Meet the team

Derek is a second-generation benefits expert. Derek joined his father in 1996, working as a Group specialist. Additionally, he specializes in Medicare, individual insurance, and financial services. His background in the employee benefits and key executive insurance has given him a unique perspective when helping his clients. 

With his Insurance Sales experience, Derek finds the right solutions for his clients.  The real-life advisory experiences he has allow him to help recruit and train our insurance brokers. He doesn’t just talk-the-talk, he walks-the-walk.

In his spare time, Derek enjoys spending time with him wife, Carrie and his three children.  Derek also enjoys sporting events of all types, cooking, and hunting.

Melissa has worked in the Medicare field since 2006.  She has worked with several entities from banks, financial planners, and accountants, to nursing home facilities to help their clients determine Medicare Plan options that meet their unique needs. In 2013, she joined forces with Derek Carnohan and Jerry Deatherage to form Senior Market Team.

With her in-depth knowledge of how the Medicare system works, she has taken that experience and helped agents grow their business from minimal clients to a booming renewal-based business.

After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree with major focuses in Economics/Business Administration from Hanover College in 1988, he began and has enjoyed his entire career in the insurance industry. 

With over 30 years of experience in the insurance industry, Jerry has spent the past decade helping to build Senior Market Team as a leader in the Medicare marketplace.  His goal is to offer practical and viable solutions to his clients and agent partners.   

He works with a goal of every agent matters, every question matters and attention to detail is imperative.  

In his spare time, Jerry enjoys time with his family, playing golf and community service.

Wendy earned her degree with a focus on Business Application Development from Kent State University.

She began her career in the Medicare industry in 2006.  She came to Senior Market Team in 2020 with a diverse background of managing brokers with several carriers such as United Healthcare, Aetna and Wellcare.  Additionally, Wendy has built telephonic enrollment centers, technology solutions, and lead generation programs in the space for 17 years.   

In her spare time , Wendy wears the "Geek" name badge proudly.  She enjoys researching new technologies such as CRMs, telephony systems and AI solutions.  Wendy also has a husband Steve and two adult sons she loves "geeking out" with.

Lauren has been in the insurance industry since 2013 and joined Senior Market Team in 2022. With a background in compliance, her focus and expertise are agent contracting and succession planning. Whether it be onboarding or providing oversight to ensure a smooth business transition, her passion is educating and assisting our agents to help simplify a sometimes tedious process. 

Alongside contracting, she also plays an active role in planning Senior Market Team’s networking, educational and rollout events. Lauren is a member of the NKY-SHRM chapter and the Northern Kentucky Chamber Womens’ Initiative – Engagement Committee.
 

She received her undergraduate degree from Western Illinois University and her Juris Doctorate from Salmon P. Chase College of Law. She is currently working towards her MBA from the University of Cincinnati. Lauren and her husband, Mitchell, have two children, Sylvia and Violet. 

Originally from Lancashire, England, Sarah never imagined  she would be in the group insurance industry.  However, Sarah has specialized and become an expert in this field over the past 20 years.  Having built a deep understanding of the industry and client’s needs,  she is responsible for handling the day-to-day operations for our group clients including quoting, benefits, and claims.  Living in NKY with her husband, she enjoys spending time with family and friends.