Employee Spotlight: Katelyn Haniotes

Here at Inszone, one of our missions is to make sure that every employee is appreciated, acknowledged, and recognized for their achievements. This Employee Spotlight series aims to celebrate success and highlight the talented individuals we have at Inszone, Cover Cannabis, and California Pool Association. Each month we’ll be featuring Inszone employees on our website, blog and social accounts.

Please join us in congratulating Katelyn Haniotes, our Employee Spotlight for the month of March! 

Katelyn Haniotes, a Commercial Account Manager Team Lead, began her career in insurance after earning her degree in Christian Studies and seeking a role where she could make a meaningful impact. She joined Inszone as an account manager with little knowledge of the industry but quickly discovered a passion for protecting her clients’ businesses and building strong relationships. What started as an unexpected opportunity has grown into a fulfilling career rooted in service and leadership.

With a background in youth ministry and team leadership, Katelyn brings compassion, adaptability, and strong problem-solving skills to her role. She leads with accountability, collaboration, and recognition—regularly reviewing goals, encouraging open communication, and celebrating team wins. She believes in working alongside her team through challenges and successes, fostering a supportive culture where growth and relationships are prioritized.

Katelyn credits her development to strong mentorship and completing the CRESTCOM leadership program, which enhanced her ability to implement effective strategies that improved team performance. Having learned the importance of balance after experiencing burnout, she now emphasizes healthy delegation and teamwork. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her fiancé and pets, exploring the outdoors, and training for a half marathon.

When asked to share a few words about Katelyn, her direct supervisor, Amy Hieatt, North American Health Care Practice Leader-Executive VP, shared the following:

“Katelyn has served as an Account Manager, a Producer, and now as the Healthcare Liability Division Team Lead. In every role, she has shown a genuine commitment to excellence and to caring for the clients she serves. She brings a truly client-centered approach to her work and leads alongside her team, always willing to step in, support others, and do whatever is needed to achieve the best outcome. 

She has earned the deep respect of her colleagues as a thoughtful and compassionate servant leader. Katelyn approaches every challenge with determination, efficiency, optimism, and grace, even under pressure. It has been a true privilege to mentor her at this stage of her career, and I am sincerely excited to watch her continued growth and all that she will accomplish in the years ahead at Inszone.”

Q: What initially brought you to the insurance industry?

A: I had just resigned from the job that I had maintained through college while I earned my Christian Studies degree. I was looking for a career that would challenge me and give me opportunities to make a difference in my community. Inszone (Desert Mountain Insurance at the time) was the first company I applied to for an account manager position, and I fortunately was accepted soon after! I had no clue what the job would actually entail, but it has been amazing to see my passion grow for serving my clients by protecting their business as well as supporting and building up my team for success. They always say no one plans to work in insurance, which I would agree with. But it is not mentioned enough how rewarding this industry truly is and the genuine relationships that form with both our insureds and fellow colleagues.

Q: In what ways do you think your unique background or experiences contribute to your success in your role?

A: I have always been involved in team-oriented environments, both professionally and personally. Being able to work with a multitude of people has allowed me to learn how to problem-solve and be adaptable with both people and stressful situations. I have always felt called to be in a role that supports and takes care of others. I was a youth ministry leader in college for my church, and working with children definitely helped me focus on being patient when there is not understanding and to always lead and guide others with compassion. As an assistant manager for another company, I was able to gain experience training team members, navigating difficult conversations, and getting creative in developing new processes and resources to better improve workflow.

Q: Can you share a particularly challenging situation you faced in your career and how you overcame it?

A: A challenging time in my career is when I faced extreme burnout. I struggled to place boundaries to where I could manage a healthy work-life balance. Asking for help has always been a struggle for me as I try to do and did not feel it was fair at that time to share the burden with others. However, this experience taught me that I am only my best at my job when I feel my cup is full, which is making time for experiences and people that bring me joy. I learned that delegation is not always a negative when done correctly and can also be opportunities to teach my team and continue to develop their skillset.

Q: If you could describe your approach to teamwork in three words, what would they be and why?

A: My approach to teamwork would be accountability, collaboration, and recognition. As a team, each member brings their own strengths and are a piece of the puzzle that makes our team function effectively. To maintain accountability, our goals are discussed multiple times throughout a weekly basis via reports, check-ins, and scheduled meetings. It is also important to have moments celebrating the small and big wins of both the team and each individual employee! We host a weekly team meeting where we bounce off ideas to one another and discuss difficult situations to navigate. Being on a team that is diverse allows for so many new ideas to be created and pushes us to think outside of what we are comfortable with.

Q: What do you think sets you apart, and how does it benefit your team?

A: I strive to be leader that works alongside my team. I want them to know that we endure hardships together, win together, and evolve together. I believe this can make a difference in morale when they see you actively involved in their work and are helping them problem-solve. Maintaining an encouraging and collaborative culture creates room where people ask questions and strong relationships are built with one another.

Q: Who has been the biggest influence or mentor in your life, and what valuable lessons have you learned from them?

A: I am grateful to have the most amazing mentor and leader that I have had to date, Amy Hieatt. Amy is Inszone’s VP of Healthcare, and she has been instrumental in my development not only with the company but in how I want to carry myself as an individual. She leads our department with the utmost compassion, integrity, and support. I admire her ability to be innovative and always finding opportunities that pour into and grow our team. She has taught me that no problem is permanent and that relationships matter most in this industry with both our colleagues but also our clients and business partners.

Q: What accomplishment are you most proud of in your career so far, and what did it teach you?

A: Last year I completed a yearlong training program called CRESTCOM. This program included bi-weekly sessions going over materials, working with leaders in other companies, and creating plans from this material to bring back and apply within our teams. This went over a multitude of topics such as managing change, being intentional with influence, and building mental agility during hardships. With the plans that were created, I got to implement them in my individual and team workflows which ultimately improved our retention and new business totals. It has also helped me become a stronger leader in being more versatile when it comes to trainings and having resources that can set up my team for success.

Q: What are some hobbies you do outside of work that you enjoy?

A: This past year I have spent a lot of time being a homebody as my fiancé and I have been planning for our wedding in April this year! But my weekends usually consist of spending time with my fur babies snuggled on the couch either watching a dramatic reality show or reading a suspenseful book. I enjoy doing anything outdoors whether that be paddleboarding, hiking, snowboarding, camping, or traveling to old and new places. Recently I have been getting back into the gym and am training to run half a marathon by the end of the year!

Katelyn, your hard work, leadership, and positive spirit make a lasting impact on your team and the entire company. We’re grateful for all you do and are proud to celebrate you this month!