president
Jeff Ladd
Jeff Ladd founded Sports Insurance Specialists, LLC, in 2011 as a full-service sports and special events provider of insurance and risk coverage. He is a 30+ year veteran in the insurance industry with extensive knowledge and experience in participant and spectator liability insurance. Jeff earned his degree from Tusculum College and has attained many professional industry affiliations and awards for achievement.
Sara Douglass
With 21 years of experience in the motorsports industry, Sara has spent the majority of her career focused on finance and accounting, with additional time spent as an underwriter. She has been with SIS since its doors opened in 2011 and has played an instrumental role in developing the procedures, workflows, and operations of the company. As COO, her primary responsibilities remain the management of finance and accounting, as well as overseeing the daily flow of the business. She maintains her insurance licensing so she can step in wherever and whenever needed. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their two adult daughters. She especially enjoys watching her youngest daughter play college softball and taking motorcycle trips with her family.
Dave Laber
Dave is a nearly-30-year veteran of the motorsports insurance industry having worked with some of the leading motorsports insurers in the business. As Senior Vice President, he brings extensive knowledge and experience for our motorsports program, specializing in all coverages for motorsports facilities and teams. Dave is licensed in Property and Casualty as well as Life, Accident and Health. Outside of SIS, Dave enjoys golf, traveling and spending time with family and friends including his wife, Stacey, daughter & son-in-law.
Kim McDonald
As Senior Underwriting Manager, Kim's underwriting experience includes stock car and drag racing facilities, race teams and preparation shops, with coverage solutions for commercial general liability, auto liability, excess liability and specialized inland marine insurance for off-track and storage exposures. She specializes in complex renewal reviews, coverage analysis and underwriting workflow, along with continued growth and strengthening client and carrier partnerships.
Shawna Beekley
Shawna has been in the sports/leisure/entertainment business for more than 10 years. She started in operations and soon was promoted to senior assistant where she interacted with key clients before being promoted again to Underwriter. She is licensed in Property and Casualty as well as Life, Accident and Health coverage. She plans to pursue her Certified Insurance Counsel (CIC) designation soon.
Kyle Blackburn
Kyle joined SIS in 2026, as an associate underwriter with prior experience in risk management for Property and Casualty risks, liability coverage, participant and spectator accident, and specialty coverages tailored for tracks and racing enthusiasts.
Shane Stewart
Shane is a former professional racing driver, who started racing sprint cars at 16, eventually competing in the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series. Turning his attention full time to racing, he won the series' "Rookie of the Year" title. His career spans multiple seasons and championships including the Northwest Sprint Challenge Speedweek, American Sprint Car Series, Knoxville 360 Nationals, Canadian Sprint Car Nationals, Kings Royal at Eldora Speedway, Winter Heat Sprint Card Showdown, Nashville's Fairgrounds Speedway, Williams Grove Speedway, and Lakeside Speedway. Shane retired from active competition at the end of the 2020 season and purchased his home track, Port City Raceway in Tulsa, OK. In 2024, Shane joined the SIS team to represent its Competitive Advantage Program (CAP), to help promote racing safety and the importance of risk coverage for drivers and crews.
Reece Douglass
Reece is currently a full-time college student and a scholarship softball player. She is in her senior year of undergraduate studies and is currently focused on completing her graduate school applications. Following graduation, Reece plans to pursue her Doctorate of Physical Therapy. While balancing the demands of full-time school and collegiate softball, Reece also works part-time for SIS as an Accounting Assistant. Her ability to manage academics, athletics, and work reflects her strong work ethic, dedication, and commitment to her future career.
In 2011, Sports Insurance Specialists, LLC, began providing risk management for a variety of local, regional, and national sporting and special events activities. These events include amateur leagues, professional and semi-professional sports teams, sporting and event facilities, concerts, and conventions, with a focus on racing and motorsports risk management. SIS also provides risk management solutions for the sanctioning bodies, administrative staff and personnel associated with each venue, making them a one stop, full service provider. The team at SIS has more than 50 years of risk management experience and, by design, offers a competitive-rate structure and response time. SIS was founded by Jeff Ladd as a solution for the racing and event niche market and in order to provide more efficient, effective insurance solutions for organizations that are often overlooked and underserved.
