Ascende Adds Health and Welfare Consultants

Carol McBride, Dawn Gourgues, Justin Elmore and Michael Ochoa have joined the Ascende team.  

McBride has more than 16 years of experience managing domestic and global human resources, including health and welfare and retirement benefits for energy and health care firms in the Houston and Denver areas. Her areas of expertise are in benefits administration, contract negotiation and strategic planning. McBride has held the Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification since 2005.  

Gourgues joins Ascende with more than 18 years of experience in group benefit plan consulting, resolving complex plan issues, managing vendor relationships and delivering legislative guidance. Gourgues has a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and a Master of Science degree in Marketing Research from Louisiana State University.  

Elmore has been in the health and welfare consulting business for more than 20 years. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Southwestern University.  

Ochoa was a group benefits account manager and underwriter for several leading insurance carriers for more than 25 years before joining Ascende. He brings an understanding of the way carriers price and manage health, life and disability benefits. Ochoa has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and Economics from Rice University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Houston.