Exploring Auto Portability and the Future of Small Balance Accounts
In the latest Connect Conversation, NAGDCA Executive Director Matt Petersen [...]
A Closer Look at the Gender Gap in Public Sector Retirement Saving
In this Connect Conversation episode, Matt Petersen is joined by [...]
Mind the Confidence Gap: What the Latest Research Reveals About Retirement Readiness
In this Connect Conversation, Matt Petersen talks with Jeri Savage [...]
Driving Participation Without Auto-Enrollment: BART’s Success Story
In this NAGDCA Connect Conversation, Matt Petersen speaks with leaders from Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) about how intentional plan design and effective communication can drive strong retirement outcomes. Winta Berhane, Manager of Benefits at BART, and Marcus Wu, Partner at Pillsbury and outside counsel to BART’s defined contribution plans, discuss how BART strategically uses its 457(b) and 401(a) plans to support employee savings-resulting in a 92% participation rate without auto-enrollment. The conversation explores lesser-known plan features, key compliance considerations, and practical approaches to educating a diverse workforce through strong partnerships and consistent outreach. Click below to view the discussion.
Measuring What Matters: Rethinking Plan Health in Public DC Plans
What does a “healthy” retirement plan actually look like in the public sector? In this episode of NAGDCA Conversations, Executive Director Matt Petersen talks with Nick Amaral, VP of Data, Analytics & Insights at Fidelity, about how plan sponsors can look beyond traditional benchmarks to evaluate performance, improve participant outcomes, and tailor their strategies to the unique structure of public plans. Nick shares how Fidelity’s Retirement Plan Health Score, financial wellness tools, and participant engagement analytics are helping plan sponsors redefine success in more holistic and meaningful ways.
Inflation & DC Plans
Inflation may have cooled for now, but uncertainty remains—and public sector plan sponsors are left wondering how to prepare. In this episode, NAGDCA’s Matt Petersen sits down with Kevin Kneafsey, Senior Investment Strategist, to discuss how inflation impacts DC plans and what sponsors can do to build more resilient investment menus. Learn why inflation is so hard to predict, why traditional “inflation-hedging” assets often fall short, and how portfolio design—not participant timing—is the key to long-term protection.
Bringing Private Assets to Public DC Plans
What role can private markets play in defined contribution plans—and how are new investment structures making them more accessible? In this episode of NAGDCA Conversations, Matt Petersen talks with Steve Ulian, Managing Director at Apollo, about how recent innovations are helping public sector DC plans tap into the potential of private equity, real assets, and private credit. Steve explains why now is the right time to consider these investments, how they’ve become “DC-ready,” and what fiduciaries should know about liquidity, structure, and risk management.
Expanding Access: Washington State’s Auto Enrollment Success Story
In this episode of NAGDCA Conversations, Executive Director Matt Petersen sits down with Malia Bonham and Seth Miller from the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems to discuss how the state successfully expanded automatic enrollment from state employees to local governments. Malia and Seth offer a behind-the-scenes look at the legislative strategy, stakeholder engagement, and lessons learned. Whether you're exploring auto enrollment for the first time or looking to refine your existing approach, this episode provides practical insights and inspiration for state and local plan sponsors alike.
Managing Uncertainty in DC Plans
The newest episode of NAGDCA Conversations features a timely discussion on volatility, risk, and retirement. Join NAGDCA Executive Director Matt Petersen and Josh Cohen from PGIM as they discuss how public sector DC plan sponsors can adapt to rising market volatility and uncertainty.
Understanding Stable Value in Public DC Plans
Stable value funds play a critical role in public sector retirement plans, but how do they really work? In this episode of NAGDCA Conversations, Matt Petersen talks with Mike Norman, President of Galliard Capital, to break it all down: New PRRL research on stable value allocation trends Why some younger participants are investing in stable value How different stable value structures impact risk and returns The role of interest rates and what’s ahead for stable value funds Liquidity rules and plan sponsor considerations