Kristin Coulombe | Navacord

Kristin Coulombe, chief people officer, Navacord

Kristin Coulombe’s journey into the world of human resources and insurance has been one of strategic leadership and intentional change.

Coulombe has more than 25 years of experience as an HR practice leader across various industries. She transitioned into the insurance sector 13 years ago when she joined one of Navacord’s founding broker partners, Jones DesLauriers, in 2012. Today, as chief people officer at Navacord, she plays a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s HR strategy across mergers and acquisitions, talent attraction, learning and development, culture and engagement, and total rewards.

Coulombe has observed the positive advancements within the industry over the past decade; however, she notes the pace of change continues to be gradual.

“Surveys show female representation is increasing across the workforce, leadership roles, and board positions,” she says. “At Navacord, we’ve seen material gains in gender representation in our executive leadership groups since 2014, including more women stepping into president and chief operating officer roles. Our female sales recruitment has grown by 100% year-over-year, and we’ve seen a 133% increase since 2022 in gender representation among those holding equity in our organization.”

She attributes this progress to education, awareness, and intention — a clear and deliberate commitment from leadership to foster a more diverse workforce. “Our organization has a desire to build the best workplace culture in the industry with the ability for us to continue to attract and retain high quality talent. With that in mind, our diversity efforts, including gender representation, remain at the forefront of our business activities.”

Inclusivity starts with understanding
Coulombe believes creating a more inclusive insurance industry starts with listening and understanding what does and does not work for diverse talent – not only from their perspectives but the wider organization – and industry. “We’ve used focus groups to ask intentional questions and create education and awareness across all levels of the organization, including senior leadership.”

The important of allyship is one key insight from these discussions. “Many of our most successful female leaders have had not only strong female allies but also strong male allies within their network and colleague groups — people in their corner who encouraged them to take risks, supported their career growth, and helped them build confidence,” she says. “When women feel supported, they can flourish, whether in sales leadership, running brokerages, sitting on the board or being part of the executive leadership team.”

Another key finding is the difference in how men and women approach sales and career progression.

“Men often prefer client entertainment at sporting events, for example, which can exclude women with conflicting commitments outside work hours like domestic duties or family,” Coulombe says. “On the other hand, women prefer to showcase their technical abilities with confidence during business hours.

“Whereas men are more comfortable with higher levels of variable compensation, women tend to prefer higher fixed incomes.

“Understanding these types of differences – which are equally successful – allows organizations to create environments where both approaches are valued. Companies can start by focusing on areas where they believe they can make the most valuable impact. For Navacord, we felt this impact could be emulated in our work environment, culture, and our advisor workforce.”

Navacord has implemented policies promoting inclusivity at every stage of the employee experience, from recruitment to leadership development, says Coulombe.

“We’ve prioritized inclusive language in job descriptions, diverse representation in the hiring process, education, awareness and allyship initiatives, and mentorship programs led by successful women within our organization. Diversity and inclusivity build a better, more authentic business. But real change requires intention. It’s not just about increasing numbers — it’s about creating an environment where women can truly thrive.”

Beyond barriers
Despite the fact 66% of the P&C workforce is made up of women, only 25% to 30% hold senior leadership positions, according to Insurance Institute of Canada demographic data. Coulombe believes attracting and retaining female leaders requires a multi-faceted, adaptive and consistent approach.

“Women need to see other female leaders in the roles they aspire to, ensuring representation is visible at the top,” she says. “Pay equity is another crucial factor, requiring executives to ask tough questions about compensation and make intentional adjustments where necessary.

“Workplace flexibility is also key. Organizations must recognize work can be done in different ways without diminishing success. In terms of career advancement, understanding the different motivations between genders can help create tailored pathways that set women up for leadership roles.

“Finally, cultural transformation plays a vital role. Removing bias requires ongoing education and awareness at every level, ensuring all employees, regardless of gender, ethnicity, etc., have the opportunity to succeed.

“By activating these levers, organizations can move beyond surface-level diversity efforts and drive real, measurable progress in advancing women’s representation in leadership.”