Tom Lea

Tom Lea (BA ’09, Journalism and Mass Communication) serves as Director of Agency Data and Analytics at American Family Insurance, a role he has held since July 2026. Lea’s team supports day-to-day business operations for the agency distribution channel by providing foundational and operational data, analytics and insights that inform growth, profitability and retention efforts. American Family Insurance is the nation’s 12th-largest property and casualty insurer, ranking No. 226 on the Fortune 500 list with more than $19 billion in annual revenue.

Lea previously served as Associate Vice President of Enterprise Communications at American Family, where he led communications strategy and operations, working closely with executive leadership to connect employees to the company’s strategy in ways that helped them understand and embrace organizational change while supporting business performance. He also helped establish a unified enterprise communications function, bringing five separate operating company communications teams into a centralized organization with consistent messaging, governance and operational standards.

A graduate of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Lea began his career as a journalist and broadcaster with multiple outlets, including ESPN Wisconsin, where he covered Wisconsin Badgers athletics and co-hosted radio and digital programs. Since joining American Family in 2013, he has held leadership roles spanning communications, talent acquisition, human resources and, most recently, data and analytics.

Lea earned his MBA from the Wisconsin School of Business in 2019 and remains passionate about the intersection of communication, leadership, analytics, and organizational strategy. He, his wife, Katy and their two daughters live in the Madison area and are passionate about all things UW–Madison and Badgers athletics.