Institutional Retirement Income Council Appoints Suzanne Raffaele and Mikaylee O’Connor to Board of Directors

NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, May 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Institutional Retirement Income Council (IRIC) today announced the election of Suzanne Raffaele and Mikaylee O’Connor to its Board of Directors, further strengthening the organization’s leadership as it advances the adoption of in-plan retirement income solutions in defined contribution (DC) plans.

Suzanne Raffaele is Co-Founder and Partner at Retirement Leadership Forum, where she leads the firm’s retirement research initiatives and plays a key role in industry engagement, sales, and marketing. She brings deep experience across the retirement ecosystem, including leadership roles at Bank of America Merrill Lynch spanning defined contribution investment product development, sales, and consultant relations. Her career also includes leading the Corporate Executive Board’s Retirement Services Leadership Forum, further underscoring her longstanding influence in advancing industry dialogue and innovation.

Mikaylee O’Connor is Partner and Head of the Defined Contribution Practice at NEPC, where she leads the firm’s DC strategy, research, and client solutions. She oversees key initiatives spanning target date funds, managed accounts, retirement income solutions, and broader investment strategies to improve participant outcomes. Prior to joining NEPC, she held senior leadership roles at PGIM and RVK Inc., advising a wide range of defined contribution plan sponsors. O’Connor is also an active industry contributor, serving in leadership roles with major retirement organizations and frequently speaking and publishing on DC plan trends and innovation.

Raffaele and O’Connor join the IRIC Board as successors to two long-serving, highly influential Board members whose terms have ended: Martha Tejera, former Chair of the IRIC Board, and Martin Schmidt, a former Chair and long-standing Board member who has contributed to IRIC since its early years.

“We are thrilled to welcome Suzanne and Mikaylee to the IRIC Board,” said Kevin Crain, Executive Director of IRIC. “Suzanne’s leadership in retirement research and industry engagement, combined with Mikaylee’s deep expertise in DC investment strategy and plan design, offer highly complementary perspectives to our Board. Their insights will be invaluable as IRIC continues to help the industry move from interest to adoption of in-plan retirement income solutions.”

Crain added, “We also express our deepest appreciation to Martha Tejera and Martin Schmidt for their extraordinary leadership and service. Martha and Martin’s tenure as Board Chairs and Martin’s long-standing contributions since IRIC’s early development have been instrumental in shaping the organization’s mission and impact throughout the retirement industry.”

Michael Kreps, Chair of the IRIC Board, said, “Suzanne and Mikaylee are recognized leaders who understand both the complexity and the opportunity in today’s defined contribution system. Their experience across research, consulting, and industry leadership will further strengthen IRIC’s ability to guide plan sponsors and the broader ecosystem in advancing retirement income innovation.”

Kreps continued, “We are equally grateful to Martha Tejera and Martin Schmidt for their years of dedication and leadership. Their contributions have been foundational to IRIC’s growth and to its standing as a leading voice in retirement income.”

About the Institutional Retirement Income Council (IRIC)

The Institutional Retirement Income Council (IRIC) is a leading nonprofit organization focused on advancing the adoption of in-plan retirement income solutions within defined contribution plans. IRIC brings together stakeholders across the retirement ecosystem—including plan sponsors, consultants, recordkeepers, asset managers, and insurers—to educate, collaborate, and drive innovation that improves retirement security for participants

Ed Emerman
Eagle Public Relations
+1 609-240-2766
eemerman@eaglepr.com

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