WTW’s Adrian Klimaszewski on building a career without dividing himself

When Adrian Klimaszewski finished high school, he expected life to follow a familiar path: go to college, get a degree, move naturally into a career. That path unfolded differently. After leaving school, he moved to a local State Farm agency selling personal insurance, drawn mainly by the potential to earn more money at the time. He promised himself six months to try it out. Instead, he discovered a genuine passion for working with people.

“That role taught me some of the most valuable lessons of my career. I learned how to communicate clearly, build relationships, understand different personalities, and help people solve problems”

This entry-level role became an unexpected foundation. Over time, Adrian moved into an office manager role, then into commercial insurance through positions at Guaranteed Rate and USI.

Today, Adrian is an Associate Client Advocate at WTW, specialising in complex property and casualty insurance programs for healthcare and life sciences organisations. Along the way he earned his Associate in Risk Management (ARM) designation and has contributed deep technical knowledge in an industry he was once tentative about.

“Looking back, what I’m most proud of isn’t any one title or accomplishment. It’s that I kept saying yes to opportunities that helped me grow.”

Adrian’s relationship with work and identity grew out of an earlier story. He was raised in the suburbs of Chicago in a conservative Polish immigrant family, focused on stability, hard work and creating opportunity in a new country. As a young LGBTQ+ person in that environment, he often felt like there was no single space where he could fully relax into who he was. He learned to split parts of himself, to meet expectations at home while holding onto his own emerging sense of identity. Those years shaped him in lasting ways.

“They taught me resilience, independence, and empathy for people who may be navigating their own challenges with identity, belonging, or acceptance,” he says. “Looking back, I can appreciate that my parents were doing the best they could with the experiences and understanding they had at the time, even when our perspectives differed significantly.”

During high school, swimming became his anchor. Practices, meets and the rhythm of training offered structure and a place where effort translated into tangible progress. The pool turned into a source of discipline, friendships and pride at a time when other parts of life felt complicated. He joined Spanish Club and the Gay-Straight Alliance, where he started to see how powerful it feels when a space welcomes people as they are. 

“I think my childhood gave me a very strong sense that I wanted to build a life where I could be fully myself,” he says. “A lot of the things I care most about today—community, inclusion, mentorship, and helping people feel like they belong—can probably be traced back to that desire.” 

Adrian has known he was queer for as long as he can remember, even if naming and embracing that identity unfolded gradually. In high school, the Gay-Straight Alliance gave him a way to act on that awareness. He helped organise events focused on visibility and inclusion and saw firsthand that connection takes intention. 

After school, Adrian explored Chicago’s arts and volunteer communities. He met people with very different backgrounds and life paths, and that variety expanded his sense of what could be possible for him. A defining moment arrived when he joined the Chicago Smelts, an LGBTQ+ masters swim team.

Through the Smelts, Adrian rediscovered the confidence, routine and camaraderie that swimming had given him as a teenager. The team also created new ways to contribute. He could mentor newer swimmers, support teammates at practices and meets, and help sustain a community that extended beyond the pool deck. 

“As I’ve become more comfortable in my own identity, I’ve realised that I want to do more than benefit from community—I want to help create it,” he says. That intention now runs through many parts of his life, including athletics, volunteering and his involvement with OUT@WTW – the company’s inclusion network open to all colleagues. 

In his professional life, one moment stands out: reaching a place where he truly trusted his own voice and expertise. Earning the ARM designation played a major part in that shift. It represented years of learning and confirmed that he was ready for high-level conversations with clients and colleagues. It also aligned with a broader arc that took him from making cold calls in a small office to advising complex healthcare and life sciences organisations at WTW. 

Adrian points to contributions beyond his core job description as especially meaningful. Through OUT@WTW, community engagement and leadership development programs, he has built relationships across teams and locations and helped others feel more grounded and connected.

“Most importantly, I’ve built a career where I don’t feel like I need to separate who I am personally from who I am professionally,” he says. “If I could tell my younger self where I’d end up, I’m not sure he would believe me.” 

That sense of alignment draws heavily on the culture he experiences at WTW. “What I appreciate most about WTW is that inclusion feels like part of the culture rather than simply a policy,” Adrian says. Seeing LGBTQ+ colleagues and leaders across the organisation sends a clear message that authenticity and professional success fit well together. 

Adrian believes organisations gain the most when people feel safe and encouraged to share their perspectives. That kind of environment grows through intention, clear leadership and a culture that actively welcomes different points of view. He highlights the role of allies in that work. Inclusion strengthens when many people choose to participate, champion others and use their voices. 

Looking ahead, Adrian hopes to see LGBTQ+ equality understood as a natural part of building a fair and equitable society. He wants young LGBTQ+ people to grow up with many positive examples of adults who share aspects of their experience and are living openly and with purpose. 

“Representation matters because it expands what’s possible,” he says. “When you can see someone living authentically and building a fulfilling life, it’s easier to imagine that future for yourself.” 

His vision for the next generation centers on freedom to focus on growth. He imagines young people spending more time on their goals, interests and relationships, and far less energy worrying about whether they will be accepted. In his view, everyone gains when people can direct their efforts toward building the lives they want rather than simply getting through the day. 

“You don’t need to be fearless. You don’t need to be the loudest person in the room. You just need to give yourself permission to be who you are. And sometimes, the things that make you feel different are the very things that help you find where you belong.”

WTW is a proud partner of myGwork, the LGBTQ+ Business Community. Find out more about LGBTQ+ friendly job opportunities at WTW.