DENVER — May 5, 2025—Pinnacol Assurance, Colorado’s leading workers’ compensation insurance provider, announces the appointment of Marti Awad, JD, LLM in Taxation, CFP®, CFA, CEPA® to a five-year term on Pinnacol’s Board of Directors. Awad will serve as an Investments and Finance Representative.
Awad has more than 30 years of experience working in the capital markets, first as a practicing tax attorney at one of the country's top securities, merger, and acquisitions law firms and, for the past 24 years, as a private wealth advisor. She also worked in the tax consulting group of a national accounting firm. Awad is a dedicated member of the Denver civic and nonprofit community and has served on numerous boards and committees. Her most recent board service includes: Metro State University of Denver Foundation (Vice-Chair), Rose Community Foundation (Chair), and CollegeInvest, Colorado’s State 529 Plan (immediate Past Chair).
Additionally, two Board members currently serving were confirmed for subsequent five-year terms:
- Akasha Absher was confirmed for another 5-year term as Chair of the Pinnacol Board of Directors. She is also the Chair of the Investment Committee. Absher is the Co-President at Syntrinsic, an IMA Company, a national investment firm that provides investment advice and strategic consulting. She has more than 25 years’ experience in investment consulting, investment banking, fixed-income trading, risk management and nonprofit leadership and oversees the firm’s efforts to provide investment advice and strategic consulting to endowments, foundations, and nonprofit organizations. She also Chairs the firm’s Portfolio Implementation Committee. Absher is currently the Treasurer of the Board of Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, Management Advisory Committee Member for BH Credit Management LLC, and Investment Committee member for Gary Community Ventures. Absher earned her bachelor’s degree in finance from Clark Atlanta University and her MBA from the Ross Business School at the University of Michigan. In 2020, she was voted one of Colorado’ Women’s Chamber of Commerce Top 25 Most Powerful Women and in 2021 a Girl Scout Woman of Distinction.
- Angela Oakley will serve another 5 years on the Pinnacol Board as an Employee Representative. Oakley joined Pinnacol’s board of directors in 2024. She is WellPower's chief financial officer, overseeing its accounting, finance, contracting, and accounts receivable functions. With over 35 years of experience in healthcare finance, she has worked in both nonprofit and for-profit organizations, including hospitals, behavioral health, insurance entities and other healthcare organizations. She was awarded the 2024 Top Nonprofit CFO of the year by the Denver Business Journal. Her passion for leadership and mission-oriented work fuels her drive to enhance well-being throughout the community. Oakley is a Certified Public Accountant with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Pinnacol’s board leadership reflects Pinnacol’s ongoing commitment to fostering innovation and stability in its strategic decision-making processes and representing the communities and members that Pinnacol serves.
Read full bios for Pinnacol’s board of directors.
