Meet Our Team
Andrea Bakken
Sr. Account Manager, Employee Benefits
Drawing upon her deep experience in healthcare, Andrea provides day-to-day support for employees, plan participants, and administrators—coordinating communications among service providers, resolving issues, advocating for participants with carriers, and more.
She split time between the hospital and insurance sides of the industry for 15 years before joining our team—working for Flagler Hospital in Florida, Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, Aetna and Health Insurance NW. Her roles included continuing medical education coordinator, patient access lead, account manager, and sr. agency operations administrator.
Andrea is licensed in both health and life insurance and earned a degree in Health Administration at the University of North Florida. She has a daughter, a yellow lab, and two cats adopted from a local cat rescue where she volunteers. A resident of Puyallup, Wash., Andrea enjoys spending time with family and friends, exploring the outdoors, and cheering for her daughter at horse shows.
Kaleb Cervantes, C(k)P®
Associate Advisor, Retirement Plan Services
As a Retirement Plan Associate Advisor, Kaleb helps companies design retirement plan benefits that align with their mission and values, while ensuring a smooth and compliant plan administration. He leads annual plan reviews, providing in-depth analysis of key metrics, delivering employee education, offering fiduciary support, and staying up-to-date on legislative changes that affect plan design and management.
During his time at Pacific Lutheran University, Kaleb was selected to join the Master of Science Investment Fund, where he served as Head of Investment Research, contributing to the growth and strategic direction of the university's portfolio.
Kaleb holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from the University of Washington and a Master of Science in Finance from Pacific Lutheran University. He has earned several prestigious certifications in the retirement services industry, including the Certified 401(k) Professional (C(k)P®) designation and the Certified Plan Fiduciary Advisor (CPFA®) designation. Kaleb also holds a Series 66 securities and investment advisory license, further expanding his expertise in retirement planning and investment solutions.
Kaleb is passionate about bringing people together—whether it's clients, colleagues, or communities—by fostering collaboration, improving productivity, and building trust. His approach is rooted in empowerment and providing confidence to those he works with. This mindset extends beyond his professional work, as Kaleb is actively involved in volunteering with children and families in his community. He has served as an interpreter and played a key role in supporting local youth events that encourage creativity and personal growth.
Fluent in Spanish, Kaleb enjoys staying active through basketball, capturing landscape photography, exploring astronomy, and traveling in his spare time. Investment advisory services offered through Alera Investment Advisors, LLC. Securities offered through Osaic Wealth, Inc. member FINRA/SIPC. Osaic Wealth is separately owned and other entities and/or marketing names, products or services referenced here are independent of Osaic Wealth.
Evan Connolly
Senior Client Support Specialist
Evan focuses on benefits administration, employee communication, and systems expertise for clients in a wide variety of industries—including medical institutions, companies with manual laborers, and government contractors.
A cum laude graduate of Appalachian State University with a degree in biology and ecology, Evan worked as an animal care specialist and veterinary assistant before joining Alera Group. She also has rescued and rehabilitated Hawaiian monk seals as a volunteer with the Marine Mammal Stranding Network.
Evan lives in Florida and loves to be outdoors hiking, bike riding, and gardening. She enjoys good books and good food, and has a young daughter “who keeps me entertained and on my toes.”
Bethany Daniels
Partner, HR Services
Bethany works closely with our team to assist clients in all aspects of HR, drawing upon her 10+ years of experience in recruiting, benefits, employee relations, strategy, and other areas. Before joining Alera Group, she worked in a variety of industries, including biopharma and life sciences, airline transportation, manufacturing, and technology.
A graduate of Capella University with an MBA in Human Resources, Bethany also earned the Senior Certified Professional designation from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM-SCP®).
Bethany lives in Tacoma and volunteers with the local Ronald McDonald House, cooking meals for families staying in the house and donating various items. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, which includes five siblings and 14 nieces and nephews, along with her mother, father, and stepmother. She also tends to her houseplants, listens to audiobooks, and loves to craft and shop.
EXPERT EDUCATION
Events and Webinars
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
Employee Benefits
The Compliance Pathway Q4
Don't miss this ongoing opportunity to ensure you comply with current regulations and are prepared for what's ahead.
December 2, 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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