ABOUT
Group Benefits and Medicare Plans
McDermott Consulting brings an unparalleled combination of group health benefits knowledge, experience, and industry resources to maximize the quality and efficiency of your group health benefits program. We shop, you save. You’ll enjoy affordable premiums with a group savings rate, personalized coverage that best suits your needs, and a face-to-face benefits consultation.
As a women-owned business, we’re committed to conducting comprehensive, unbiased vendor evaluations and superior service throughout the process. Our benefits team creates unique group insurance solutions from a wealth of resources – providing your business with the exact needs to protect your employees and medicare beneficiaries.
Our approach to ancillary and ACA benefits drives improved outcomes by defining customer needs; engaging in competitive program marketing to find “Best in Class” vendors and carriers and secure superior discounts; establishing performance goals; and monitoring results with a focus on maximizing value and employee satisfaction. Our goal is to provide aggressive negotiation and a strategic plan design for our clients and medicare beneficiaries.
OUR BENEFITS TEAM
Helping clients manage employee benefits to retain and attract employees all while saving companies money. Collectively, we have 150+ years of industry experience. We offer strategic benefits administration support that can empower HR & CFO professionals by cutting down rote labor and giving them time back for initiatives that make an impact. We seek out affiliations with “best in class” organizations to support our clients and provide transparent, cost-effective health plan solutions.
Lori A. McDermott, AHIP
Principal
Lori has been in the insurance industry for 25 years. She got her start working for BCBS as a National Benefits Consultant for large accounts. She is Accident, Life, and Health certified as well as AHIP.
Nancy Janak, AHIP
Agent
With over 40 years of experience in the health insurance industry, Nancy brings a wealth of knowledge, compassion, and integrity to our mission of service.
Nancy has built an incredible career at BlueCross BlueShield of WNY (now Highmark) and Independent Health, holding roles from Provider Relations Representative to Vendor Relationship Manager. Along the way, she balanced professional excellence with raising her family—a true testament to her strength and dedication.
After retirement, Nancy could have simply enjoyed reading, playing pickleball, Mah Jong, and time with her beloved granddaughter (and she still does!)—but she felt called to give back. She went on to earn her Health Insurance License so she could help people like you better understand and access the care they deserve.
Nancy will help to make the complex process, simple. We believe in doing the right thing and that means no charge, no pressure—just support, guidance, and real help when you need it most.
Rich McDermott
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Rich McDermott retired from the NFTA after 37 years and joined Lori after getting Accident, Life, & Health Licensed, bringing years of financial reporting and budgeting resources.
Michele Mercer, RN, AHIP
Agent
Michele brings decades of healthcare leadership experience—from driving clinical integration across WNY and Southwest Florida. She’s worked with hospitals, payers, community organizations, and national healthcare partners—all with one mission: advocating for better care. With a career rooted in compassion and advocacy, she embodies our mission to simplify the complex world of benefits and empower individuals through personalized, expert guidance.
Michele’s deep commitment to our shared values and her leadership in both clinical and data-driven roles make her a perfect fit for our growing team.
Michele heads up our Southwest Florida office and leads the way in expanding our reach and impact.
Theresa Roma, Ph.D., AHIP
Agent
For all those that have worked with her in the past and those working presently, know how skilled and dedicated Theresa is. She brings almost two decades of industry experience and talent to our team. Roma has an incredible depth of experience in the insurance industry and a shared passion for supporting families through life’s most important transitions.
As Head of Insurance Solutions at Wellthy, Theresa has been at the forefront of caregiving support services, using her extensive benefits strategy expertise to help families navigate complex care needs. Her academic accomplishments are just as impressive—she holds a Doctorate in Executive Leadership from St. John Fisher University, where she focused her research on paid family leave, a Master’s from Buffalo State, and a Bachelor’s from UCLA.
Theresa is not only a brilliant professional—she’s also a dedicated mom of three and an active community leader in Buffalo’s Parkside neighborhood, where she proudly chairs the Tour of Homes.
What makes Theresa a perfect fit for McDermott Consulting Insurance? She lives and breathes our core values: compassion, clarity, and putting people first. We believe expert Medicare insurance guidance should never come at a cost to you. That’s why all of our Medicare services are 100% free—so you can make confident decisions without confusion or pressure.
We’re here to serve you, and with Theresa on board, our commitment to doing just that has never been stronger.
Melissa Sexton, AHIP
Agent
Melissa is not only an accomplished operations and healthcare professional with over 18 years of experience—she’s someone whose integrity, passion for service, and commitment to client advocacy align seamlessly with our core values.
Melissa holds a dual MBA/MIS with a concentration in International Management from the University at Buffalo, pairing strategic leadership with deep technical and Medicare expertise. Her impressive background includes key roles at Pharmacy Benefit Dimensions and Highmark BlueCross BlueShield of WNY, where she led client services, renewals, and compliance for diverse groups including municipalities, school districts, manufacturers, and unions—all while maintaining impeccable regulatory standards.
In addition to her role with us, Melissa serves as the Locating Operations Manager at Naturals2Go, where she leads high-performing teams and champions operational excellence through data-driven decision-making and process improvement.
What truly sets Melissa apart is her consultative, people-first approach. She builds lasting relationships, delivers tailored solutions, and works tirelessly to ensure clients feel seen, heard, and supported.