Meet Our Team

Celeste Cobb

Celeste Cobb, CLTC is responsible for developing educational materials that support and enhance the work of CLTC members. It is her job to ensure that existing CLTCs continue to find value in their membership and their CLTC designation. Part of this work includes expanding the visibility and credibility of the CLTC brand with insurance professionals and consumers.

Celeste started her career working with insurance brokers and agents as a UNUM wholesaler, and then spent 7 years in the home office developing a variety of brokerage and sales support programs. From there she joined the MetLife LTCI organization, becoming part of the senior management team, driving the marketing strategy and sales for all of Met’s LTC insurance lines – AARP, large employer, the Federal LTCI Program and Individual product. Her last five years at MetLife were spent developing marketing programs for their Affinity and Association business.

Celeste graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Wheaton College, Norton, MA, with a B.A. in Economics. She was a Truman Scholar and Rhodes Scholar finalist. Celeste also completed a year of study at the London School of Economics.

Bill Comfort

Bill is the owner of Comfort Assurance Group, LLC - a long-term care specialty agency based in St. Louis, MO.

Bill holds the Certified in Long-Term Care (CLTC) designation and has served as a Master Class instructor since 2001. Bill also serves as the CLTC Director of Training and Development.

Bill started his insurance career in 1991, has been a member of a top-selling employee benefits brokerage agency and sold his first LTC insurance policy in 1992. He has specialized exclusively in LTCi since 2000. He works with individual clients, financial planners, estate planning attorneys, CPAs, investment firms and other insurance agents to develop and fund effective, integrated LTC plans.

Bill has trademarked the phrase "The LTCpro®" to identify his expertise. A former radio and TV reporter, he brings his journalism experience to the complicated world of LTC insurance and long-term care planning as a dynamic speaker, educator and insurance planner.

Bill has been quoted in SmartMoney magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Kiplinger's Retirement Report, the St. Louis Business Journal, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and other consumer resources. He is also a frequent contributor to financial service industry publications, and consults nationally on LTC insurance issues with the home care industry.

Amber Pate

Amber oversees CLTC's operations and provides important oversight for the organization's important functions and programs, including sales and development, graduate benefits and retention, classroom and online training, communications, and more. She joined the organization in 2008 as Director of Graduate Benefits. 

Her passion for long-term care runs deep as she watched her grandmother's mental health deteriorate due to Alzheimer's and has witnessed the benefits of proper extended care planning and how it can protect a family. Her mission at CLTC is to provide professionals with the necessary tools to educate their clients on the importance of having a long-term care plan. 

Amber earned a BA in public relations and business management from the University of South Carolina. She currently resides in South Carolina with her husband and son.

Daniel Watts

Daniel Watts is a new Account Executive responsible for developing CLTC client relationships to help LTCi carriers and distributors develop and grow their extended care planning training. He is passionate about working closely with clients to understand their needs and guide them through solutions that support long-term growth and engagement.

Prior to joining CLTC, Daniel spent over a decade working in education technology and workforce development roles focused on building relationships with business leaders, HR teams, and internal stakeholders. Through this experience, he developed a strong appreciation for the role training and education play in helping organizations and individuals grow and succeed.

Daniel considers himself a relationship-driven professional who values communication, consistency, and trust. He enjoys working directly with clients and takes pride in providing a high level of service throughout the entire engagement process.

Daniel lives in the Phoenix, Arizona area with his wife and their three sons. Outside of work, he enjoys basketball and spends much of his time coaching his children’s sports teams.

Cynthia Vereen

Cynthia spent over a decade working with Genworth Financial before joining the CLTC team. Her background in the insurance industry allows her to quickly identify the member's needs so they receive the ultimate customer service experience.

Cynthia oversees all new student inquiries, new member processes as well as graduate renewals. She prides herself in providing a superior level of service for CLTC.