Meet the team

Vanessa Benitez

Senior Vice President of Growth and Business Development

The Word & Brown General Agency


Vanessa Benitez is Senior Vice President of Growth and Business Development at Word & Brown, overseeing Underwriting, Strategic Partnerships, Client Experience, and Sales in the San Diego and Inland Empire regions.

She earned her promotion in 2022, after spearheading our Associated Health Plan Trust transition, generating added production for carrier partners, and helping build and launch our Elite Plus Solutions program. She has been a principal player in multiple corporate initiatives, pilot program development for sales and retention, and expanding key agency partnerships throughout California and Nevada.

Vanessa entered the health insurance industry in 2006, working as an Enroller with Health Net in the large group division. She joined Word & Brown in 2007 as an Enrollment Specialist, earning multiple promotions to Field Sales Representative, Senior Regional Sales Manager, Field Sales Director, and Regional Vice President. In leading the San Diego region, she helped double annual production during her tenure.

Vanessa attended UC Berkeley, where she double majored in Political Science and Latin American Studies.

CO-Founders

John M. Word III
Edward J. "Rusty" Brown, Jr.

Executive Leadership

Jessica Word
Marc McGinnis
Vanessa Benitez
Scott Diehl
Joe De La Cruz
Linh Huynh
Paul Tran
Emily Crognale

Regional Vice Presidents

Cindy West
Marc A. McGinnis
Michele Isaly
Tawny Friedly

Leadership

Paul Roberts
Dena Allchin
Karen DeFazio
Lydia Robledo
Dientre Le’on
Ken Venier