Dayna Evans, risk management coordinator in Insurance and Claims Management within Finance & Administration’s Risk and Resiliency Division, oversees the University of Georgia’s workers’ compensation process from start to finish, providing support to employees facing on-the-job injuries, according to a March 20 announcement.
The role is important for the university’s more than 16,000 employees who may need guidance during what can be an unfamiliar and overwhelming experience. Evans said her job is to ensure that people understand their options and what comes next if they are injured at work. “The workers’ compensation program is a benefit to people as employees of the university,” Evans said. “It’s a way for them to be taken care of, and I’m here to be an advocate.”
When an employee is injured at work, they can submit an online injury report that goes directly to Evans. She then files the claim with the Georgia Department of Administrative Services (DOAS), acts as a liaison between DOAS and the university, and helps departments with return-to-work options. Her responsibilities include connecting individuals with in-network medical care and identifying modified duties so paychecks remain as uninterrupted as possible.
Evans described how her work extends beyond paperwork. In one case, she coordinated temporary placement for an injured staff member in another department that could accommodate physical restrictions. This allowed the employee to stay engaged and keep her full paycheck. “That was a moment where we realized that getting people back to work as fast as possible and doing something meaningful where they’re making their full wages matters a lot,” she said. “It’s profound — more than you would realize, especially if you’ve never been in that situation.”
Evans joined UGA in 2024 in this newly created role after working as an adjuster for a private insurance company. She explained that her career path was not traditional: “No one really sets out to be in workers’ comp,” she said with a laugh. “You kind of land in it.” Over time, she advanced from trainee to lost-time adjuster—a position requiring patience, attention to detail, and strong communication skills.
Since joining UGA, Evans has helped enhance the workers’ compensation program by streamlining reporting processes so claims can now be filed online within minutes rather than waiting on lengthy phone calls. “Before, departments called a 1-800 number to report a claim, and it would take 45 minutes to an hour,” Evans said. “Now, I can do that all online in five minutes… And then the employee’s not waiting hours for medical treatment.”
For Evans, success is measured by feedback from those navigating the process: “The whole point of my role is to make things easier for everyone,” she said. “When someone tells me they felt heard or taken care of, that means everything. That’s how I know I’m on the right track.”
