TRICIA MATSON

Specialty: Life

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WHY DID YOU BECOME AN ACTUARY?

I decided to become an actuary late in college, based on my interest in math. It seemed like an interesting, challenging career choice; I’m so glad I made that decision.

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DESCRIBE A CHALLENGE YOU HAVE OVERCOME.

Early in my career, I faced a particularly thorny professionalism challenge. I felt that someone I worked with—someone who was a supervisor—was acting unethically. I first spoke with the supervisor and when that did not go well, I reached out to both an internal ethics group as well as the Actuarial Board for Counseling and Discipline (ABCD) for advice. It’s a good reminder—the ABCD is there to help. 

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WHAT DO YOU ENJOY THE MOST ABOUT BEING AN ACTUARY?

I enjoy many aspects of actuarial work, but one I particularly love is helping others solve complex problems in a quantitative way. There’s just something about unpacking convoluted questions as a group—I find it immensely satisfying.

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SHARE SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF.

I don’t spend all of my time in the office, of course. I spend a lot of time with my family; I also enjoy CrossFit and running.

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WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU SHARE WITH YOUNG ACTUARIES?

When younger actuaries ask me for advice, I always tell them the same thing: Study hard early and get those exams out of the way. They open a lot of doors!