NAFA Annuity Leadership Forum Speakers

Keynote Speaker

Douglas Brinkley is the Katherine Tsanoff Brown Chair in Humanities and Professor of History at Rice University. Additionally, he is a frequent contributor to CNN, CBS and MSNBC as a Presidential Historian. He works in many capacities in public history, including museums, colleges, and historical societies and is a contributing editor to Vanity Fair. The Chicago Tribune dubbed him “America’s New Past Master.” The New-York Historical has chosen Brinkley as their official U.S. Presidential Historian.

Brinkley has authored five books and received two Grammy Awards, one for Presidential Suite (large jazz band ensemble) and for Fandango at the Wall (best Latin Jazz) as well eight honorary doctorates in American Studies. His two-volume annotated The Nixon Tapes won the Arthur S. Link – Warren F. Kuehl Prize. Brinkley is a board member of the National Archives Foundation, the James Madison Council of the Library of Congress, the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and a member of the Council of Foreign Relations.

Featured Speakers

Becky Ruby Swansburg spent her early career working in Congress and the White House, assisting government leaders with some of the most pressing issues facing our nation. Her work on tax policy and America’s savings habits turned her attention toward the urgent needs of today’s retirees. Becky brings her policy background and extensive communication knowledge as co-author of The New Holistic Retirement, The No-Compromise Retirement Plan, a book heralded across the industry as insightful, impactful and most of all — enjoyable to read.

Becky is currently CEO of Stonewood Financial, bringing more than a decade of experience in public relations and communication across a range of industries in the for-profit, non-profit and government sectors to her work. Prior to joining Stonewood, Becky headed communications for economic development organizations, U.S. Congressmen and government agencies, and has worked in the White House Press Office in Washington, D.C.

Cliff Andrews has more than 20 years of political experience as a federal legislative strategist and advocate. He heads CapCity Advocates, LLC, a federal government relations business that he started in 2004. He offers extensive experience in legislative issues management and coalition management for trade associations and corporations. In particular, he consults with clients on advocacy plans, legislative and regulatory conferences and fly-ins, policy paper and testimony preparation, policy issue monitoring, grassroots and grasstops development, PAC strategy, and building strategic relationships with third-party groups.

In the past, Cliff served as the Director of Government Relations for Butera & Andrews, a Washington D.C. law firm, and at one time was a staffer for Senator Harry Reid. He also worked in the financial services sector for Equitable and New York Life, where he secured investments and insurance for small businesses and families.

Chuck DiVencenzo is the President and CEO of NAFA, overseeing the association’s efforts to promote and expand the utilization of fixed and fixed index annuity products through independent distribution. His work on advocacy at the state and federal levels, thought leadership, consumer education efforts and commitment to industry best practices have aided product acceptance and industry growth.

Prior to joining NAFA, Chuck was vice president at Allianz Life of North America, where he served as a national spokesperson on topics including taxation, retirement, social security, asset protection and other relevant issues. He also worked closely with the actuarial, sales and legal departments to develop content and product, and to deliver thought leadership to wholesalers and distribution partners. Formerly, he served as the COO/CMO of Paradigm Capital Management and senior vice president in Hartford Life’s Investment Products Division. Chuck has also held positions in academia, practiced tax and ERISA law, and began his career as a consultant with Ernst & Young.