PRMS Leadership

Chief Underwriting Officer and Executive Vice President

Jacqueline Palumbo has been a senior manager with PRMS for 22 years. She has almost 40 years of experience underwriting healthcare professional liability insurance with a specialization in behavioral healthcare. In her role as the Chief Underwriting Officer, Ms. Palumbo directs the underwriting, sales, client services, product development, and policy production functions for PRMS.

Prior to joining PRMS, she was the Director of Underwriting with Healthcare Underwriters Mutual Insurance Company. Her previous experience includes management positions with Pro Assurance (formerly PIC Wisconsin), The Doctors Company, and Illinois State Medical Inter-Insurance Exchange.

Ms. Palumbo holds a property and casualty insurance agent license in all 50 states and DC. She is member of the Professional Liability Insurance Society (PLUS) and has been used as an expert witness for insurance coverage litigation cases. Ms. Palumbo is also a certified professional coach and energy leadership master practitioner. 

Senior Vice President, Client Relations

Melanie Smith manages the client relations and partnerships for PRMS including serving as the contact person for state, regional, and national psychiatric associations. She creates opportunities for company growth and collaboration. Ms. Smith identifies and coordinates service projects for PRMS participation, such as initiatives to support NAMI, mental health organizations, Kraftlove, local food banks, and disaster outreach projects.

Ms. Smith has worked in the marketing, communications and public relations fields since 1979. She was employed by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Office of Member and Staff Benefits in 1986. When the APA established PRMS, Ms. Smith then became a PRMS employee. Previously, she was a marketing manager for an educational association. Ms. Smith earned a Bachelor's degree in Public Relations Management from George Mason University. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Kraftlove, a charity that provides art kits to hospitalized children.

Senior Vice President, Claims

Jean Bates is an experienced medical malpractice claims manager and negotiator, particularly involving behavioral healthcare litigation. She joined PRMS in 1989 and is currently directing and overseeing the claims department while still maintaining an active role in adjusting complex malpractice cases.

Ms. Bates has over 27 years of experience in healthcare liability insurance, investigating and managing malpractice claims for a broad range of specialties including emergency medicine, internal medicine, orthopedics, obstetrics/gynecology, and general surgery. She brought into this profession her clinical experience in the neurosurgery intensive care unit of a university hospital and the emergency department of a large county facility.

Ms. Bates received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Montevallo and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She also earned a Master of Arts in Public and Private Management degree from Birmingham-Southern College. She is a licensed claims adjuster and a member of the Professional Liability Underwriting Society.

Vice President, Risk Management

Donna Vanderpool is responsible for the development and implementation of risk management services for PRMS. Ms. Vanderpool has developed expertise in the areas of telepsychiatry, HIPAA and forensic practice, and has consulted, written and spoken nationally on these and other healthcare law and risk management topics. She most recently contributed to a chapter in Gun Violence and Mental Health (APPI), authored chapters on telepsychiatry in Mental Health Practice in a Digital World (Springer) and Psychoanalysis Online 2 (Karnac). She also has co-edited and contributed chapters to several other clinical textbooks. Prior to joining PRMS in 2000, Ms. Vanderpool practiced criminal defense law, taught business and legal courses, and spent eight years managing a general surgical practice.

Ms. Vanderpool received a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management from James Madison University. She also earned a Master of Business Administration degree and Juris Doctor degree from George Mason University.