The MJ Companies has added Viridiana Schoenfeld (pictured) as an employee benefits consultant in its Phoenix office, a hire that brings an unusual background to a traditional consulting role.
Schoenfeld spent more than 15 years in employee benefits, healthcare, and insurance before joining MJ. Most recently she served as strategic accounts executive at ThreeFlow, a Chicago-based benefits placement technology platform that raised $45 million in Series B funding in 2022. ThreeFlow describes itself as a shared system connecting brokers and carriers through the quoting, negotiation, and implementation process. Her role there focused on working directly with broker partners on client growth and solutions.
That background places Schoenfeld at the intersection of benefits consulting and broker-facing technology. Employer demand for advisers who go beyond competitive quotes has grown alongside healthcare cost inflation. Costs for employer-sponsored coverage are projected to rise 6% to 9% in 2026, according to Vertafore.
The advisory gap that creates is well-documented. As employers increasingly prioritize cost reduction, the broker relationship risks narrowing to price comparisons rather than strategic counsel. Consultants who understand both the employer's position and the mechanics of placement are better positioned in that environment.
In her new role, Schoenfeld will work with employers across Arizona and the region on benefits strategy. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communication from Arizona State University and is bilingual in Spanish.
MJ operates offices in Phoenix, Indianapolis, Denver, and Nashville, with approximately 250 employees serving clients in all 50 states and more than 54 countries. Barry Goodrich, MJ's Arizona market president, said Schoenfeld's industry experience will strengthen the firm's capabilities in the region.
