UVAFinance Welcomes Gretchen Kriebel

Gretchen Kriebel

Gretchen Kriebel, UVA’s new Director of Property & Liability Risk Management, has 20 years of experience in insurance and risk management. As a graduate of UVA, she also has an affinity for her alma mater, so coming on board at UVA was, as she says, a perfect collision of all her worlds.

Julie Richardson, UVA Treasurer, says that Kriebel "fit the bill perfectly" when she and a nine-person search committee examined the results of their nationwide search.  (See a note from Richardson below regarding the admirable efforts of the Risk Management team while the Director position was vacant.)

During Kriebel’s career, she has managed risk at Albemarle County, the CFA Institute, and the Catholic Diocese of Arlington, while still maintaining the connection to UVA through her work as an Alumni Mentor.

These are just a few of her experiences that contribute to the expertise she brings to UVA.

“I’ve been fortunate that I’ve had a lot of experiences in the risk and insurance fields,” she says, adding that those experiences are allowing her to get her arms around her new position in the large, complex organization that is UVA.

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“My experience helps me unravel things. I feel like I’m pulling a thread, and every time I pull a little harder, something new pops up, and I know it will be this way even if I’m here 20 years.”

The complexity and varied nature of her profession is what keeps Kriebel excited about her work. The interpretation involved in the insurance field, paired with her ability to help people unfamiliar with its intricacies, is appealing to her. And risk management is rather like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates in that you never know what you’re going to get: her work can involve emergency management, natural disasters, cyber security, international travel, and even reputational risk.

Fortunately, Kriebel likes staying on her toes, and she also likes partnering with other divisions within the University. Risk Management, she says, is a consultative role.

“We’re definitely not here to just tell people ‘no,’” she says.

“All of us have to manage risk, and I’m not a subject matter expert in my colleagues’ areas. I want to partner with them to help them mitigate their own risks.”

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A Word of Appreciation to the Treasury Team

 from Julie Richardson, UVA Treasurer

The search for a leader of the Risk Management area involved much effort from the entire treasury team, both in terms of assisting with the search and filling in during the position's vacancy.  The success of the Risk Management department during this transition time couldn't have been possible without everyone on the team taking an expanded role and ensuring that we provided the support our schools and departments need. 

I'd like to thank you all for your efforts: 

• Thank you to our search committee for your service
• Special thanks to the incredible risk management associates who triaged the responsibilities and ensured continuity of service:
• Linda Vannatta, who served as interim director and handled all the insurance renewals, risk finance, and budget
• Kristin Dinwiddie, who continued to manage claims but added risk mitigation, insurance advice, contract review, and committees seats.  Kristin will retain involvement in those activities and has been promoted to Senior Manager of Risk Control
• Cameron Beasley, who expanded his involvement in Risk Finance Reconciliations and the risk management security survey process.  As a part of this involvement, Cameron has preparing for the Associate in Risk Management Certification.
• Miranda Bransom, who expanded her role in claims support and certificates of insurance, as well as purging, archiving, and converting department records to electronic format in preparation for the move to Carruthers Hall.

Thank you!