About Us
Since 1987 you may have known us as AIA, or American Insurance Administrators, or as one of our three core divisions: AIA Property & Casualty (P&C), Benefits Resource Group (BRG), or as Benefits Broker Solutions (BBS). You may have heard something about us becoming part of Alera Group in 2017. But we are all one company, and now we are aligning our name, our brand, our new look, and our new website to reflect that strong one-company story.
Work With Us
We are passionate about collaboration and growth. Enjoy working in a highly collaborative culture? Looking for an exciting environment that is constantly growing and improving? If you care about providing outstanding client service while serving local communities, then we may be looking for you.
Meet Our Team
Sarah Banducci
Claims Manager
Sarah is a Claims Manager in the Property & Casualty division. She provides daily support to clients by working closely with producers, account managers, and carriers to ensure the timely and proper handling of property and casualty claims. Prior to joining the team, Sarah worked for many years as a multiline property and casualty claims adjuster giving her a valuable depth of industry knowledge. In addition to these skills, her superior customer service and strong attention to detail have made her a great resource and advocate for our clients.
Sarah holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Penn State University. She enjoys giving back to her community and is active in the United Way and Central PA Food Bank.
Don Barbuto
Strategic Employee Benefits Consultant
Don comes to the Alera Group from Marsh McLennan where he was a Senior Vice President with over 50+ years of experience in health care and risk management. Prior to MMA he was a partner in a national employee benefits firm and a former Senior Officer at Independence Blue Cross. Don founded a nationally recognized utilization management company in the late 1990’s. He has been involved in the formation of various managed care systems including PPO’s, EPO’s, PHO’s, IPAs and RBP. He is also a certified healthcare underwriter and a Veteran of the US Army. Don also played minor league baseball in the Philadelphia Phillies System and for the US Army.
Don has his BS from West Chester University and has severed as a Trustee on several boards including Holy Redeemer Health System, Hospital Association of Pennsylvania, American Hospital Association, Junior Achievement of SE Pa, Boys Scouts of America, Bucks County Chamber of Commerce, Holy Cross Regional School and HealthWorks Academies.
Don is married, has 4 children, and 5 grandchildren and lives in Collegeville, Pa.
Nina Barnhart
Accounting
Nina Barnhart is a Senior Accountant for the Property & Casualty division of the Alera Group, Mechanicsburg office.
Nina believes in providing accurate information, quickly, and takes pride in being a resource for fellow team members when needed.
Nina comes to Alera Group with six years of experience in the insurance industry, with a focus on commission tracking and reporting.
Outside of work, Nina enjoys needlepointing, reading, and spending time with her husband and their pets.
Michelle Barnett
Implementation Analyst, Benefits Administration
Michelle Barnett joined the team as a Senior Benefits Coordinator in 2021. Prior to joining our Benefits & Technology division, Michelle worked in County Government obtaining experience in Fiscal management and Human Resources; to include employee onboarding and benefits administration.
Michelle has participated in various trainings available by The Society of County Human Resources Professionals of Pennsylvania (SCHRPP) and County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP)
Michelle holds an Associates in the Science of Accounting from Southern New Hampshire University. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with family.
EXPERT EDUCATION
Events and Webinars
Employee Benefits
Point Solutions, Proven: Why Vendor Sprawl Fails — and How to Identify What Actually Drives Impact
A clearer framework for sorting through point solutions to determine where investment may—or may not—deliver value.
September 15, 2026 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
Register Here
Employee Benefits
Primary Care as a Strategy: How Direct Primary Care Can Lower Costs and Improve Outcomes
A clearer understanding of how Direct Primary Care can be used as a strategic lever to improve outcomes while controlling total cost of care.
October 20, 2026 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
Register Here
Employee Benefits
AI Advantage in Benefits: Practical Use Cases That Support HR and Employees
A practical view of how AI can support benefits teams while improving the employee experience.
November 17, 2026 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
Register Here
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Insights
Employee Benefits
Legal Alert: IRS Issues ACA Affordability Percentage Adjustment for 2027
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has released Rev. Proc. 2026-26.
July 24, 2026
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Property and Casualty
Commercial Real Estate Insurance Market Shows Signs of Relief, With Conditions
There are emerging signs that the commercial property insurance market is beginning to soften. However, the benefits of this shift are not being felt uniformly across all real estate portfolios.
July 16, 2026
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Employee Benefits
Legal Alert: Clients With Massachusetts Private PFML Plans Renewing After July 1, 2026
Alert for any employer with at least one employee in Massachusetts, even if the employee is remote.
June 30, 2026
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Legal Alert: PCORI Fees Due By July 31, 2026
This alert is of interest to all employers that sponsor self-insured group health plans, including Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs). Note that the PCORI fee does not apply to most health FSAs.
June 29, 2026
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