Marsh, the world's leading insurance broker and risk advisor, today announced it has expanded the scope of its industry-leading Education Practice as well as the role of Jean Demchak as global leader of the Practice.

The practice, which includes a network of more than 650 dedicated Marsh education and risk professionals throughout the U.S. and in all parts of the world,  will expand its scope to include a stronger emphasis on private and public elementary and secondary schools, as well as higher education consortia business.  Marsh also will increase its focus on growing its university business around the world.

Building on her role as leader of the Practice, Ms. Demchak will take on additional responsibilities for guiding the firm's efforts in all of these areas.

A professional in risk and insurance services for 26 years, Ms. Demchak recently was appointed to the board of directors of the University Risk Management and Insurance Association (URMIA), for which she has chaired numerous committees during the course of her career.

"Today, clients in all areas of education face an increasingly complex risk environment that requires the expertise of professionals from a wide range of risk disciplines," said Timothy Mahoney, president of Marsh's Global Risk Management division and leader of the firm's Industry Practices.  "We have set the industry standard in helping clients in the education sector understand, assess, and manage the myriad exposures confronting them today. With Jean's continued leadership, we look forward to expanding the scope of our work in this area."

Early in her career at Marsh, Ms. Demchak began focusing on higher education and the public sector, working on the development of consortia or group programs, innovative product designs, and customization of coverage documents.  Previously, she was an associate with Sibson & Company, a consulting firm specializing in human resources and executive and sales compensation.   Ms. Demchak earned an Associates degree from Tomlinson College, a B.A. from the University of Tennessee, and an MBA from the University of Connecticut. 

Marsh's Global Education Practice serves more than 1,500 higher education clients in the U.S. and several hundred additional colleges, universities, and private educational institutions around the world.  The firm has maintained a dedicated Education Practice that dates back more than four decades, serving clients in higher education, public and private K-12, for profit institutions, libraries and consortia programs.