BIP Summer 2025

S Susan Rider

She teaches university courses. She travels the country for work. She’s preparing to take the helm of a national association. Oh, and she just finished her first year of law school. “I know it sounds a little crazy,” she says with a laugh. “But for me, everything I do has purpose. Law school is the next step in continuing to grow and lead in this industry.” Rider’s commitment to personal and professional development has defined every step of her career. And now, it shapes her vision for NABIP as she begins her NABIP presidency with the theme Racing Ahead. From her early days in clinical care to now steering NABIP, Rider leads with an intentional, has a full-time job. Rider’s path to insurance wasn’t linear. At 14, she was volunteering in oncology and hematology at her local hospital in Illinois. She became a CNA as a high school senior and earned her EMT certification five years later, fully expecting a career in direct patient care. But a back injury during a surgery rotation changed her plans. “That spinal fusion sent me in a different direction,” she says. “I had to rethink what healthcare could look like for me.” inclusive and future-focused mindset. A career rooted in care

28 bip magazine Summer 2025