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Leadership, Strategy & Insight: NCPERS 2025 Chief Officers Summit Recap
NCPERS brought together leading public pension CEOs and CIOs from across the country for the Chief Officers Summit in New York City on June 16-18. From small municipal plans to large statewide systems, participants brought a range of perspectives—but shared a common goal: to learn from one another and lead with clarity in an uncertain world.
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By: Reshana Peters, NCPERS(Image courtesy of NYSE Group. NYSE does not recommend or endorse any investments, investment strategies, companies, products or services)
From June 16–18, NCPERS brought together leading public pension CEOs and CIOs from across the country for the Chief Officers Summit in New York City. Before the Summit officially kicked off, NCPERS hosted its Women in Leadership Luncheon—an exclusive networking event celebrating the critical role women executives play in shaping the future of public retirement systems.
The Summit opened with a welcome address by NCPERS Executive Director Hank Kim, who highlighted how NCPERS continues to grow in step with its members—expanding seven active roundtables, building new programs under NCPERS University, and creating meaningful opportunities for professional development and peer-to-peer learning.
The program featured general sessions, dual learning tracks, and small-group discussions. While general sessions united CEOs and CIOs for shared perspectives, the dedicated tracks provided targeted insights on leadership, governance, and investment strategy.
CEO Track Highlights
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• Financial Wellness: Chris Hanson of the City of Austin Employees Retirement System (COAERS) and Matt Petersen of the National Association of Government Defined Contribution Administrators (NAGDCA) explored how plan design, benefit complexity, and communication affect retirement readiness among public sector employees.
• Workforce Trends: Cara Woodson Welch of the Public Sector HR Association (PSHRA) and Gerald Young (MissionSquare Research Institute) presented new data on recruitment and retention trends in the public sector.
• Culture & Leadership: In a case study session, Chris Hanson returned to lead a discussion on building staff ownership in mission-driven organizations. Later, executives from the Fire and Police Pension Association of Colorado (FPPA) — Kevin Lindahl, Adam Franklin, Ahni Smith, Chip Weule, Elaine Gorton, Scott Simon, and Teresa Dupree — shared lessons from their five-year organizational health initiative.
• Workforce Trends: Cara Woodson Welch of the Public Sector HR Association (PSHRA) and Gerald Young (MissionSquare Research Institute) presented new data on recruitment and retention trends in the public sector.
• Culture & Leadership: In a case study session, Chris Hanson returned to lead a discussion on building staff ownership in mission-driven organizations. Later, executives from the Fire and Police Pension Association of Colorado (FPPA) — Kevin Lindahl, Adam Franklin, Ahni Smith, Chip Weule, Elaine Gorton, Scott Simon, and Teresa Dupree — shared lessons from their five-year organizational health initiative.
• Reaching Younger Workers: Jennifer Benz of Segal and Olivia Applegate of San Bernardino County Employees' Retirement Association (SBCERA) discussed practical and
innovative strategies for educating and engaging younger plan participants.
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• Delegated Authority: Derrick Dagnan (Fort Worth Employees' Retirement Fund) facilitated a candid case study on how governance models—especially delegation of investment discretion—can vary based on plan size, scope, and structure.
• Consultant Evolution: Ryan Wagner (Dallas Police & Fire) and Jason Malinowski (Seattle City ERS) discussed the investment consultant landscape, including consolidation, oversight, and future trends.
• Emerging Markets: Rod June of the Los Angeles City Employees' Retirement System (LACERS) and Paul Podolsky of Kate Capital explored how currency, politics, and valuations are reshaping the outlook for emerging market investing.
• Mentoring Future CIOs: Ashbel Williams (J.P. Morgan) wrapped up the CIO track with lessons from Florida State Board of Administration's “coaching tree” and guidance for fostering future investment leaders.
A Moment in the Markets
To close out the Summit, NCPERS had the honor of ringing the Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange on June 18th. Surrounded by public pension leaders from across the country, it was a powerful moment of recognition for the $6 trillion public pension sector—and a fitting tribute to the Summit's spirit of progress, collaboration, and leadership. NCPERS extends its gratitude to the speakers, facilitators, emcees, and sponsors who made this year's Chief Officers Summit possible. Your insights, expertise, and support help us continue building a stronger, more connected pension leadership community.
We look forward to continuing the conversation—and welcoming you back next year. Sign up here to receive updates and stay connected with us on LinkedIn and Facebook.
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