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Meet The Board
Tania Spring
President 2026
Vendor Coordinator
Tania Spring is a SIU Supervisor with MAPFRE Insurance. She has been in the insurance industry since 1992, starting her career with Amica Insurance. She has been with MAPFRE/Commerce Insurance since 1996 and transitioned to the SIU in 1999. Tania holds SCLA, INS and AIC designations. Tania served on the Board of Directors prior to being elected to Vice President, and now President.
Suzette Cavanaugh
Vice President 2026
Seminar Coordinator
​Suzette Cavanaugh is currently employed as a Senior Investigator with Pilgrim Insurance Company. After receiving her BA degree from Suffolk University she embarked on her career by joining the Massachusetts Attorney General's Public Protection Bureau as an investigator before becoming an SIU Investigator in 1993. She is a Certified Insurance Fraud Investigator (CIFI), is a founding member of the New England Chapter of the International Association of Special Investigation Units (NEIASIU), is Past President of the New England Association of Insurance Fraud Investigators (NEAIFI), and is a member of the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators (IAATI).
Laurie Lunt
Secretary 2026
Speaker
Coordinator
Laurie Lunt is the Manager of the Special Investigations Unit at MEMIC. She joined MEMIC in 2005 as a claims handler, worked as a paralegal for MEMIC and began her SIU career in 2009. She is a Certified Insurance Fraud Investigator (CIFI), Senior Claims Law Associate (SCLA) as well as a WCP (Workers’ Compensation Professional). When she isn’t fighting fraud, you can find her at Fenway Park cheering on her beloved Red Sox.
Todd Machtley
Treasurer 2025
Todd Machtley, FCLS is a Desk Investigator II with Liberty Mutual. He has worked in the insurance industry since 2004 after graduating with a B.A in Communications and Sociology from Muhlenberg College. Todd recently joined Liberty Mutual SIU after 11 years as an investigator with Geico Insurance. He has worked for multiple carriers (Progressive, Safety, One Beacon and Hagerty) and over the years has held positions as an auto damage appraiser, claims handler and liability adjuster.
Erin Bracken
Outgoing President
Erin Bracken, CFE, AIC is a ZCIS (Zurich Claims Investigative Services) Investigator with Zurich North America Claims. She obtained a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Northeastern University in 2003. After working as a private investigator, she began her career in the insurance industry in 2004. Over the years, she has held positions as a claims case handler, senior corporate compliance investigator and field investigator. Erin was previously a Director with New England IASIU before becoming Vice President and President.
Life Members
Sue MacKay test
John Gasiorek test2
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Derek Byron
Director (2026)
Social Media Coordinator
Derek Byron is a Senior Investigator with Plymouth Rock Assurance Corporation where he began his career in SIU in 2001 as a co-op while attending Northeastern University. He was President of NEAIFI (New England Association of Insurance Fraud Investigators) from 2016-2019, having previously sat on the Board of Directors. He is also a member of the New England Association of Auto Theft Investigators, and serves on the Board of Directors for the London Riley Memorial Scholarship Fund which awards scholarships to cancer survivors and their immediate family members since 2010.
Michael Gottlieb
Director (2026)
Website Coordinator
Michael Gottlieb is the North East Region’s Senior SIU Data/Field Analyst for AIPSO. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Providence College in 1997, prior to working for a major Rhode Island insurance carrier. He joined AIPSO in 2002 as an Assistant Data Analyst in Data Services and was promoted to Data Analyst in 2005. In June 2005, he transitioned into AIPSO’s SIU becoming the Eastern Region’s SIU Data Analyst and was directly involved in the “start-up” efforts for the region’s SIU program. In December 2008 he was promoted to Senior SIU Data Analyst. In 2011, he was instrumental in designing and implementing a robust SIU Data Warehouse/Case Management System with link analysis capabilities. Mike is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), the International Association of Special Investigation Units (IASIU), and the New England Association of Insurance Fraud Investigators (NEAIFI).
John Gasiorek
Director (2026)
Events Coordinator
John M. Gasiorek became a Special Agent with the National Insurance Crime Bureau in September 2005 and was promoted to Supervisory Special Agent in May of 2009. John supervises eight additional Special Agents overseeing all NICB investigations in New England. John is also assigned investigative responsibilities in Connecticut, specializing in property and casualty insurance fraud with a specific emphasis on multi-claim, multi-carrier, ring activity perpetrated by unscrupulous medical providers and attorneys. John organized and heads the Mini-Medical Fraud Task Force in CT where he assists in the coordination of criminal investigations with federal, state and local police agencies.
Jack Parenteau
Legal Counsel
Jack Parenteau is a Partner and Founder of Parenteau & O’Hara, P.C. A former Police officer, Bodily Injury claim representative, SIU Investigator, Auto Theft Unit Supervisor, SIU Manager, and Lawyer currently licensed to practice law in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Jack has handled and litigated SIU cases since he became licensed as a lawyer. He has handled SIU cases from inception through appellate decisions. He has developed strategy for handling medical fraud cases locally and as national coordinating counsel. He continues to handle SIU cases throughout New England, is a frequent lecturer on fraud related issues, and has been a published author of fraud related articles regarding Kickbacks and Medical Clinic Investigations.
Audrey Parr
Legal Counsel
Audrey C. Parr, Esq, is the founder of Parr Law, P.C., where she advocates for insurers and policyholders in all types of first and third-party insurance defense matters, including pre-trial investigation, coverage matters, litigation, and appellate work. Since 1991, Attorney Parr has specialized in suspected fraudulent injury and property damage claims, relating to automobile, PIP, homeowners, medical provider, and commercial liability coverage on behalf of both personal and commercial carriers. Before her private litigation focus, Attorney Parr served the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts, where she spent 12 years successfully prosecuting hundreds of District and Superior Court jury trials involving major felonies including homicide, child abuse, arson, and insurance fraud.
Frank Loto
Director (2025)
Venue/AV Coordinator
​Frank Loto is a Sr. SIU Analyst with Lincoln Financial Group. He has worked in the anti-insurance fraud industry since 1998, investigating insurance fraud across multiple lines including property & casualty, group disability, life and A&H. He has an undergraduate degree from the University of New Hampshire and a MBA from Franklin Pierce University. He also holds CIFI & SCLA insurance designations. Prior to his anti-fraud career, Frank was in law enforcement in New Hampshire. Frank has been a Director with New England IASIU since 2016.
Mary McDermott
Director (2025)
Membership
​Mary McDermott is currently employed as an Investigator with the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts and a board member of the New England Association of Insurance Fraud Investigators (NEAIFI) . After receiving her Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Suffolk University, she began career in private investigation moving into the insurance industry as an SIU investigator for 17 years. Since 2014 she has been with the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts with a focus on Provider Fraud investigations.
Brendhan Harris
Director (2026)
​Training Coordinator
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Brendhan Harris is the Fraud Director for the New Hampshire Insurance Department--Fraud Unit. Mr. Harris is a retired Master Police Officer / Detective from the Virginia Beach Police Department. He also spent nine (9) years as an SIU Investigator working in both the Property & Casualty and Healthcare fields. He holds the designations of Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and Certified Insurance Fraud Investigator (CIFI).
Laura Kessler
Director (2025)
Bylaws & Procedures Coordinator
​Laura Kessler is Vice-President/General Counsel to the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts. She serves as chief legal officer. Formerly, Laura served as counsel to the Special Investigation Unit of Arbella Mutual Insurance Company and enforcement counsel to the Massachusetts Securities Division. A graduate of Villanova University, Laura Kessler received a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School and was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in 1985. She is a member of the Massachusetts and American Bar Associations, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, and NEAIFI.
Paul Fraitzl
Director (2026)
Speaker Coordinator
Paul Fraitzl is a Special Investigator with The Hartford Insurance Company. He has been with Hartford since 2019. His area includes the upper New England area; VT; NH; Me and Boston North. Mr. Fraitzl is retired from law enforcement where he worked with the Manchester, New Hampshire Police in 1997 and he had also worked as a Senior Detective in the Special Enforcement Division. Prior to joining the Manchester Police, he was also with the Bedford and Hooksett NH Police Departments.
Adam Stoutamyer
Director (2026)
​Merchandising and Marketing Coordinator
Adam had about 29 years of prior law enforcement experience prior to joining SIU. In 1990, Adam started as a part time officer for the Madison Maine Police Department, and then was a full-time officer for the Skowhegan Maine Police Department - those two overlapped over about a 4-year period. In 1994, Adam joined the Maine State Police and initially patrolled out of Troop D which was based in Thomaston Maine. He later transferred to Troop F in the most northern part of the state. Adam became a Maine Drug Enforcement Agent in the late 1990’s and did that for 3 years. In that time, he was one of the original 8 members of the Clandestine Drug Lab Enforcement Team when that was created and did that as a specialty in addition to his regular duties for about 14 years. After his 3 years as a MDEA Agent, Adam was promoted to Maine State Police Detective with the Major Crimes Unit and investigated a varied range of major cases ranging from child sexual abuse to homicides, and he was a detective for over 14 years. In addition, Adam was also a certified Maine Criminal Justice Academy Instructor, and he has been a certified firearms instructor. Adam retired from the Maine State Police in early 2019 after completing 25 years of service. Adam is also a CIFI.
NEIASIU LIFE MEMBERS
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