Meet Our Team
Brittany Thomas
Client Support Specialist Lead
Brittany oversees our Client Support Specialist team—providing guidance, fostering a collaborative, efficient work environment, and building strong relationships with both clients and team members. She works closely with HR leads to ensure the accurate, timely completion of administrative functions for benefits administration, training programs, recruiting, onboarding/offboarding, open enrollment, and employee relations.
A graduate of the University of Idaho, where she earned a degree in business and human resources, Brittany has nearly 20 years of experience in HR, benefits, and retirement plans. She also achieved the SHRM People Manager Qualification.
Brittany lives outside of Tacoma, Washington; her hobbies include spending time with her family, watching her two girls play sports, traveling, and getting outside. She has volunteered for over 12 years with the United Way of Pierce County (including five years as a campaign lead) and also supports Mother Earth Farms.
Kristin Verone
Analyst, Employee Benefits
Kristin has served in a variety of roles over her 25+ years with the Washington office, including Office Manager, Database Administrator, and Small Group Account Manager. Today, as an Employee Benefits Analyst, one of her key duties is managing the renewal process for group insurance products—coordinating proposals and performing other vital tasks to ensure clients and Wilson Albers have all the necessary information to negotiate.
Kristin lives in Puyallup, Washington, and loves spending time with friends, family, and her dog Abe. Other hobbies include cooking, taking Abe to the dog park, watching college football, and cheering on Purdue’s basketball team (“Boiler up!” she says).
A graduate of Central Washington University with a bachelor’s degree in administrative office management, Kristin also volunteers for programs and events such as United Way’s Day of Caring and Shop with a Cop.
Julie Wahlgren
Sr. Account Manager, Employee Benefits
In our Tacoma office, Julie manages online benefits administration, communications, directing compliance questions, and making sure the information in our database isn’t compromised. While she has worn several hats since arriving at Wilson Albers about 25 years ago, these days Julie enjoys working behind the scenes—but still loves catching up with clients whenever she can.
Julie is a graduate of Western Washington University who moved to Minnesota after college, and then quickly returned once she realized how much she missed the Northwest. A Registered Health Underwriter (RHU®), she has vast experience in client services, health insurance, benefits administration systems, employee benefits design, and communications. Her favorite part of her current role is knowing that she plays a part in ensuring clients are cared for and that employees understand their benefits.
Mahtoska Weathers
Lead Account Manager, Retirement Plan Services
As the Lead Retirement Account Manager, Mahtoska’s primary responsibility for the client is communicating with current and potential clients, scheduling meetings, client data management, and systems management. Internally, he trains new account managers and manages processes across the Northwest region. Mahtoska possesses a B.S. in Mathematics, with a focus on data analysis and statistics.
Mahtoska has earned the Qualified Plan Fiduciary Consultant (QPFC) designation through the National Association of Plan Advisors (NAPA), a reputable organization known for its industry-recognized credentials. This designation reflects his in-depth understanding of the roles of fiduciaries and co-fiduciaries in relation to qualified employer-sponsored retirement plans, further enhancing his ability to provide expert guidance to clients.
After his five-year military service as a Marine Corps member ended, Mahtoska worked at a brewery and then in a customer-service role where he gained wine knowledge to provide informed recommendations. This sparked a lasting passion, and his long-term goals include becoming a certified sommelier while building a thriving career in the financial services industry.
Mahtoska lives with his girlfriend and two dogs in Spanaway, Washington. He enjoys traveling, cooking, relaxing, and playing games.
EXPERT EDUCATION
Events and Webinars
Employee Benefits
The Compliance Pathway Q1
Alera Group's quarterly employee benefits compliance roundup will help you stay current on the latest national regulatory developments impacting employers.
March 5, 2026 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
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Employee Benefits
Alera Group Presents: Navigating Medicare
The knowledgeable team at Alera Group is here to help you navigate your Medicare options to ensure you feel confident in your post-65 healthcare coverage.
March 11, 2026 at 12:00 pm CT | Virtual
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Employee Benefits
The Funding Edge: Why Fully Insured Limits Control — and What Modern Funding Unlocks
A funding decision framework leaders can use to evaluate options and align on next steps.
March 17, 2026 at 01:00 pm CT | Virtual
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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Insights
Property and Casualty
AI-Powered Cyber Attacks, Why Yesterday’s Defenses Aren’t Enough.
The widespread availability of AI technology, combined with the ease of manipulating video calls, makes phone and Zoom calls susceptible to exploitation by threat actors.
February 2, 2026
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Employee Benefits
IRS Releases Guidance Related to Recent HSA Changes
The IRS recently released Notice 2026-5, which provides guidance and answers to common questions related to the expanded availability of health savings accounts (“HSA”) under the Reconciliation Act (previously named the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) passed into law earlier this year.
December 30, 2025
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Property and Casualty
Are you prepared for 2026? Property and Casualty Trends Uncovered
The sixth annual Property and Casualty Market Outlook from Alera Group sets the stage for how organizations can recalibrate their risk strategies in 2026. Built on thousands of data points — including a nationwide survey of insurance company partners and wholesale intermediaries — this report delivers actionable insights for insurance buyers, risk managers and business leaders.
December 17, 2025
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Legal Alert: Agencies Clarify How Certain Fertility Benefits May be Treated as Excepted Benefits
This alert is of interest to all employers that offer fertility benefits or may be interested in offering fertility benefits in the future.
November 4, 2025
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