Staff
Profiles of Our Professional Team
Eli Bjornoy, J.D. & LLM (Admiralty)
President/Adjuster - Seattle Office
Eli Bjornoy is a licensed independent insurance adjuster who has worked in the marine environment since 1978. Prior to her arrival in the Pacific Northwest in 1991, she worked in close connection with the fishing industry in Canada and Norway and served as in-house legal counsel for a maritime adjusting company. She is a co-founder of The Polaris Group, Ltd., and is an active member of many key professional maritime associations.
Ms. Bjornoy is a Proctor in Admiralty. She holds a B.A. from St. Mary's University in Halifax, Canada, a J.D. from Hamline School of Law in Minnesota, and an LLM in Admiralty from the Tulane University School of Law in Louisiana. She is admitted to the practice of law in Washington and the Federal Courts.
Ms. Bjornoy can be reached at eli@polarisgrpltd.com, (206) 378-6090, ext. 301.
Sonja M. Adams, J.D.
Counsel/Adjuster - Seattle Office
Sonja Adams has worked in claims handling since 1995. She earned a B.A. from the University of Washington and a Juris Doctor from Seattle University. Licensed as an independent insurance adjuster in Washington State and Alaska and admitted to the practice of law in Washington State, she has experience on both sides of the claims process. As a law student, she worked for one year as an intern for a Seattle firm of trial attorneys. Ms. Adams is a member in good standing of the Washington State Bar Association and provides pro-bono legal services on a regular basis through the King County Bar Association’s neighborhood legal clinics, as well as for other non-profit organizations.
Ms. Adams can be reached at sonjaa@polarisgrpltd.com, (206) 378-6090, ext. 306.
Roy L. Brown, A.A.
Adjuster - Anchorage Office
Roy Brown has extensive experience as the claims manager of a fishing company and as an independent adjuster. He graduated from the University of Louisville Southern Police Administration Program and the University of Alaska, Kodiak. He worked for 10 years in law enforcement as sergeant of an investigation unit. He holds an independent insurance adjuster’s license in Alaska and Washington and is a licensed federal airframe and power plant mechanic. Mr. Brown has an intimate knowledge of Alaska issues and understands the challenges that impact the lives of vessel owners and claimants.
Mr. Brown can be reached at polarisak@polarisak.com, (907) 297-7377.
Kathy Tennyson
Adjuster - Seattle Office
Kathy Tennyson has 25 years of experience in the maritime insurance industry. She has worked both on the claims and underwriting sides of the industry. She was a licensed broker and agent, property and casualty. Her experience includes commercial hull, P&I, cargo, and yacht handling. She joined The Polaris Group, Ltd. in Spring 2012.
Ms. Tennyson can be reached at kathy@polarisgrpltd.com, (206) 378-6090, ext. 311.
Daniel Copenhaver, B.S.
Adjuster - Seattle Office
Daniel Copenhaver joined The Polaris Group, Ltd. in February 2013 shortly after graduating from the University of Redlands, where he earned a B.S. in Business Administration and Accounting. He is a licensed independent adjuster in Washington State and Alaska and has over 10 years of experience working in claims handling.
Mr. Copenhaver can be reached at daniel@polarisgrpltd.com, (206) 378-6090, ext. 303.
Dawn Anderson, B.A.
Adjuster - Seattle Office
Dawn Anderson joined The Polaris Group, Ltd. in 2020 as a claims adjuster. Ms. Anderson has her B.A. in Law and Justice from Central Washington University. She has over 30 years of extensive paralegal and legal assistant experience in various areas, including personal injury and general civil litigation.
Kristina Nyhammer
Claims Associate - Seattle Office
Kristina (Tina) Nyhammer has over 15 years of experience in the insurance industry. She worked with an insurance broker for 7 years prior to joining The Polaris Group, Ltd. as a claims associate in 1998. In addition to growing up in a family of commercial fishermen and vessel owners, Ms. Nyhammer gained practical insight into the industry while working as a processor onshore in Alaska.
Ms. Nyhammer can be reached at tina@polarisgrpltd.com, (206) 378-6090, ext. 308.
Linda Brown
Claims Associate - Alaska Office
Linda Brown has over 30 years of experience in the legal environment. She has held positions as an administrative assistant/legal secretary for the State of Alaska Department of Law and was a senior legal assistant for an Alaska law firm for 19 years. She joined The Polaris Group, Ltd. as a claims associate in July 2008.
Ms. Brown can be reached at linda@polarisak.com, (907) 297-7377.
Roxanne J. Schmit, B.A.
Claims Associate - Seattle Office
Roxanne Schmit joined The Polaris Group, Ltd. in January 2014. A licensed property and casualty producer, she has 17+ years in the insurance and bonding industry and received a B.A. in English Literature from Portland State University. She began her career working for a surety bonding company in Portland, OR, prior to moving to Seattle in 1992 to become a license and permit underwriter for a managing general agency. She has also been a claims analyst for an international apparel company and an underwriting and technical assistant for a professional liability insurance agency.
Ms. Schmit can be reached at roxanne@polarisgrpltd.com, (206) 378-6090.
Deborah Ellison, B.S.
Claims & Bookkeeping Assistant - Seattle Office
Deborah Ellison has over 10 years' experience in the finance industry, with a B.S. in Accounting. She has worked in handling financial matters, such as resolving discrepancies for customers, from large banks to small credit unions. She joined The Polaris Group, Ltd. in April 2024.
Carol Martinez
Assistant - Seattle Office
Carol Martinez began her career in the marine insurance industry in 1974 at the firm of Marsh & McLennan, Inc. in San Francisco, California. In 1983, she became a junior member of the Association of Average Adjusters of the United States. She moved to Seattle in 1987, where she has been handling hull & machinery claims. She joined The Polaris Group, Ltd. in 2003, and while Carol has retired, she still assists the Seattle office part-time.