When Stephanie Weist met Nava, something shifted.

She didn’t ask for a new broker. She didn’t think one could make a difference. But after sitting through her first meeting with Nava, her skepticism started to crack.

“Who are these people? They’re too small,” she thought. Until Nava proved they weren’t.

As Chief Administrative Officer, Stephanie Weist oversees HR, IT, finance, quality, and more at Valiant, a government contractor with over 4,000 employees and highly complex benefits needs. Many employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements. The benefits team? Just three people. The margin for error? Nonexistent.

From ignored to understood

Before Nava, Valiant worked with a large, well-known brokerage. The experience? Frustrating at best.

“We got no real support. They didn’t know Government Contracting. They weren’t looking for savings or strategy. It was always easier to just renew the same plan, over and over,” Stephanie said. “We weren’t getting options. We were getting overcharged. And we didn’t even know it.”

The previous broker treated Valiant like a line item, not a client with unique needs. “We didn’t even get GovCon-experienced reps. We were assigned generalists who didn’t understand our industry, our contracts, or our requirements,” Stephanie said.

The result? A broken process. Benefit plans that weren’t competitive. Employees were frustrated and confused during enrollment, and the team was drowning in manual work.

A partner who pushes back

Stephanie was skeptical at first that Nava could be better. 

But after that first meeting, her perspective changed.

“They knew more about our business than I was. They challenged vendors. They pushed for us. They got angry when things weren’t right. That’s not something you can buy, it’s a culture.”

When an onboarding vendor dropped the ball during open enrollment, Nava stepped up. Stephanie’s team was facing the nightmare scenario: broken processes, system failures, and looming deadlines.

“Open enrollment was a mess (before Nava). We were working nights and weekends—but with Nava, they didn’t just check in. They rolled up their sleeves and did the work with us.”

And Nava didn’t stop there. After the dust settled, they helped negotiate credits with the vendor and pushed for accountability. “They didn’t accept the first excuse or the first offer. They fought for us. That’s not typical broker behavior,” Stephanie said.

The results: less cost, more service

Valiant didn’t just get better benefits support. They got measurable outcomes that transformed how their HR team operates.

“We absorbed a planned premium increase and still saved money. That just doesn’t happen.”

Stephanie’s team also noticed a shift in how they used their time. “We used to spend so much energy chasing down issues. Now, with Nava, that energy goes into strategy and helping employees.”

White-glove support, every day

What stood out most wasn’t the pricing. It was the people.

“Nava is an extension of our team. They know our contracts. They know our pain points. They come to meetings prepared, with ideas. They know our business like it’s their own.”

Stephanie calls Kristie, their dedicated advocate, “priceless.” “It’s rare to find someone so capable, responsive, and emotionally invested in your success. That’s what we got with Nava.”

Strategic guidance at every turn

From onboarding issues to carrier billing errors, from union compliance to renewal modeling, Nava shows up ready to work.

• They don’t just send emails. They follow up until it’s resolved.
• They don’t just review benefits. They educate HR on what to ask.
• They don’t just react. They plan.

Nava even led the scripting for vendor meetings, helping Stephanie know what to ask and what to expect. “That kind of support gives you power. They helped me learn what good looks like,” she said.

Time back, trust gained

With Nava managing audits, employee escalations, and vendor wrangling, Stephanie’s team can now focus on what really matters: employees.

“I want to focus on our people. People who live paycheck to paycheck, who have sick family members. They deserve benefits that work, and a team that helps them use them. Nava helps us deliver that.”

Nava’s consistency is part of what builds that trust. “We have six or seven audits a year. That means we have to be clean and prepared, always. Nava helps make that possible,” she said.

And it’s not just tactical execution. “They’ve helped us shape a benefits strategy that actually reflects our values. We’re not just compliant now—we’re competitive.”

Final word: “Take the chance.”

When asked what she’d tell other HR leaders considering Nava, Stephanie didn’t hesitate:

“Take the chance. You’ll never look back.” 

For her team, that leap led to clarity, confidence, and a partner she now can’t imagine working without.

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