Dede Kennedy-Simington is known nationally for her expertise in the field of employee benefits, health insurance, and healthcare financing reform.

With her focus on personalized service, and her highly recognized speaking and communication skills, she is a seasoned speaker amassing over 30 years of experience in the health benefits space.

Having served as past president of the Los Angeles Association of Health Underwriters (LAAHU) and member of the LAAHU Speakers Bureau,  Dede won the 2010 Paladin Award recipient for Insurance Person of the Year while there.

Also, a member of the national Leading Producer Roundtable and a Certified Healthcare Reform Specialist, Dede was awarded the 2015 California Association of Health Underwriters’ highest honor – Member of the Year; and, again in 2016, the National Association of Health Underwriters Distinguished Service Award.

With a degree in Rhetoric and Communications from the University of Oregon, Dede is currently serving as the Media Relations Chair for LAAHU. Having lobbied healthcare reform extensively in Washington DC and Sacramento for the past 19 years, she has been interviewed by the LA Times, Kaiser Health News, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, KABC, KCAL9, KCBS, KNX FM, KPCC (SoCal NPR affiliate), KCRW, on AirTalk with Larry Mantle, as well as Spanish radio. A true educator, known for her engaging and heartfelt presentation style, Dede has an exceptional ability to explain complex legislative, regulatory and industry concepts, trends, idiosyncrasies and recommendations in plain and easy-to-understand language.