Jamala Arland: building trust in times of change

As part of our Real leaders. Real stories. series, the Genworth executive shares why she embraces challenges as opportunities.

Jamala Arland stands at the forefront of innovation and advocacy for America’s aging population. As the CEO of Genworth’s US Life Insurance business, she blends leadership, industry experience and a personal mission to reshape how the insurance sector responds to the needs of a growing demographic.

The aging journey requires support. Many people in their 70s and 80s need help with daily activities or home modifications; they may require nursing homestays. The growing demand will become more apparent as the large population of baby boomers transitions into the “young old” category (65–84). As the long-term care landscape continues to evolve and care costs rise, people are often surprised to discover that the plans they’ve made don’t fully account for the level of care they may one day need.

In Arland’s 20 years in the industry, from her start as an actuarial analyst to the helm of a major insurance organization, she is known to run toward challenges. She recalls the long-term care crisis of 2014, when Genworth’s long-term care insurance business faced serious financial and operational tests. Arland chose to engage directly with the challenges, seeing the moment as an opportunity to better understand the business and contribute to stabilizing it. “Whatever happened, I was going to learn a lot. I was going to be able to contribute and make a difference,” she said.

Arland’s sense of purpose extends beyond the boardroom and into her own family life as she and her husband make intergenerational memories, with her 90-year-old grandfather alongside their three-year-old. “The joy of being in the ‘sandwich generation’ is watching my granddad and my son together,” she says. “I see it as a privilege and an honor to be on that journey with my granddad and to support his care.”

A growing demographic

At its core, the insurance industry exists to support people in need and is driven by community — people coming together to share and mitigate risk, Arland explains. In 2030, the United States will have an estimated 61 million baby boomers, ages 66 to 84.  The fast-growing demographic brings new pressures and unknowns. According to a recent cost of care survey conducted by CareScout, a Genworth subsidiary, care costs again increased in 2025, reaching levels not seen before across the country. The long-term care industry is adapting to meet the growing demand for insurance products that cover financial support, certified care and provisions that allow people to stay in their homes.

Answers for these unknowns will require collective action and trusted leadership. To this challenge, Arland brings quiet resolve, a measure of hope and wisdom that steadies those around her.

Embracing challenges as opportunities

Arland grew up in Barbados, where her family placed a high value on education. Arland was a strong math student but wasn’t drawn to a career in engineering or teaching. A meeting with the island's only actuary opened her eyes to the possibilities within the financial and insurance sectors.

“Our goal has been, and continues to be, to ensure that the premiums we charge are sustainable relative to the benefits we expect to pay,” she says. “At the same time, we’re focused on helping customers maintain coverage that is meaningful to their needs while managing the long-term sustainability of our legacy block.”

A vision for the future

Genworth is exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline processes and improve customer service but recognizes that technology cannot replace the human touch and empathy needed in long-term care. Arland’s vision for aging supports in America over the next five to 10 years centers on rebuilding trust in the insurance industry, engaging in public policy discussions and educating families. That future‑focused work takes on deeper significance as the industry enters its peak claims years.

“As we approach the peak claims years, that is where the promise meets the need,” she says. “This is really the moment that we’ve been preparing for. We have been part of some of the macro issues that have broken trust in the insurance industry, and we are also committed to being part of rebuilding that trust.”

Her perspective on trust and care is also deeply shaped by her own family experience; Arland’s son and grandfather are playmates and neighbors today.

Her grandfather enjoys fine health and recently decided to move from Florida to Richmond, Virginia, in a new development, which brought an instant community and the chance to see his great-grandson. “They’re very close,” Arland says. “My granddad says that my son keeps him young.”

After losing her grandmother in 2020, following a decline that included dementia, Arland began having “a five-year conversation,” with her grandfather about his future living needs. Having made their careers outside the US, her grandparents didn’t pay into Social Security, but they had planned and saved and were able to stay in their home together, with caregiver support. Not every family has the luxury.

“Because of the experiences that I have with him, I’ve thought about the things that would be meaningful to our customers,” Arland says. “We’re offering things to customers that make a difference in their life, to be independent and stay safe in their home.” These kinds of solutions not only support the individual, but they also help families, caregivers and communities navigate aging.

Her career advice for the young, and for the “young olds” alike? Do the thing that’s calling to you, even if that means running toward uncertainty. “Be open to possibility and opportunity,” she says. “Have a plan, but don’t be afraid when it evolves. Every plan I had for my career didn’t unfold the way I’d anticipated — and that was actually okay.”

From a leadership perspective, she says, embracing crisis creates opportunity. “That’s what you have to do. Go to where the fires are and figure things out.”

Summary

Jamala Arland’s leadership is shaped by a deep commitment to addressing the evolving needs of an aging population. Drawing on decades of experience and personal insight, she navigates complexity with a focus on trust, sustainability and meaningful customer outcomes. By embracing challenges and fostering innovation, she is helping position the insurance industry to better support individuals, families and communities through the realities of long-term care.