Profile

Melissa Diaz

Director of Risk Management,
University of San Francisco

Contact Details

University of San Francisco

   

 

Bio

Melissa has 20 years of risk management experience. As the Director of Risk Management, Melissa is responsible for identifying and evaluating key risk areas across the University. She partners with University department business groups in identifying and evaluating risk through risk-based control assessments and provides recommendations for proposed control enhancements. She also assists in the management of the University insurance portfolio and loss prevention efforts. Melissa has been an active member of URMIA since 2011 after she attended her first annual conference in Portland, OR. She was a member of the Membership Committee for a number of years, leading the ""Connect 1-2-3"" initiative and has assisted in the planning and presenting during the First Timer / New Member session during the Annual Conference. Melissa began her insurance career in 2002 with a national temporary housing company, relocating displaced homeowners with notable nationwide insurance carriers. Here she helped relocate over 350 families following the 2004 San Diego wildfires. In 2007, she continued her passion in the risk and emergency services field with a large, national restoration company. That very year another catastrophic firestorm hit San Diego where she assisted in the disaster recovery of hundreds of homes and businesses. In 2012 Melissa moved to San Francisco to work for a large, bay area based restoration firm. Melissa was a key member of the Catastrophe Team, assisting in her firm’s recovery efforts for commercial clients affected by Hurricane Sandy. Prior to USF, Melissa worked with Alliant Insurance Services brokerage. There she served as a broker for the California State University Risk Management Authority (CSURMA), which included 23 campuses and over 90 auxiliaries. Melissa also oversaw the marketing efforts for CAPS-SIG, a self-insurance workers’ compensation group for nonprofit private schools in California. She also provided training and marketing for Alliant’s Cyber Liability Insurance Program. Melissa holds designations such as a Commercial Lines Coverage Specialist (CLCS) and her Associate in Risk Management (ARM) designation. Melissa is originally from Palm Springs, California. She currently lives in Santa Fe, NM and works remotely for USF. Melissa graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of San Diego and studied abroad in Madrid, Spain. Melissa obtained her MBA from the University of San Francisco in 2018. Outside of work, Melissa enjoys playing piano, attending live music, yoga, running, spinning, hiking, cooking, golfing, and spending time with her black lab, Bean Burrito. She is a world traveler, always wondering where her next international trip may be.