our Team
Our underwriters understand the E&S Property market and aim to develop deep relationships with a limited number of brokers.
Underwriting Team:
Kiley O’Connell
Chief Executive Officer
Kiley is the CEO and a founding member of Lynx Specialty. He previously held roles in underwriting, business development, and management with Fortune 500 insurance carriers. Most recently he served as CUO of Specialty Property for The Hanover Insurance Group, which included oversight of their E&S, Programs, and Industrial Property books of business. Previous officer level roles included VP, Head of E&S Property for The Hanover Insurance Group and Divisional AVP, Head of E&S Property for Great American Insurance Group. Kiley obtained his BA from Miami University and MBA from Xavier University. He also holds the insurance designations of CPCU, ARe, AMIM, and AINS.
Paul Ritter
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
West Region
Paul is a founding member of Lynx Specialty and is the Senior Vice President in the West region. He started his insurance career at Great American Insurance Group in their Excess Property unit before transitioning to their E&S Property unit. Within E&S Property, Paul oversaw the West Coast Region before being promoted to Head of E&S Property. Paul graduated from the University of Kentucky with a double major in Business Administration & Philosophy.
LINDSAY MARCUM
SENIOR UNDERWRITER
West Region
Lindsay joined Lynx Specialty in 2023 as Senior Underwriter in the West region. Lindsay started her insurance career on the agency side in Employee Benefits, where she obtained her insurance licenses. She then moved to the carrier side and held various roles in E&S Property. Lindsay is a graduate of Miami University with a degree in Mathematics and focus in Actuarial Sciences.
SHAUN CAWLEY
UNDERWRITING SPECIALIST
Northeast Region
Shaun joined Lynx Specialty in 2023 as an Underwriting Specialist in the Northeast region and helped launch our excess property product. He started his insurance career as an agent before joining The Cincinnati Insurance Companies as an Underwriter. He progressed into various E&S Property underwriting roles at Great American and was most recently an Underwriting Specialist in Excess Property at Intact. Shaun is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University’s Risk Management & Insurance program. He also holds the CPCU, ARe, ARM and ASLI designations.
MEGAN GILENE
UNDERWRITING SPECIALIST
Southeast Region
Megan joined Lynx Specialty in 2023 as an Underwriting Specialist in the South region and helped launch our excess property product. She started her insurance career at Great American as an intern and progressed through various underwriting roles, most recently as Senior Production Underwriter for Excess Property. Megan is a University of Cincinnati graduate where she majored in Communication.
JAKE FEELEY
UNDERWRITING SPECIALIST
West Region
Jake joined Lynx Specialty in 2024 as Underwriting Specialist in the West region. Jake has held roles at various E&S property carriers before joining Lynx, most recently at Hanover Insurance. He is a graduate of the University of Mississippi where he played football and obtained a BBA in Finance and Risk Management.
KIRSTEN LUCAS
SENIOR UNDERWRITER
Midwest Region
Kirsten joined Lynx Specialty in 2024 as Senior Underwriter in the Midwest region. She comes to Lynx after several roles of increasing responsibility at American Modern Insurance, most recently as an Underwriting Consultant. Kirsten has an MBA and BBA in Information Systems and Insurance & Risk Management from the University of Cincinnati, where she also teaches courses.
BROOKE DYNDA
Underwriter
Southeast Region
Brooke joined Lynx in 2024 as a fall intern and transitioned into a full-time role as an Underwriter supporting the Southeast Region. Prior to that, she gained experience through internships in the commercial lines department of a large insurance agency. Brooke graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a degree in Insurance & Risk Management and holds a Property and Casualty insurance license in Ohio.
Drew Barker
Underwriting Specialist
Midwest Region
Drew joined Lynx Specialty in 2024 as an Underwriting Specialist for the Midwest region. Prior to this, he held various roles at American Modern and most recently served as an E&S Property Underwriter for Munich Re Specialty – North America. Drew earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Kentucky, where he also played football. He later went on to obtain his MBA from the University of Cincinnati.
Sam Marty
Underwriting Specialist
Northeast Region
Sam joined Lynx Specialty in 2024 as an Underwriting Specialist for the Northeast region. Sam began his insurance career as a LEAD Program Associate at Great American. He progressed from there into his most recent role as an Underwriting Specialist, where he managed Surplus Lines relationships while underwriting Products Liability. He holds the AINS designation and is a graduate of Otterbein University, where he was captain of the golf team.
Underwriting Assistant Team:
Shulanda Beroit-Brown
Senior Underwritering Assistant
Shulanda joined Lynx in Spring 2023 as Lynx’s first Senior Underwriting Associate.
Prior to Lynx Shulanda has over 35 years’ Experience as UA/SUA.
Nicole Thacker-Link
Senior Underwritering Assistant
Nicole joined Lynx in 2024 as a Senior Underwriting Assistant. She started her insurance career in 2006 where she was a processor in claims for seven years before moving to property underwriting. Nicole also brings Quality Assurance experience to the Lynx team.
Alden McDuffie
Underwriting Assistant
Alden joined Lynx Specialty in January 2025, bringing about two years of experience in the insurance industry at Cincinnati Insurance. Before joining Lynx, Alden worked at a larger company, gaining experience in various roles as an intern. Alden holds a degree from the University of Cincinnati, and she graduated in spring of 2024.
Lucy Hartmann
Underwriting Assistant
Lucy joined Lynx in 2025 as an Underwriting Assistant supporting the Southeast Region. Prior to this, she gained expertise in account management and specialized in construction insurance at a prominent commercial lines agency. Lucy graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a bachelors degree in Economics and holds a Property and Casualty insurance license in Ohio.
Interns:
JAIDA MARTIN
Intern
Northeast Region
Jaida joined Lynx in 2024 as a fall intern. She previously completed internships in the commercial lines department of a large insurance agency. Jaida is a third-year student at the University of Cincinnati, majoring in Insurance & Risk Management. She also serves as Vice President of the University of Cincinnati Gamma Iota Sigma chapter and leader of Gamma’s Community Service Committee.
Drew Fulmer
Intern
Midwest Region
Drew joined Lynx in 2025 as a spring intern. He is a third-year at the University of Cincinnati, majoring in Finance and Insurance & Risk Management. Drew also serves as the community service chairman for Sigma Chi Fraternity.
Ava Hansen
Intern
West Region
Ava joined Lynx in Summer 2024 as one of the company’s first interns. As an incoming second year student, this was her first internship experience in the industry. Ava has since returned to Lynx as a full-time Spring 2025 co-op. She is studying Insurance and Risk Management and minoring in real estate at the University of Cincinnati. Ava serves as a Student Trustee for the Greater Cincinnati Insurance Board, a student member of the University of Cincinnati Gamma Iota Sigma chapter, a student member of the UC Real Estate Association, and serves on the executive board of Alpha Kappa Psi Eta, a Professional Business Fraternity.
Will Becker
Intern
Southeast Region
Will joined Lynx in 2025 as a spring intern. It’s his second internship, his first being in the financial advising industry. He is a third year Business Economics major as well as an Insurance & Risk Management major at the University of Cincinnati. He was recently elected as the Corporate Relations Chair of the University of Cincinnati Gamma Iota Sigma chapter. He also sits on the CPCU Society student advisory board for the Cincinnati Chapter.