Employee of the Month
Learn More About our 2026 Stand Out Associates!
Jackie joined DBS as a member of the Case Coordination team in June of 2023.
Jackie consistently demonstrates professionalism and collaboration when supporting advisors and internal partners. She approaches challenges with a positive attitude, communicates effectively, and is dependable when priorities shift or urgent needs arise. The month of August was especially busy for the Case Coordination team with the combination of Abby out, Crystal more involved with AppVantage and an increase in calls and support. The entire team stepped up their efforts, but Jackie especially has gone above and beyond.
Jackie contributes to a productive team environment by sharing knowledge and assisting others when needed, and she maintains a strong focus on delivering quality results and a commitment to customer service.
An advisor’s assistant recently had this to say about Jackie when she called in for help:
“Life insurance applications have stressed me out in the past. Typically, someone else in our office handles them but she was out so I took it on. My call with Jackie lasted almost an hour but she was very patient with me, even when she had to run an additional quote. She never made me feel like I was bothering her or inconveniencing her in any way, and she gave me all the help I needed during that call. She absolutely went above and beyond and asked about a lot of the information I didn’t know we needed. It wasn’t so stressful with Jackie’s help!”
We also heard this about Jackie from her manager:
“Jackie remains steady and calm, even when the pressure is higher. She is determined to find answers and get to the bottom of any issue rather than leaving questions unresolved, and she strives to get things done efficiently and correctly the first time.”
This is Jackie’s first Employee of the Month win! We are so happy to have her as a part of our DBS TEAM! Congratulations, Jackie!
JACKIE MILLER
CRYSTAL HARWARD
Crystal joined DBS in July of 2024 as a Sales and Marketing Support Specialist. In her role she has had the opportunity to support a wide range of key initiatives for the firm including: supporting Bill Brauer’s Premium finance business, Case Design, Marketing, Onboarding, and most recently AppVantage.
Before joining DBS, Crystal held roles in compliance and licensing, where she developed expertise in regulatory compliance, bookkeeping, and data management. Her attention to detail and passion for process improvement continue to serve her well in every role she takes on.
At DBS, Crystal has consistently demonstrated a willingness to step up wherever needed. Her role has expanded significantly since she joined the company, and with every new responsibility, she finds ways to create efficiencies and add value beyond expectations.
Most recently, Crystal stepped in to handle the AppVantage program while a team member is on maternity leave, where we heard this about her:
“Crystal has first risen to the challenge and then has gone above and beyond. She jumped into AppVantage and not only has she filled the gap left by Abby’s leave, but she has made improvements by adding reporting information that will allow us to track certain trends and flows. She is dedicated to getting answers and ensuring that the information is right the first time.”
This is Crystal’s first Employee of the Month win! We are so happy to have her as a part of our DBS TEAM! Congratulations, Crystal!
Gail joined DBS in October of 2015 as a member of the “Trad Team” and is a Senior Case Manager on the East Coast Team. Prior to joining DBS she had been with SBIA.
Over Gail’s nearly 11 years here at DBS, she’s seen a lot of change, with advisor changes, state changes, and this year, moving all of New Jersey over to her case sort. She always remains confident and calm when tasked with a new case load or challenge, and with those New Jersey advisors being quite similar to New York advisors, she handles all those relationships with ease.
One of our advisors recently had this to say about Gail:
“Gail has a calm and professional demeanor. You guys are like the wizard behind the curtain, and always make the magic happen somehow. You do something really quick and it always works. Always amazes me.”
Another advisor stated:
“Thank you for all your good work on these cases. It means a great deal to me.”
And finally, another advisor simply stated:
“Gail is fantastic.”
This is Gail’s third Employee of the Month win! We are so happy to have her as a part of our DBS TEAM! Congratulations, Gail!
GAIL BURKHARDT
LIESL SCHILLE
Liesl Schille joined DBS in June of 2024 and is an Inforce Case Manager on the Support & Services Team. She has been instrumental to furthering our Conversion Program and keeping current on inforce requests.
She has built her insurance knowledge base quickly, shares resources with others, and remains flexible each day to the needs of the organization. Liesl is always willing to help her team members when volumes rise and really digs in on any project presented to her.
Liesl recently went above and beyond on a call and here is a bit more: “Liesl took an overflow call from a key executive who had been receiving dissatisfying service from another BGA. She provided a great sense of urgency, compiled his asks, and she provided that information to the appropriate team members internally. We are now having renewed conversations with this key account, and Liesl’s ability to handle the initial conversation created a great launching point for our sales team.”
One of her co-workers had this to share: “Liesl has truly shown what an asset she is to our team since we have been down a team member. She is always willing to take time out of her day to answer any and all of my questions. She is a gem to work with!”
This is Liesl’s first Employee of the Month win! We are truly blessed to have her be a part of our DBS TEAM!
Jeni joined DBS in December of 2019 and is a Senior Case Manager on the Western Case Management Team where she handles both perm and term cases. Prior to joining DBS Jeni had been with ING/VOYA/Cognizant for 12 years where she was a Case Manager and Conversions Specialist.
Jeni has an even-keeled disposition, which is a great trait to have in the case management world, as our customers aren’t always so even-keeled! Her calm demeanor can really make a fired-up agent simmer down. She thinks outside the box to move her cases along and has built strong relationships with so many of her advisors and advisor groups. She consistently receives fantastic feedback on our surveys. Last month, an Insurance Specialist for one of Jeni’s advisor groups provided these comments concerning 3 of his placed cases: Jeni Miller = 2026 MVP!
There is nobody better than Jeni Miller. We have 20 advisors and are in the process of merging with another 20 advisors so we’d like to submit 40 votes for Jeni as MVP for 2026! Jeni continues to dominate and go above and beyond for us on a daily basis. We would not be able to scale and provide as professional a client experience without Jeni’s superior assistance – she is second to none! Thank you Jeni! Jeni Miller is the absolute best!
Another advisor had this to say: “Everyone from DBS is extremely knowledgeable, timely, and helpful, but specifically, Jeni Miller stands out.”
Internally, she is known for her excellence as well. Tiffany Gross echoes that Jeni is calm, cool, and collected. She also appreciates that Jeni doesn’t forget the “nitty gritty” items that can happen during the underwriting of an application. When Jeni refers a case to the underwriting team, she provides extra pertinent details so the underwriters don’t have to dig through the case comments and requirements. It is so helpful!
JENI MILLER
KELLI DAVISON
Kelli joined DBS in March of 2020 and recently celebrated her 6-year anniversary with DBS. She is a valued member of our East Coast Case Management Team, and supports advisors across seven states with consistency and professionalism.
Kelli’s supervisor, Alison Bagwill, often refers to her as “the calm in the storm” because she has a remarkable ability to remain composed and solutions-focused, even in challenging situations. Recently, Kelli navigated several particularly tough cases with advisors who were understandably frustrated. Through her patience, clear communication, and strong follow-up, she ensured that the advisors received the information they needed, kept cases moving forward, and successfully prevented situations that could have become more escalated.
Her exceptional work has not gone unnoticed. An advisor recently shared the following feedback to Alison:
“I wanted to take a second to brag about Kelli. I have been with Ameriprise for a little over a year and she has been stupendous. I know I must have asked her the same question a dozen times, and she is always quick to respond, to the point, and super helpful. I’ve been in the industry for over 18 years and know that is not always the case when working with our insurance partners.
I was going to have lunch sent to her via DoorDash, but I was told she does remote work most of the time, so I figured I would message you and recommend a 15% raise going forward 😊. Customer service like this usually starts at the top, so props to you as well.”
Another advisor had this to say about Kelli’s impact:
“Kelli has been truly exceptional at helping our team close two $5 million key person insurance policies. She has been incredible with communication and always goes the extra mile. She is an amazing asset to our team—always available, always willing to help, and perfect with follow-up. She never seems too busy and is very empathetic.”
Kelli, thank you for your dedication, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to our advisors and DBS. Your work truly makes a difference.
John has been with us since September 2013 and has been steadily building and strengthening his region ever since. Back in 2021 he crushed his sales goals, earning both the Growth Trophy and the Production Trophy. AND, he joined the Million Dollar Club. In 2024 he expanded his territory to include Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana, quickly building strong relationships across all three states. This year he’s keeping that momentum going, currently sitting at Number 2 for the Sales Trophy and closing in on $1 million in pending business. He’s on track to beat last year’s numbers by a wide margin, so he’s the one to watch in 2026!
John takes a personal, hands‑on approach with every advisor he supports, helping them navigate both their life insurance needs and their broader book of business. At conferences, top advisors treat him like a bit of a rock star because they know he consistently delivers. He’s also great in front of a crowd, bringing confidence and an easygoing presence to every presentation. What really makes John stand out is that he is just an incredible teammate. At the DBS National Sales Meetings, he’s always willing to share the personal habits and routines that help him succeed, and he’s just as eager to learn from others. He genuinely wants to hear what’s working for his peers so he can sharpen his own approach.
He also consistently collaborates with our dedicated teams, underwriting, advanced sales, marketing, case management – really everywhere across the organization to showcase everyone’s talents and ultimately give customers the best possible experience. An advisor made a point of reaching out this month to say how impressed he was with John’s work on a case, adding, “John Roe is the best.” Most recently, John brought in two major accounts—key wins for our growth and diversification strategy. He identified the opportunities and partnered closely with our internal teams to ensure a smooth onboarding process, showing exactly how he approaches shared goals.
JOHN ROE
DAWN GOSS
Dawn is an absolute rock star on the team. She is frequently nominated for her standout performance and for consistently delivering exceptional service to our customers. Each month, she tackles multiple complex licensing items with confidence and accuracy, all while taking on extra projects—and doing everything at impressive speed.
Dawn is also a wonderful resource for the team, clearly documenting process updates, and ensuring that changes are communicated and understood. Over the years, she has taken the time to train many employees and is always willing to lend a hand to others. Most recently, Dawn partnered on a project with one of our biggest customers to help streamline their advisor licensing review process. The group was highly impressed with her expertise, responsiveness, and willingness to jump in and help. Here’s what they shared with us:
“Dawn, THANK YOU!!!!! You are incredible to provide this to us! This will be a tremendous help to stay ahead of licensing issues. Thanks again Dawn, you are the best!!!”
Also, Dawn has been an incredible asset to our ongoing initiative of minimizing the volume of inforce correspondence being sent to the DBS Home Office. Here’s what they shared: “Dawn has taken the lead in communicating with key contacts at the carriers. We’ve seen a dramatic decrease in paper communication, which is a great step towards improving our efficiency and providing better customer service. Additionally, we had a significant win this month with a major carrier. They have now agreed to reroute their communication straight to the advisor! Thanks, Dawn, for your persistence!”
Dawn has been with DBS since June 2010 and has been named the Employee of the Month an impressive SIX times, making her one of the most recognized employees since the program began. She earned the distinction in May 2014, March 2016, September 2019, February 2022, June 2024, and was also named Employee of the year in 2019.
