Meet The Team

Vanessa Benitez is Executive Vice President of Growth and Business Development at Word & Brown, overseeing Strategic Partnerships, Compliance & Education, Plan Maintenance, Business Development, and Broker Success as well as the Request For Proposal (RFP) Team (comprised of Large Group, Ancillary, and PEO/Extraction). 

She earned her promotion in 2024, after spearheading our Associated Health Plan Trust transition, launching our Ancillary and PEO/extraction team, expanding our carrier portfolio, generating added production for carrier partners, and helping build and launch our Elite and ICON programs. She has been a principal player in multiple corporate initiatives, piloting program development for sales and retention, and expanding key agency partnerships throughout California and Nevada.

Vanessa entered the health insurance industry in 2006, working as an Enroller with Health Net in the large group division. She joined Word & Brown in 2007 as an Enrollment Specialist, earning multiple promotions to Field Sales Representative, Senior Regional Sales Manager, Field Sales Director, and Regional Vice President in the San Diego region, where she helped double annual production.

Vanessa attended UC Berkeley, where she double majored in Political Science and Latin American Studies.