Executive Deputy Director Barbara D. Richardson
Cabinet Executive Officer
Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions
Barbara Richardson brings an impressive resume of regulatory experience to DIFI. Most recently, she led the Nevada Division of Insurance as its Commissioner, a position she has held since March of 2016. Prior to leading that agency, Ms. Richardson served for twelve years as the Director of Operations and Fraud for the New Hampshire Insurance Department. Additionally, she has worked at various times in her career for CNA, Kemper Financial, the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago and Putnam Securities.
Ms. Richardson is a graduate of Vassar College, has a law degree from the University of New Hampshire School of Law and an MBA from Loyola University in Chicago. On a national level, she has been an active member on various committees, task forces and work groups of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), including most recently, the Innovation Task Force, the SERFF Board and the AntiFraud Task Force.
Chief Deputy Director of Finance Deian Ousounov
Deian Ousounov joined the Arizona Department of Insurance in February 2020 as the Regulatory Legal Affairs Officer. In July 2020, Deian helped oversee the transition of the Department of Insurance into the Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions (DIFI).
Deian has held a variety of roles during his tenure with DIFI. Prior to his promotion to Chief Deputy Director of Finance, Deian managed the Department’s investigative, legal and enforcement functions as the Assistant Director of the Department’s Enforcement, Innovation and Regulatory Policy Division.
Prior to joining DIFI, Deian spent over five years with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, working in various divisions and representing the Department of Insurance before the Arizona Office of Administrative Hearings on all administrative and enforcement matters.
Deian completed his bachelors of science degree at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) and attained his J.D. from the Arizona Summit Law School.
In his free time, Deian enjoys a variety of activities and is an avid tennis and soccer player.
Deputy Director Jon Savary
Deputy Director of Insurance
Deputy Director Jon Savary joined the Department in November 2020. Before joining DIFI, he served as the Medicare Administrative Director for Banner Health’s insurance division. His role included managing regulatory oversight, policy development, and program implementation for all Medicare-related departments composed of over 600 employees as well as ensuring a successful annual Medicare Advantage bid for Banner Health plans. While with Banner Health, Jon also served as a certified project manager and as manager of the IT Project Office for Banner’s University of Arizona Health Plans.
Deputy Director Savary’s prior experience includes the Arizona Department of Corrections and Pima County Sheriff’s Department where he retired in 2005 as a Corrections Lieutenant. In addition, he has provided consulting services for business startups, accounting, and health care IT implementations.
Deputy Director Savary has a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the University of Arizona. He shares time between Tucson and Phoenix with his wife, Maddalena, who also works in Phoenix.