Get to Know – Rosanne Cuje

What inspired you to pursue a career in employee benefits, and how has your role at Mastercard evolved over the years?

To be honest, I found my way into employee benefits by coincidence. I had applied for a secretarial role that happened to support the head of benefits at Mastercard—it was my first job out of secretarial school. Shortly after starting, I began volunteering to assist the benefits team with projects beyond my job description. I was fortunate to have a supportive and inspiring manager who encouraged me to go back to school for my bachelor’s degree and continuously offered me opportunities to grow and learn.

Over the past 25+ years at Mastercard, my passion for employee benefits—and HR as a whole—has only deepened. I’ve held a variety of roles across HR, including in compensation, as an HR generalist, and in performance management. For the past six years, I’ve been focused on benefits and wellbeing, and I currently lead the Global Benefits and Wellbeing team at Mastercard. It’s been an incredibly rewarding journey.

What’s a key trend or challenge in the employee benefits space that you think employers should be paying closer attention to this year?

There are several trends and challenges in the benefits space right now. One is the growing demand for mental health support—particularly the importance of offering proactive resources that support employees before they reach a crisis point. At Mastercard, we already offered a number of mental health resources like free counseling and access to our wellbeing app. And to build on our offerings, we launched our Mental Health Champions network, providing training to employee volunteers to help them recognize signs of mental health concerns and then direct their fellow colleagues to the resources and benefits available to support them.

What excites you most about joining the NEBGH Board?

I’m thrilled to join the NEBGH Board because it gives me the chance to contribute to the direction and growth of an incredible organization that I’ve personally found so valuable as a member. I look forward to collaborating with peers across industries and making a meaningful impact on the future of employee health and wellbeing through NEBGH’s work.

What’s one piece of career advice you would give your younger self?

Be open to opportunities that push you outside your comfort zone. Some of the biggest learning moments in my career came from taking risks—even when the outcomes weren’t perfect. Every experience, whether it’s a success or a challenge, helps shape your growth and confidence.