About Us

People

Executive Management

Dan Easterlin, President

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"One of the great successes of our company has been the relationships that develop between the staff in India and our clients in the U.S. It’s important for our clients’ to put names and faces to the people they work with. We bring our teams here to meet customers, and that is a bonding experience that drives up the level of trust." — Dan Easterlin

Before co-founding Patra, Dan Easterlin spent nearly 25 years developing and marketing enterprise software and services in the high-tech sector. His experience gives him a strong understanding of market research, prospect management and staff development. His knowledge of systems planning and business process optimization in the insurance industry, as well as his entrepreneurial spirit were the driving factors in his cofounding of Patra.

Dan holds degrees in mathematics and philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania as well as advanced degrees in computer science and engineering from Syracuse and the University of California.

John Simpson, Chief Executive Officer

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"Our clients are entrepreneurs, just like us. We understand the need to get the most out of every dollar you spend. Patra lets you get the most out of your employees while getting more out of your production than ever before."
— John Simpson

John Simpson is an innovator with the heart of an entrepreneur. He’s spent the last twenty years leading software design and integrated ERP applications from ideas on the back of a napkin to leaders in the market place. Prior to co-founding Patra, John co-founded and led Cyberbills, named one of the top 25 web banking technology innovations of all-time.

John understands the importance of efficient internal systems to support the complicated needs of a service organization. As an entrepreneur, he knows that it’s vital for a business leader to have total trust in any partner.

John holds a degree in business administration from the University of Richmond in Virginia.

Dave Tight, Senior Vice President – Business Development

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"To work with an agency and provide solutions that impact agency growth, productivity and morale is a great feeling. Once a new customer has been implemented, it's rewarding to hear the stories about how our Patra team has assimilated into the client's processes and become part of their culture. We're building real partnerships." — Dave Tight

Dave comes to Patra from business development roles at Freeborders Inc. and KPMG Consulting. His experience in identifying initial solutions for clients in complex industries has proven a great asset for Patra. He sees the big picture challenges our clients face and develops solutions that enable our clients to see a new way of doing business. As the first Patra representative most of our clients meet, he's focused on matching the right Patra team to meet a client's needs.

Dave is a graduate of Denison University in Granville Ohio, and holds advanced degrees from Stanford University and the University of Tulsa.

Kiran Palakodeti, Managing Director – Operations, Patra India BPO Services

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"Despite being across the globe, we’re able to manage a one-to-one relationship with our clients. I enjoy the challenge of maintaining that customer experience in this dynamic and fast paced working environment."
— Kiran Palakodeti

As Managing Director of Operations, Kiran's role at Patra is oversight of the general management and daily operations of our India Operations Center.

Prior to working at Patra, Kiran managed technical support and customer service centers for a number of international companies doing business in India. As a Six-Sigma Black Belt, Kiran has worked closely with both Patra and client teams to ensure smooth workflow and establish quality control benchmarks.

Kiran holds a bachelor of Commerce degree from Wesley College, affiliated with Osmania University.

Lakshmi Mukkavilli, Managing Director – Administration, Patra India BPO Services

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"Patra's success shows how carefully nurtured teams in the U.S. and India can complement and enhance each others’ work, resulting in a high quality of service to our customers." — Lakshmi Mukkavilli

Lakshmi has been with Patra for 5 years and was instrumental in setting up Patra's India office in August 2007. Initially her focus was on developing a strong corporate culture during the office's initial growth. As Managing Director of Administration, she has built an operational framework to rapidly recruit and train qualified process executives into a pool that can be deployed into highly productive client support teams. Among her other responsibilities, Lakshmi manages the Accounting, Finance and Legal departments for Patra's India BPO Services.

Lakshmi comes to Patra with product marketing experience and a finance background. With her extensive work experience in both the U.S. and India, she's played a key role as a unifying factor between our offices in both countries.

Management Team

Jayme Beals, Implementation Account Manager

Before joining Patra in 2009, Jayme spent 15+ years in the Insurance industry, in roles including Account Manager, Director of Corporate Training and Commercial Lines Manager. Her experience makes her invaluable in her role as an Implementation Account Manager. Having worked in a number of brokerages before her position at Patra, she relates well to clients and is able to offer creative solutions and process alternatives.

"Since joining Patra, I’ve seen how our dedicated specialists are able to make a real difference in not just a client’s business, but in the quality of life of their employees. In my 15 years in the insurance industry, outsource production staffing is the biggest innovation I’ve seen."

Matt Easterlin, Implementation Account Manager

Matt has been with Patra for more than five years in a variety of positions throughout the company. He's managed the operations center in India and oversaw the construction of our newest facility. In his current role as Implementation Account Manager, Matt has managed the implementation and integration of Patra services with some of our largest cleints. His experience in rolling out large-scale solutions to some of the largest brokerages in the country is invaluable.

"Patra's not selling off-the-rack solutions. We dive deep into a client's business to determine just how our services can best suit their needs. Every implementation is a different kind of challenge. That's what keeps me coming back every day."

Nazir Kazi, Director of Customer Service

For more than four years, Nazir has served as Patra’s Director of Customer Service. Nazir brings a wealth of corporate and entrepreneurial experience to Patra, as well as a keen understanding of the working cultures in both the United States and India. Under Nazir’s direction, Patra has grown our operations in India from 24 to over 100 employees and built a dedicated operations center.

"I know we’ve done our job well when a client asks us to expand the services we provide for them. It’s the biggest compliment we can get and it’s something both our US and Indian employees value above anything else."

Lynne O'Connell, Implementation Account Manager

Having spent more than 20 years in various roles on both the carrier and brokerage sides of the business, Lynne is our implementation leader. She’s an in-demand speaker at industry events around the country and an instructor for continuing education. Lynne’s professional designations include CPCU, CIC and CRIS and she’s active in developing the curriculum for insurance courses at corporations and educational institutions.

"Even after 20 years, there’s still something to learn every day. Processes can always be better, challenges can always be overcome. Patra’s allowed me to work with many clients to solve their workload issues. Every client is different, and no two days are the same."

Diane Sinawi, Print Shop Manager

Diane manages Patra's U.S.-based printing and mailing center, where certificates, letters, and other specialized documents are mailed on behalf of our clients. With 15 years experience managing graphics and document production departments in and out of the insurance industry, she understands the need for fast and accurate printing and mailing. Diane ensures that, no matter the type of documents, they are delivered accurately, on time, and seamlessly for the customer.

"By expanding our services beyond just mailing certificates, we can assist our customers with loss run printouts, pre-renewal letters, and mass letter mailings. This is a real value-add and another way we support our clients' business."

Elizabeth Spraitz, Implementation Account Manager

Elizabeth is capitalizing on her 8+ years of brokerage management experience by streamlining our new client implementation process. As an Implementation Account Manager, she works with clients to facilitate the transition to Patra solutions and manages the process of integrating workflow. Prior to working at Patra, she was a client, working with Patra at Heffernan Insurance.

"Having been on the client side, I understand the pressures implementing a new system without having any down time or loss in productivity. It’s my job to make sure the transition to Patra solutions is a smooth one."