Biography
Dr. David T. Russell, Professor of Insurance and Finance, received his Ph.D. in Risk Management and Insurance from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School in 1997. He earned an A.B. in Economics cum laude from Amherst College. He joined CSUN in 2002 after teaching at the Katie Insurance School at Illinois State University. Dr. Russell has two books on insurance and has published in several journals, including the Journal of Insurance Issues, Journal of Risk Finance, Journal of Insurance Regulation, Journal of Accounting and Finance Research, and others. His current research interests include alternative risk transfer mechanisms, insurance company service quality, retirement savings and insurance agent compensation. He is a member of the Risk and Insurance Management Society, the American Risk and Insurance Association, and the Western Risk and Insurance Association. Dr. Russell currently serves as the co-director of the CSUN Center for Risk Management and Insurance.
He recently served as Chairman of the Board of First Connect Insurance Services, an Austin, TX, based insurance distributor until a successful liquidity event in late-2020. He serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Westside Neighborhood School, a Pre-Kindergarten-8th grade independent school in Los Angeles with 520 students. Previously, Dr. Russell served on the boards of two NASDAQ-listed companies and several other private companies and non-profits. In addition, he provides consulting services to insurers, financial advisory clients and parties in need of litigation support services.
Dr. Russell is the 2019 recipient of the American Risk and Insurance Association's Excellence in Teaching Award, which recognizes outstanding instruction in the field of Risk Management and Insurance.
In 2012, Dr. Russell received the Rie R. Sharp "Insurance Person of the Year" Award from Los Angeles area CPCU chapters. In 2008, he served as President of the Western Risk and Insurance Association. In 1997, Dr. Russell was the recipient of the Les Strickler Innovation in Instruction Award from the American Risk and Insurance Association.