Meet Our Partners

Allison Barefoot is a vice president and an equity partner of Ames & Gough. She has more than 20 years of insurance brokerage experience. She joined Ames & Gough in 2013 and was appointed a vice president three years later. Previously, she was with USI Insurance Services for 12 years and held a variety of
positions of increasing responsibility in insurance brokerage and client services, culminating
with her appointment as commercial lines account executive and team leader. She earned a
B.S. degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and holds the Certified
Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation.

Allison Buytenhuys is a senior vice president and an equity partner of Ames & Gough. Her responsibilities include overseeing our administrative and human resource functions, including accounting, technology, licensing, and employee benefits. Allison is located in our Washington, D.C., office.

Allison joined Ames & Gough in 2001. Prior to that, she was a marketing assistant for Victor O. Schinnerer.

Allison is a 1999 graduate of Pennsylvania State University with a bachelor of science degree from the Smeal College of Business.

Joan DeLorey is a senior vice president and an equity partner of Ames & Gough. She has responsibility for servicing many of our mid-size and larger architecture and engineering clients as a senior client excecutive. She has specialized in serving the professional liability insurance needs of design firms for more than 30 years and is noted for her expertise in coverage issues, renewal negotiations, and risk management services. Joan is located in our Boston office.

Joan joined Ames & Gough in 1994. Previously to that, she was an account executive at AON and its predecessor firm, Frank B. Hall, for eight years, providing service to architectural and engineering clients.

Joan holds a Registered Professional Liability Underwriter (RPLU) designation, a Certificate in General Insurance and a Construction Risk & Insurance Specialist (CRIS) Designation. She is matriculated in the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) program. Joan attended the University of Massachusetts (Boston).

Eileen Garczynski is a senior vice president and equity partner of Ames & Gough. A lawyer by training, she has more than 30 years of risk management and insurance experience. Based in the Washington, DC office, Eileen leads the law firm initiative at Ames & Gough, focusing on the risk management and insurance needs of law firms. During her career, she has been active in various committees of the American Bar Association (ABA). A former member of the ABA’s Standing Committee on Lawyers’ Professional Liability, she continues to be involved with the committee as a Special Liaison. A past vice chair of the Insurance & Risk Management Committee for the Section of Intellectual Property Law of the ABA, she is the author of the second edition of How to Place a Cyber Liability Insurance Policy as well as the ABA guidebook, Protecting Law Firms Against Management Liability Threats.

Eileen joined Ames & Gough in 2007. Prior to that, she served as a claims manager and inside counsel for both Travelers Insurance Company and Wausau Insurance Company. She also was a litigation and risk manager for the American Red Cross and spent seven years with LexisNexis as a strategic market planning manager, developing key insurance and legal products for Fortune 500 companies, law firms, and insurers.

Eileen received her law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law, a market strategy certificate from Georgetown University, and her undergraduate degree, cum laude, from the College of Wooster.

Brett Gough, the chief operating officer and equity partner of Ames & Gough, leads the firm’s Boston, MA operations.

He joined Ames & Gough in 1995 and has been responsible for business development, as well as for addressing the risk management and insurance needs of many of the firm’s large design-firm clients across the country.

Throughout his career, Brett has been active in numerous industry associations for which he is often asked to speak and write on professional liability insurance and risk management issues. He currently serves on the ACECNY Legislative Committee and ACECIL Risk Management Committee. In addition, he was co-chair of the ACECMA Membership Committee for 16 years.

A graduate of the University of South Carolina, he holds a Construction Risk & Insurance Specialist Designation from the International Risk Management Institute.

Matt Gough, president and equity partner of Ames & Gough, leads the firm’s Washington, DC operations.

Matt joined the firm in 2001 in the Boston office and later transferred to the Washington, DC office.
In addition to working directly with many large and mid-sized design-firm clients, he has been responsible for new business development and was instrumental in achieving breakthrough coverages for clients. Notably, Matt was involved in placing the first-ever project-specific professional liability insurance policy for an IPD (Integrated Project Delivery) Project involving a major healthcare facility.

A graduate of the University of South Carolina, he is active in area chapters of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) and serves on the ACEC National Management Practices committee. A frequent speaker at various industry gatherings, Matt has conducted numerous risk management seminars for clients, as well as for industry and professional associations.

Mike Heatwole is an executive vice president and an equity partner of Ames & Gough. Mike focuses on serving the risk management and insurance needs of our larger design firms. Mike is particularly well-versed in contract and policy language issues and is often asked by our clients to lead internal risk management seminars. Mike is located in our Washington, D.C., office.

Mike joined Ames & Gough in 1995. Previously, he spent 12 years at Victor O. Schinnerer, eventually becoming assistant manager of the National Accounts Division of the Architects/Engineers Program.

Mike holds the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation and is a 1981 graduate of the University of Maryland.

Mike Herlihy is an executive vice president and an equity partner of Ames & Gough. He oversees our service to clients, as well as our sales and insurance-market relations efforts, not only for design firms, but also for all New England-based law firms. He frequently speaks on risk management and insurance topics, including construction and design-related risks. Mike is very active on industry committees. He is considered an expert on underwriting and insurance placement matters. Mike currently runs our Boston operation.

Mike joined Ames & Gough in 1999. Prior to that, he had been a senior executive with Lexington Insurance Company since 1982. Most recently, he led Lexington’s Professional Liability Group, with product line responsibility for architects/engineers professional liability, construction services, employment practices liability, directors and officers liability, and miscellaneous errors and omissions. Mike established Lexington’s Risk Management Department for Design Professionals. Before his time with Lexington, Mike was an underwriter with Continental Insurance and Safety Insurance.

Mike holds the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) designation and is a 1977 graduate of Boston College.

Rob Hughes is a senior vice president and equity partner with Ames & Gough. He is responsible for providing service to clients and developing new relationships in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and New York. Rob is the founder of our Philadelphia office.

Rob joined Ames & Gough in 2007. Previously, he was an executive vice president with Thomas J. Sharpe & Associates, a regional insurance brokerage located in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, where he specialized in professional liability insurance, risk management, and loss-prevention services for architects and engineers. Prior to that, he was with XL Insurance for more than 10 years in a variety of capacities, including his last position as senior counsel and vice president.

Rob received his law degree, cum laude, from the Widener University School of Law and his undergraduate degree from Lafayette College.

Dan Knise is Executive Chair and an equity partner of Ames & Gough. In addition to his management responsibilities, Dan devotes his time to leading Ames & Gough’s law-firm initiative, working with our larger design-firm and law-firm clients, and advising project owners on risk and insurance issues. Dan is located in our Washington, D.C., office.

Dan joined Ames & Gough in 2005. Prior to that, he was working with an investment/consulting group to form new insurance entities. Notable activities included formation of Restaurant Insurance Corp., a reinsurance company and underwriting manager, and consulting services for Palmer & Cay (now Wells Fargo Insurance Services USA, Inc.). From 1998 through 2002, Dan led the region-wide effort to win the right to host the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland. Prior to that, he held various senior management positions for Marsh & McLennan and its predecessor firm, Johnson & Higgins. Previously, Dan also had senior roles for SJ Groves & Sons, a Minneapolis-based general contractor, and for the Associated General Contractors of America in Washington, D.C.

Dan has long been active in risk management and insurance affairs and is a frequent speaker at industry events. He is a 1977 graduate of Cornell University.

Brian Lynch
Vice President / Partner
Washington, DC
Email: blynch@amesgough.com
Phone: 703.827.2277

Brian is an equity Partner and Vice President and the leader of the Association & Nonprofit division, based in the Washington, D.C. office (McLean, VA).

He joined Ames & Gough in 2016 and brings more than fifteen years of insurance industry experience. He leads the firm’s association and nonprofit practice – bringing an in-depth understanding of executive liability exposures and coverages, providing insurance placement, renewal planning, carrier negotiations and related client support services.

Brian holds a Commercial Lines Coverage Specialist (CLCS) and Management Liability Insurance Specialist (MLIS) designation. He is a 2006 graduate of Elon University.  He is a consultant-member of The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), FAR, PCMA, NACA, AWTC, and the Association Forum. Brian was named one of Insurance Business America’s Top Specialist Brokers in 2020, 2021, 2023, and 2024 for his work and contributions in the association and nonprofit arena.

Tom Marchetti is a senior vice president and equity partner of Ames & Gough. He is responsible for providing service to existing clients across all lines of insurance. He also develops new relationships in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, Florida, and other geographical regions within the United States. Additionally, Tom leads the growth of our association/non-profit business initiative.

Tom joined Ames & Gough in February 2010. Prior to that, he was with United Insurance Consultants (UIC), an insurance and risk management advisory firm in northern New Jersey, where he led the construction and real-estate team. In his previous role, Tom was a frequent speaker at industry events and developed specific expertise in advising clients on matters related to property and builders risk insurance, casualty insurance, and professional and management liability.

Tom holds a Construction Risk Insurance Specialist (CRIS) designation. He is a 2006 graduate of Wagner College, Staten Island, New York, where he majored in business administration with a concentration in finance.

Jared J. Maxwell is a vice president and an equity partner of Ames & Gough. Based in the Boston office, he is responsible for all aspects of client service and business development. He joined Ames & Gough in January 2013, after serving with Marsh in a variety of sales and client service positions focusing on design firm professional liability and executive risk for eight years. Jared earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration and Marketing from Drake University.

Marguerite Parent is a vice president and an equity partner of Ames & Gough. She was instrumental in creating our property/casualty division. Marguerite has responsibility for handling the property/ casualty insurance needs of our mid-size and larger architecture and engineering clients for our offices in Boston and Washington, D.C. She also handles the professional liability needs of our clients in the New England region. Marguerite is located in our Boston office.

Marguerite joined Ames & Gough in 2006. Prior to that, she spent four years with William Gallagher Associates, where she was the creator and manager of the Emerging Client Group. Before that, she was an account manager for three years at the Thomas E. Sears Insurance Agency.

Marguerite holds a Construction Risk & Insurance Specialist designation (CRIS) from the International Risk Management Institute and is a summa cum laude graduate of Northeastern University where she majored in finance.

Frances Railey
Senior Vice President / Partner
Washington, DC
Email: frailey@amesgough.com
Phone: 703.827.2277
Frances Railey is a senior vice president and an equity partner of Ames & Gough. She oversees our service to numerous mid-size to large design-firm clients and is considered an expert at underwriting and service issues for these firms.  Frances is located in our Washington, D.C., office.

Frances joined Ames & Gough in 1993. Previously, she worked at Victor O. Schinnerer, where she eventually rose to the position of assistant vice president with responsibilities for providing service to numerous large architect/engineer clients.

Frances holds the Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation and is a 1984 summa cum laude graduate of Duke University and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She serves on the Women’s Board of The American Heart Association and fluent in Spanish.