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There was a time in Karina Guerrero’s teen years when she wasn’t sure where her life was heading. A first-generation Mexican American, she grew up in a diverse neighborhood in a loving family that instilled a deep sense of hard work and resilience. When she became a teen mom, she was unsure what was next.
“My parents have always been very hard workers and instilled that in me. Resilience and adaptability were key things for us growing up,” she explains. “My dad was a porter for many years, but he might have as well been the CEO, the way he valued that job and the work ethic he demonstrated. His commitment carried down to me and had a lot to do with my expectations and the way I approach my career.”
Those lessons have only benefited her path. With her parents’ support, Guerrero enlisted in the US Navy, earned her MBA, and pursued a successful career in human resources. She currently works as director of human resources rewards, operations, and systems for Milliman, one of the world’s largest independent actuarial and consulting firms.
“I got to where I am because I’m so goal driven,” she shares. “As a teen mom, I wanted to prove that my circumstances didn’t define my future. It’s made me so driven and focused. There was no choice but to push ahead. I had a huge responsibility, which led me to the military.”
While serving as an operations specialist in the Navy, Guerrero learned leadership skills she still uses today in her HR career. She managed communication and presentations for the Admiral, oversaw the webpage as senior web database manager, organized intercommand meetings, coordinated training for the operations department, maintained records for classified publications, and guided subordinates to uphold the Admiral’s standards.
These duties would ultimately provide the foundation for her HR career—one that is based around executing strategic initiatives and operational improvements, and most importantly, collaborating with a strong, contributive team.
“Being in the military for five years helped me with my leadership perspective and put some structure and accountability behind my behavior at work and my problem-solving skills under pressure,” Guerrero adds. “That experience has directly influenced my approach to work today.”
She joined Milliman in 2019 as a senior benefits manager and was promoted to her current position in 2021. Her responsibilities include dealing with areas such as payroll, benefits, HRIS, immigration, mobility, and compensation.
“I love it because our work might be behind the scenes, but it has a direct impact on employees,” Guerrero says. “When payroll runs smoothly, when benefits are seamless, when systems work without friction—that’s when employees can focus on their jobs, and that’s the real value we bring.”
Guerrero leads a team of six direct reports, each with a specific function. Together, they work on operations and process improvements.
“I geek out on [the work] because what we’re doing is designed to help employees,” the director shares. “We help the business run. When the systems are running smoothly and the employees are being paid, we have happy employees.”
Her favorite part of the job is solving problems with her team that creates sustainable value for the business. “I love when something is wrong and I need to figure out how to fix it,” she shares. “Similar to the military, you can’t just duct-tape something together; you have to think about the long-term sustainability and find solutions.”
One initiative Guerrero and her team are working on is improving scalability and efficiency both in the US and in Milliman’s international offices.
“We are looking at our current systems and processes and thinking about how we can make things better as Milliman grows. We’re building for the future,” she explains. “It’s a growth opportunity for my team, because they haven’t had the opportunity to think of these kinds of changes before.”
When she first started at Milliman, the HR team comprised about a dozen people, but it has now grown to more than fifty. “The thought process of what we can do has changed dramatically; we now have defined subject matter experts for each function,” Guerrero notes. “I’m proud of how far our team has come. My managers can provide solutions and ideas and drive initiatives themselves.”
“When payroll runs smoothly, when benefits are seamless, when systems work without friction—that’s when employees can focus on their jobs, and that’s the real value we bring.”
Karina Guerrero
Guerrero hasn’t come across too many Hispanic HR professionals throughout her career, and she’s passionate about representing her community.
“Throughout my career, I rarely saw people who looked like me in these roles,” she says. “Representation matters—especially in spaces that shape workplace culture and policy. I want to help change that by supporting and mentoring others, so the future of HR reflects the diversity of the world we live in.”
Cigna HealthcareSM is a health benefits provider that advocates for better health through every stage of life. We guide our customers through the healthcare system, empowering them with the information and insight they need to make the best choices for improving their health and wellbeing. We are honored to support Karina Guerrero at Milliman who displays a strong commitment to fostering a positive workplace, and consistently prioritizes the well-being and development of every employee. Karina’s leadership promotes an environment where every employee can thrive, making her an essential and supportive Cigna Healthcare partner. Legal Disclosures.
