The Florida Sheriffs Risk Management Fund is managed and operated by an executive management team of professionals with extensive backgrounds in law enforcement, insurance and government. This experience is one of the things that makes the Florida Sheriffs Risk Management Fund unique and better able to serve the needs of Florida’s sheriffs, constitutional officers and governmental entities. The members of the executive management team are:
Sheriff Donald F. Eslinger (Ret.)
Executive Director
Don Eslinger, retired Sheriff of Seminole County, became Executive Director of the FSRMF upon his retirement. Sheriff Eslinger worked for the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office for 38 years and served as Sheriff for 26 of those years. He served on the Board of Managers of the Fund since 1993 and served as Chair of the Board from 2011 until his retirement as Sheriff. Sheriff Eslinger has a BA in Applied Behavioral Science and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. He has served on numerous boards and achieved numerous honors and awards, including serving as Past President and Board Member of the Florida Sheriffs Association and was inducted into the Florida Law Enforcement Officers’ Hall of Fame in 2018.
Joanna Mueller
Chief Administrative Officer
Joanna Mueller oversees member services, accounting, employee benefits, IT, human resources and facilities. She began working with the sheriffs’ insurance programs in 2008 and has more than 30 years of experience in the insurance industry, including extensive work with governmental risk pools and regulatory oversight of insurance companies with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. Ms. Mueller is a graduate of Florida State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Risk Management/Insurance and holds a Property & Casualty 2-20 license.
Wayne Matthews
Chief Financial Officer
Wayne Matthews oversees accounting and investments for the Fund. He has over 30 years of insurance and financial services experience, inclusive of 14 years with Bankers Insurance Company, a national insurance company, where he initially served as Director of Audit and subsequently Chief Financial Officer. He is experienced in property and casualty insurance, securities brokerage, mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning, investments, reinsurance, ERM and audit. He has also served as a senior auditor with Deloitte, Director of Audit of a national securities brokerage firm, and founding management member of several companies. Wayne is a CPA, a long-time resident of the state of Florida, holds a Property & Casualty 2-20 license and received his BSBA from the University of Florida.
J. Michael (Mike) Phillips
Chief of Risk Management
Mike leads the risk management team’s efforts to provide training, resources, and services to FSRMF members and their personnel through strategic partnerships. Mike brings 37 years of law enforcement experience to FSRMF, including 29 years with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and 8 years with the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. He served most recently as the Deputy Commissioner of FDLE’s Public Safety Command and Florida’s Homeland Security Advisor. He is a graduate of Florida State University, a certified instructor through the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission and a graduate of the FBI National Academy (Session 272).
Michael Stephenson
Chief of Liability Claims
Michael Stephenson has worked on behalf of the Florida sheriffs for more than 20 years, beginning in 1999 when he served as outside trial counsel defending FSRMF member sheriffs. In 2006, he continued his work with FSRMF becoming Claims Attorney and later Director of the claims department and currently oversees law enforcement and public officials’ liability claims and automobile claims as Chief. He is a member of the Florida Bar and a graduate of the Stetson University College of Law and the University of Texas.
Brooke Valentin
Chief of Member Services
Brooke Valentin is responsible for the oversight of the member services team and provides underwriting, rating, marketing, and daily customer service for FSRMF members. She also serves as Agency Manager for the Florida Sheriffs Insurance Agency (FSIA) that provides ancillary coverage to members. Brooke has 20 years of experience in the commercial property and casualty insurance industry. Her experience includes work with self-insurance funds and mid-to-large sized risk management accounts. Brooke is a Florida native, a graduate of Florida State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Risk Management/Insurance and holds a Property & Casualty 2-20 license.
Becky Miller
Chief of Employee Benefits
Becky Miller oversees the employee benefits provided to members via the Florida Sheriffs Employee Benefits Trust (FSEBT). She is also the Managing Agent of the Florida Sheriffs Employee Benefits Agency (FSEBA). Becky began working with the FSEBT in February 2020. She has over 24 years of experience in employee benefits consulting with employers of all sizes and industries, including focus in governmental entities. In addition, she is a Certified Healthcare Reform Specialist and holds her Advanced Self-Funding certifications. Becky currently holds a Florida Life and Health Insurance License.
Brittany O’Neil
Chief Strategy Officer/Chief of Workers’ Compensation Claims
Brittany O’Neil oversees strategy, innovation, communications and workers’ compensation claims. She has a 25-year tenure with the Florida Department of Financial Services, most recently as the Assistant Director of the Division of Workers’ Compensation. She is experienced in governmental, legislative and regulatory affairs. Brittany graduated from the University of North Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Community Health. She also holds an Associate in Risk Management for Public Entities (ARM-P), a Project Manager Certification (PMP), and a certificate in Disaster Management.