Meet the Team
Twelve of our agents are mentioned by first name in client reviews. Meet them.
Twenty-plus advisors, account managers, and operators, each one chosen, kept, and named for a reason. Find the person who’d be your advisor, or just get a sense of who’s behind the work.
Leadership
The people who built this.
The leaders who run the day-to-day, the strategy, and the culture. Some have been here since the beginning. None of them are looking for the exits.
Joshua Lavine
Founder & CEO
Josh founded Capitol Benefits on the belief that insurance works better when people come first. With 29 years in the industry, he has built a career around trust, advocacy, and long-term relationships, creating a firm that is nationally recognized for its culture-first approach and commitment to showing up when it matters most.
Josh is an active member of his community and a frequent speaker at local and national events, where he shares insights on building strong workplace cultures and leading with purpose. He is passionate about helping organizations create environments where people can thrive. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, who remain at the center of his life.
Jacqueline Jenkins
Chief Operating Officer
Jackie has been part of the Capitol Benefits team since 2012, beginning her career as an intern and growing alongside the organization into her current role. Over the years, Jackie has developed deep expertise in operations, strategic growth, and building efficient, scalable processes that support both clients and the internal team.
Jackie has become a trusted leader and problem-solver within the organization. She is passionate about driving results while fostering a collaborative and high-performing culture.
Jackie is a proud UMD alum and a loyal fan of the Terps and the Washington Commanders. She lives in North Potomac, MD, with her husband, John, and their two young children.
Maggie Hydeck
Director of Personal & Commercial Insurance
Maggie Hydeck has been a valued member of the Capitol Benefits team since 2017. Over the years, she has played a key role in shaping the agency’s approach to client service, operational excellence, and strategic growth across both personal and commercial lines. Maggie brings a relationship-driven mindset to her work, consistently focusing on building trust and delivering thoughtful, high-touch service to clients. She is known for her ability to lead with both strategy and empathy, guiding her team to achieve strong results while maintaining a collaborative and client-first culture. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her husband and two children.
Lisa Gotkin
Director of Employee Benefits
With 25 years in the industry, Lisa quickly became a valued member of the Capitol Benefits team. She specializes in employee benefits strategy and client advisory, partnering closely with organizations to design thoughtful, effective benefit programs while leading a team of Benefits Advisors and Account Managers. Lisa’s leadership philosophy is rooted in building a strong, people-first culture that fosters collaboration, trust, and continuous growth so her team is empowered to deliver an exceptional client experience.
Outside of work, Lisa enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband and two sons. They recently visited England and Spain, and are always looking forward to their next adventure.
Kelly Grossberg
Marketing & Business Development
With 13 years in insurance, Kelly has been a valued member of the Capitol Benefits team for 10 years. She works closely with our sales team and takes pride in helping clients navigate complex claims situations, ensuring they receive the support and guidance they need every step of the way.
Outside of work, you’ll find Kelly cycling the DMV trails or spending time with her pup, Frankie. She also enjoys traveling at home and abroad, live music, wineries, new restaurants, and visiting her children in their hometowns. A daily meditation practice helps keep her centered and balanced.
Personal Insurance
For your home, family, and everything you've built.
The advisors who work with individuals and families on home, auto, life, umbrella, and high-value coverage. Some have been doing this for 20+ years. They know what they're doing.
Wanda Jackson-Ferrell
Personal Insurance Advisor
Wanda is a licensed agent with over 20 years of experience helping individuals and families with their personal insurance. She's a member of several Montgomery County Veterans Organizations and is past President of American Legion Auxiliary, Unit 86 in Rockville.
Christine Barrett
Personal Insurance Advisor
Christy has over 11 years in insurance across all lines, with a passion for personal lines. She's a member of the Sons and Daughters of Italy Lodge 3003, a school volunteer, and her HOA treasurer.
She coaches youth field hockey and softball and lives with her husband, two daughters, and Coco the dog.
Amy Rossman
Personal Insurance advisor
Amy has over 26 years of experience and holds two industry designations, CISR and CIC. She's passionate about identifying risk and educating clients on coverage.
She lives in Fargo, ND with two dogs and two cats, and as a Minnesota native, she's a loyal Vikings fan.
Natasha Beckham
Personal Insurance Advisor
Natasha has over 15 years in the insurance industry as a Personal Lines Account Manager. She serves as membership chair for the Chamber's Young Professionals group (HYPE) and is President of her local PTO.
She has a daughter named Lia and two dogs, Waylon and Shooter. Loves running, cooking, and Kentucky basketball.
Commercial Insurance
For the businesses you've built or are building.
The advisors who focus on commercial coverage, from small operations to multi-state companies. They've seen most of what can go wrong, and most of how to prevent it.
Monica Venor
Commercial Insurance Advisor
Monica has over 35 years in the insurance industry. While she has experience across all lines, her focus is commercial coverage for businesses. She's active in the community and belongs to a Corvette club.
She lives in Germantown with her husband Mike and two dogs.
Elizabeth Lockett
Commercial Insurance Advisor
Liz joined Capitol Benefits in 2021. She has been a licensed insurance agent for over 22 years with a focus on commercial insurance.
Outside of work, Liz enjoys cooking, crafting, and day trips with her family. She lives in Silver Spring with her husband and two children.
Lauren Smith
Insurance Advisor
Lauren has over 15 years in insurance. Within a year of starting as an office assistant at an agency, she knew it was the right industry, got licensed, and never looked back. Her focus is business owners.
She and her husband live in Montgomery County and enjoy traveling and volunteer work.
Risk Advisors
Big decisions are easier with someone in your corner.
Before coverage is placed, decisions matter. Our Risk Advisors help clients evaluate exposure, understand options, and navigate the insurance market with clarity. They work across commercial and personal lines to identify the right carriers and solutions, then partner with our service teams to ensure a smooth transition once coverage is in place.
Tina Sanazzaro
Insurance Solutions Consultant
Tina has been in the insurance industry for over 35 years. Her focus is making sure individuals and families are properly protected from unexpected loss.
Married with two children. Enjoys reading, boating, and relaxing with her family.
Matthew Duncan
Insurance Solutions Consultant
Matt brings over 18 years of experience in marketing, insurance, and financial services. He's a Poolesville, MD resident, married with two children, and a longtime youth sports coach (baseball and flag football for over a decade).
Enjoys golf, fishing, exotic vehicles, and the family lake home.
Employee Benefits
Group benefits, done year-round.
The people focused on employee benefits, strategy, implementation, compliance, communication, and the daily work of being an extension of your HR team.
Bruce Ulizio
Benefits Advisor
Bruce has 21 years in insurance. He's held District and Regional management roles, trained agents across multiple lines, and now supports multi-location accounts nationally.
A frequent guest speaker at regional and state meetings, he lives with his wife and two daughters in Stafford, VA.
Mindy Linowes
Senior Benefits Consultant
Mindy has over 30 years working with employers on benefits plans, specializing in cost containment, alternative funding, employee engagement, and compliance. She was a founding sponsor of the Health and Wellness Trailblazer Award.
An avid equestrian, she enjoys hiking and skiing with her family and lives in Rockville with her husband Gary.
Evan Armstrong
Senior Benefits Advisor
With 10 years in the industry, Evan joined Capitol Benefits in 2025, bringing deep experience in group benefits, compliance, and customer service, from building a startup’s service team to managing enrollments for large national employers and the self-funded space.
Home life: nine chickens, three cats, two young kids. He kayaks, runs, and has visited nearly every nature center within 50 miles.
Jessica Porter
Benefits Advisor
Jessica has 26 years in the insurance industry across sales, market coordination, and training. Beyond her career, she's a devoted mother to two athletic boys, Evan plays lacrosse at Salisbury, Noah plays high school football.
Most family vacations involve water, accommodating Noah's swimming and Evan's fishing.
Sandy McDarby
Employee Benefits Account Manager
With seven years in insurance, Sandy joined in 2023 and handles enrollment processing, carrier coordination, renewals, and onboarding. She started as a research analyst and underwriter, later co-founded and ran two small businesses while raising four children. Holds a master's in management.
Lives in Gaithersburg with her husband and four children. Enjoys decorating cookies, volunteering, and the beach.
Dana A. Smith
Benefits Advisor
Dana has over 35 years as an Account Executive and Sales Manager, serving accounts of every size, and currently handles our small group market.
She's married with a son in college and a 140-pound XL Bully named Braxton who thinks he's a lap dog.
Martha King
Employee Benefits Coordinator
Martha is active in her community, having served on the PTA board and supported school and community initiatives, reflecting her commitment to teamwork, service, and leadership.
In her free time, she enjoys photography, baking, word puzzles, and trips to the beach. Lives in Gaithersburg with her husband, two children, and English Lab.
Operations & Support
The people who keep the whole thing running.
The team whose work is mostly invisible to clients but is the reason everything else works. Marketing, internal culture, and the daily logistics that turn good intentions into actual delivery.
Jen Simons
Strategic initiatives manager
Jen brings a background in business operations, non-profit administration, and organizational leadership. She previously served as Mid-Atlantic Director of Operations for Cold Stone, and later as a franchise owner/operator.
She lives in Damascus with her husband, their two children, and their dog and spends her free time cheering from sidelines, stands, and pool decks.
Danielle Kean-Grassi
Office Manager
Danielle helps shape the culture at Capitol Benefits. She develops weekly mental health and wellness content for our benefits programs and leads many of our internal engagement initiatives, building connections across the team.
Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, hiking, and spontaneous local adventures, and lives in Olney with her husband and son.
Talk to one of them
Meet an advisor. Start a conversation.
When you reach out, you'll be paired with the advisor whose specialty matches what you need. Not a queue. A name.