardening, being with family and friend and taking her dogs Maggie and Coco for walks.

Deanna Baker, Implementation and Service Director

Since 2014, Deanna has built a career in the insurance industry, spending approximately five years on the corporate/carrier side before joining the MWE Partnership team in 2019. Her professional background also includes roles in counseling, case management, and child abuse investigation. At the heart of their work is a deep passion for advocacy and sustainability, believing in the power of creating change, regardless of the scale or subject matter.

Married since 2007 to husband, Steven, they are proud parents to four incredible children—Marcus, Phoenix, Ryely, and Orchid. Both share a strong commitment to sustainability and a desire to live off the land. In 2012, they made a bold decision to leave the bustling city life of Colorado and settle in a small Arkansas town, where they began building their homestead and family legacy. Today, they produce approximately 60% of their own food and contribute to the preservation of endangered and nearly extinct heritage breed animals, aiming to counteract the rise of mass-production genetics.

Cathlene Funk-Pauliny, Vice President of Strategic Projects

Cathlene, born and raised in Baltimore, began her career before graduating from the University of Maryland Baltimore County. Cathlene is one of our most valued assets, as she has accumulated nearly 19 years of expertise in voluntary benefits and worksite marketing. Cathlene and her husband, Todd, are the proud parents of Paige, Peyton, and Parker Edward and reside in Phoenix, Maryland. Cathlene serves on the social committee at Hillendale Country Club, as well as serving as the first female board member of the area’s premier skeet and trap club, LRSTC.

Having specialized in the field of voluntary and worksite benefits for 20 years of what will be considered the most revolutionary time in benefits history, Cathlene has forged strong, long-lasting relationships with countless business owners, advisors, and brokers. Two of her best attributes are her dedication to client satisfaction and her attention to detail.

Scott Pevenstein, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships

Scott met the MWE founder, Matt Evans, in 2010 and shortly after embarked on his voluntary benefits insurance career with Aflac. His outstanding performance earned him the 2011 U.S. Aflac Rookie of the Year award, followed by his induction into the prestigious Aflac President’s Club in 2012. Scott became a partner at MWE in 2016, where he serves as Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, a role in which his expertise and special focus on large broker partnerships and companies fuels the continued development of some of the strongest client relationships in the highly-competitive voluntary benefits landscape.

Scott is a graduate of Roanoke College, where he studied business administration. His illustrious past business endeavors include sales, management, and marketing positions, with an emphasis on strategic relationship growth in telecommunications and national beverage distribution. He then expanded his entrepreneurial career by contributing to the launches of two successful companies in the global positioning system (GPS) and information technology (IT) sectors.

Scott resides in historic Hampton in Baltimore County, Maryland with his beautiful wife Arika, young daughter Nancy Jane, and their menagerie of four-legged family members. In his spare time he volunteers with Animal Allies Rescue Foundation (AARF) and also advocates for bettering the lives of United States military veterans. An avid professional sports fan, Scott also enjoys playing golf, surfing, and keeping up his game on the courts.

Cori Whidden, Director of Contracting and Compensation

Cori entered the employee benefits industry in 2012. Cori originally started as a claim’s administrator for Aflac policyholders and expanded her role within the agency from there. Over the course of her career, Cori has developed new procedures for both corporate and individual clients with a focus on simplifying administrative processes. Cori is now responsible for processing commissions and contracting for MWE. Her attention to detail and dedication makes her an integral part of the team.

Cori was born and raised in Silver Spring, Maryland and currently resides in Smithsburg, Maryland with her husband, two children and many animals.

Glenda Barrett, Special Account Manager

Glenda has had a diverse and accomplished career, starting with executive secretarial work and bilingual accounting administration in Colombia, SA. She worked with significant entities such as the Bolívar Government and the Ministry of Transportation of Colombia, SA.

Academically, Glenda attended St. John’s College in Annapolis, MD, where she realized she wanted a more rigorous science and math curriculum and transferred to the University of Maryland. At the University of Maryland, College Park, where she graduated, she pursued dual majors: Biology as a pre-med student and Spanish Literature and Culture. After graduation, Glenda began a nursing program in 2022. However, she transitioned to join MWE in May 2023, indicating a shift in her professional focus.

On a personal note, Glenda is married, they have a son, and live in Annapolis, MD. In addition to her career and family life, Glenda enjoys traveling, dancing, and water activities in Annapolis, such as boating and sailing.

Karen Reyes, Administrative Assistant

Karen joined the employee benefits industry in November 2023, beginning her role with a focus on invoicing and bilingual enrollment support. Since then, her responsibilities have expanded to include platform assistance, quality assurance support, and operational functions across multiple areas of the organization. Academically, Karen studied Computer Science Engineering at Universidad Don Bosco in El Salvador and later completed the National External Diploma Program (NEDP) in Maryland, graduating in 2024. Her technical background allows her to approach administrative and operational tasks with a structured, analytical mindset. Karen values continuous learning and enjoys optimizing processes to support accuracy, efficiency, and organization.

Jose Gonzalez, Technology Architecture & Data Systems Manager

Jose serves as Technology Architecture & Data Systems Manager at MWE, leading the design, configuration, and execution of technology-driven systems that support benefits administration, data accuracy, and operational scalability. With a background in real-time analytics and frontline benefits operations, his experience includes workforce monitoring, agent activity analysis, and member support within regulated healthcare environments. This foundation allows systems to be built with a clear understanding of how data, processes, and day-to-day operations intersect. In this role, he oversees platform architecture and data workflows across Employee Navigator, EASE, Selerix, carrier systems, and third-party vendors. Responsibilities include system configuration, eligibility and plan structure validation, reporting frameworks, EDI and file-based integrations, ACA process execution, and the development of standardized operating procedures that support audits and data integrity. He works closely with operations, implementation, and leadership teams to ensure systems are built correctly, maintained consistently, and scaled responsibly as client needs evolve. A key focus of his work is identifying process gaps, improving data quality, and translating operational requirements into structured, repeatable technical solutions. This approach is rooted in accuracy, transparency, and continuous improvement—bridging operational insight with technical execution to support MWE’s long-term growth.

April Bock – Office Manager, Executive Administrative Assistant

BIO COMING SOON

John Leckliter, Senior Vice President- runs a Florida Based operation

The most rewarding aspect of John’s career has been the countless relationships that he has built over the years with business owners and their employees. Those relationships were built helping business owners provide a cutting edge benefits package that offers greater financial protection for their employees. He enjoys assisting their employees in selecting benefits that fit their families’ needs and helps prepare for the unexpected.

He began his career in insurance in 2004 with Aflac as a Producer. He spent 10 years of his career as a Special Projects Coordinator coordinating producers and enrollments of all sizes. He achieved President’s Club for 7 consecutive years with Aflac. He recently joined MWE where his experience and expertise in Voluntary Benefits adds great value.

John has resided in the Annapolis area for the last 30 years after moving from Prince George’s County in 1986. John loves to go to Redskins, Orioles and Washington Capitals games with his wife Michelle in his free time. He is looking forward to games with his son Camden who was born in 2016. John is a sports enthusiast, running one Fantasy Football League each year and participating in Fantasy sports year round. He also referees youth and high school football.

Sarah Robertson, Senior Vice President

Sarah was born and raised in Greenbelt, Maryland and began her career in 2001 as a marketing intern for Aflac. Sarah has a degree in Business Administration and graduated cum laude from Towson University in 2002. Sarah has 15 years of experience with business-to-business (b2b) sales, marketing, broker development, sales management, and providing clients and employees with exceptional customer service and expert benefit knowledge of the supplemental voluntary benefits market. Sarah is an elite member of Aflac’s President’s Club.

Sarah manages a team of top producers which include her husband, brother-in-law, mother, and several close family friends. Sarah recently married her husband, Jason, in October 2016. In her spare time, Sarah loves to travel the world and spend time long-distance running. She has completed two JFK 50-mile ultra-marathons. She volunteers and mentors at-risk youth and women who are recovering from addiction. Sarah currently lives in West River with her husband, Jason, son, Lewis and their two French bulldogs, Frankie and Dolly.

Melissa Lynch, Assistant Vice President

Melissa graduated from Towson University in 2006 with a degree in mass communications and marketing. At the same time, she also began an internship with The MWE Partnership, which kicked off her career in the voluntary benefits marketplace.

Melissa currently manages over 300 payroll accounts, ranging from small employer groups to large corporate entities. Throughout her time with The MWE Partnership, Melissa has been involved in all aspects of the business, including but not limited to broker relations and the marketing, servicing, and implementation for our clients. Melissa enjoys living in Annapolis with her husband Chaz and golden retriever Reagan.

Laura Roettger, Assistant Vice President

Laura received her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from West Virginia University and her Master’s Degree in education from University of North Florida. She recently moved to Maryland with her husband Daniel, to be closer to family. Laura started her career with MWE in 2019 and brings with her 15 years of education experience. She thoroughly enjoys educating individuals on voluntary benefits and helping them find the right policies for their family. Laura enjoys playing USTA tennis and going to Ravens and Orioles games.

Cara Skibitsky, Senior Benefit Consultant

Cara Skibitsky graduated from Texas Christian University in 2011 and joined MWE in 2021 bringing 10 years of strategic communications experience in luxury retail and food and beverage industries. She enjoys strategizing with business owners on the solutions available through the voluntary benefits landscape and educating employees on the coverages most helpful to them. As a Midwesterner from St. Louis, Missouri, Cara appreciates the water views and ‘Hon’ hospitality in Baltimore, where she resides with her husband Drew and their Black Mouth Cur, Tillie.

Ray Spresser, Benefits Consultant

Began work with MWE in Sept 2018. Retired from the U. S. Postal Service after 40+ years creditable government service (combination of military and Postal Service). Spent 14 years as a Letter Carrier and 22 years in Management. Managed the Loch Raven, Dundalk, Parkville and Hamilton Post Offices. U.S. Navy Veteran. Background actor for House of Cards (Seasons 2-6), VEEP (Season 3), and Homeland (Season 7).

Susan McDaniel, Senior Benefits Consultant

Susan was born and raised in the Baltimore area and graduated from University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh with a degree in Psychology. She has been in the insurance industry, focusing on voluntary benefits since 2013 joining MWE at the beginning of 2017. Susan goes above and beyond to build and maintain relationships with clients while being dedicated to continuing to increase business accounts. She takes pride in working with and educating clients to figure out their voluntary benefit needs.

In her spare time, Susan is an avid traveler, enjoys spending time with family and friends and participating in Baltimore City social sports leagues.

Stephen J. Salamon, Senior Benefits Consultant & Trainer

Steve has 43 years of experience in the insurance industry. Over that time, he has worked for two major insurance companies as a Group Representative and for 28 years, he owned The Salamon Agency, a health insurance & employee benefit agency.

Over the years, he has served the industry with countless hours of volunteer work. His positions and awards include:
*Local, State and National Legislative Chairman for The National Association of Health Underwriters, NAHU, 1994, 1995 & 2000.
*Baltimore Association of Health Underwriters, BAHU, “Person of the Year”, 1997 & 2015.
*Maryland Association of Health Underwriters, MAHU, Hall of Fame, 2008.
*Chairman of The Maryland Health Care Commission, MHCC, appointed by Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., 2004-2007.

Besides serving his clients, Steve brings a wealth of industry knowledge and experience to the MWE team by training new Benefit Counselors on the dynamics of Group Insurance and how our Voluntary Benefits blend in to serve MWE clients.

Personally, Steve is most proud of his 3 adult children, Michael, James & Julia, along with his 6 grandchildren, Jack, Lila, Caroline, Colin, Cameron & Caden. His favorite pastime is watching Major League Baseball, especially The Baltimore Orioles.