M. Shane Canfield

M. Shane Canfield brings more than 25 years of experience in insurance and non-profit leadership to WAEPA.

Shane came to WAEPA in 2016 and served previously as Executive Director of the Council on Employee Benefits. He has spent most of his career in the pooled-risk group/affinity insurance industry. In his role as WAEPA CEO, Shane is responsible for strategic planning and leadership, managing stakeholder relationships, and serving our Board of Directors in organizational oversight. With extensive experience in coalition building, government relations, and reporting to Boards, Shane leads WAEPA by consistently prioritizing member satisfaction, membership growth, and retention.

He earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from George Mason University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Washington Adventist University. Shane is a board member of the Professional Insurance Marketing Association (PIMA), a member of LIMRA, the Life Insurers Council (LIC), International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP), and a past board member of ASAE Business Services, Inc. and the Council of HR Management Associations. Additionally, Shane holds various certifications, including CEBS, RHU, CAE, SPHR, and SHRM-SCP.