But for Housseine Essaheb, AVP Actuarial, being an actuary is much more than that. It’s a way of combining his passions for math, business, and lifelong learning.

However, Housseine’s career journey wasn’t always a straight path. In fact, his original master plan included becoming a pilot. He grew up in New York and attended Aviation High School in Queens, where he worked on airplanes for two hours a day; learning all their innerworkings. Along the way, Housseine discovered that he loved tinkering with mechanics and learning how things worked together.

After graduating high school, Housseine majored in math and psychology at Queens College, two subjects that he enjoyed and found to be very practical. It was during this time that he learned about the actuarial profession. He was intrigued, but since his school didn’t have a designated actuarial program, he independently studied for and eventually passed his actuarial exams.

The more he learned about the actuarial profession, the more he loved it.

True to form, Housseine continued his education after his graduation, and in 2012, earned his Fellowship (FSA), a distinction that is awarded by the Society of Actuaries (SOA) for a high level of expertise in the field of actuarial science. Housseine is passionate about leadership and industry involvement, which he demonstrates through his volunteer work with the SOA. He has served in various leadership roles on industry groups, and he is currently the chair of the Emerging Topics Community. This group consists of industry experts who specialize in modeling, technology, and predictive analytics.

Housseine joined Pacific Life in 2019, after having 15 years of actuarial experience in insurance and retirement consulting. At Pacific Life, he oversees a team of high performers who partner with stakeholders in our Consumer Markets and Corporate divisions to build actuarial models. Additionally, he supports the Prophet Snowflake Implementation (PSI) initiative, a key priority for the company.

But what Housseine loves most about his role is being able to develop his skills as a leader and coach. One of the ways he stays on top of leadership best practices is by engaging in a variety of leadership courses through LinkedIn Learning, and in talent development courses at Pacific Life, like Leading Through Change.

His leadership style is centered around coaching by providing timely feedback. He empowers his team by identifying growth opportunities and training resources, to help them continually improve and develop new skills. This approach has also enriched his own experience as a leader.

Housseine credits a lot of his leadership style to the many role models that he’s had as great mentors. One mentor, who he met in 2011, demonstrated to Housseine the characteristics of being a coach, leader, and role model for his team. One thing Housseine says he admired most about that mentor is that he always provided Housseine with real feedback and tangible resources on how to keep improving and developing new skills.

And now as a seasoned leader himself, he says that he enjoys nothing more than watching his team grow and succeed.

Housseine’s story is a reminder that success is not just about reaching a destination, but also about the journey and the team of individuals you bring along the way. His passion for learning, his dedication to his team, and his commitment to excellence are what have made him successful. Housseine has truly found his niche at Pacific Life, where he can use his skills and talents to make a difference.