Maria Ferrante-Shepis

Maria Ferrante-Schepis is bent on helping the insurance and financial services industries reinvent the future before someone else does it for them. With 20+ years of experience as an executive for large insurance brands, Maria has always been interested in what consumers want and how they behave. Yet, she would remain frustrated by the general lack of consumer focus and the lost opportunity that results from it. In 'Flirting with the Uninterested", she and her co-author tackle the difficult subject of innovation in a product category that is traditionally "sold versus bought". Convinced that this paradigm is shifting, Maria makes some bold assertions, culminating in a variety of different visions for a future that doesn't exist yet.

Maria is the Managing Principal for Insurance and Financial Services Innovation at Maddock Douglas, an internationally recognized agency of innovation services located in Elmhurst, Illinois. Previous to her current role, she held officer roles in marketing for a number of leading insurance and financial services companies including Guardian and Prudential.

She holds an MBA from Hofstra University.

Maria is also a trained musician (vocalist and flute player), and had a brief encounter with the stand-up comedy scene in New York City. While brick walls and microphones are not in her future, she still uses the skills she learned at the Manhattan Comedy School for her keynote speeches and other public speaking opportunities.

Maria lives with her husband Jim in Jersey City, NJ.