COUNCIL OF SELF-INSURED PUBLIC AGENCIES

Message from the President

COSIPA was formed in 1972, with a mere handful of public agencies.  It has grown in membership tremendously over the past 38 years, with members from throughout the State of California.   

I became a member in 1992, when I entered into Public Agency Administration.  Membership in COSIPA has personally and professionally been a very rewarding experience for me.  My background until 1992 had been in the private insurance industry.  Anyone reading this knows that the dynamics of Workers’ Compensation are entirely different for municipalities.  I turned to members of COSIPA for guidance immediately upon entering local government.

Through COSIPA, I have been mentored, or have mentored others with regard to the many nuances of working in government.  The sharing of issues, and the problem solving as a team has been a key to my personal and professional development.  The issues we face can be daunting at times.  We must deal not only with changes within our governments and changes in our budgets, but also  with changes in case law, changes in labor laws, changes in rules and regulations, all while maintaining continuity of services for our agencies and our injured workers.  We wear many hats, and although Workers’ Compensation is our primary focus, we are ever cognizant and must frequently deal with other personnel related issues including ADA, FEHA, FMLA, and various other employment laws.

I urge you to come to our meetings, feel the electricity in the air, notice the camaraderie around you and consider joining this worthwhile organization.  We strive to provide the best training, on current issues, so that you feel your time away from the office has been worthwhile.  We listen to your suggestions for topics, adapt our venue to suit your needs and consider our members to be our driving force because without you, we would not exist.

As we enter into 2011, let us all hold our heads high and know that we are giving our best for our organizations and together, as a team, we can accomplish anything!