Thomas F. Gilbert Distinguished Professional Achievement Award
Jack J. Phillips, Ph.D.
Chairman
ROI Institute, Inc.
Dr. Jack J. Phillips is Chairman of ROI Institute and is a world-renowned expert on accountability,
measurement, and evaluation. He provides consulting services for Fortune 500 companies and major
global organizations. On three occasions, Meeting News named him one of the 25 Most Powerful People
in the Meetings and Events Industry, based on his work on ROI. The Society for Human Resource
Management (SHRM) gave him its highest creativity award for an ROI study as well as a book award for
Improving Supervisors' Effectiveness. The American Society for Training and Development (now ATD)
gave him its highest award, Distinguished Contribution to Workplace Learning and Development for his
work on ROI.
The author or editor of more than 100 books, he conducts workshops and presents at conferences all
over the world. He has served on the boards of several private businesses, including two NASDAQ
companies, and several nonprofits and associations, including the Association for Talent Development
and the National Management Association. His work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal,
Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Fortune Magazine, and on CNN.
Roger Kaufman Award for Societal Impact
Barrio 31, City of Buenos Aires
Diego Fernandez, Secretary of Social and
Urban Integration
Diego Fernandez is Secretary of Social and Urban
Integration of the City of Buenos Aires, in charge since
2015 of the transformation of the former Villas 31 and
31bis into the new Barrio 31 neighborhood.
A serial entrepreneur, Diego joined the city of Buenos
Aires government in the Ministry of Education for
several years before being appointed to coordinate and
lead the transformation of Villa 31 and 31bis into a new
neighborhood, Barrio 31. Diego is PhD candidate in Systemic Innovation at ITBA -
Buenos Aires Institute of Technology and is currently
writing a book on Barrio 31 experience.
Barcelona Activa
Ada Colau, Mayor of Barcelona
Ada Colau is the first woman to be elected Mayor of
Barcelona and, since 13 June 2015. Colau was one of
the founding members and spokespeople of
the Plataforma de Afectados por la Hipoteca
(PAH) (Platform for People Affected by Mortgages),
which was set up in Barcelona in 2009 in response to
the rise in evictions caused by unpaid mortgage loans
and the collapse of the Spanish property market in the
wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Colau is coauthor of
the book Mortgaged Lives, based on her experiences of
grassroots campaigning and direct action with the PAH.
Elementos Argentinos
Fernando Bach, co-CEO and Founder
Fernando is CEO and co-founder of Elementos
Argentinos. This is his story:
“During late 2005, and after several years of travelling
and living in different places working as a hotel
manager, I was ready for a personal life change and
looking to start a new activity with a stronger social and
creative sense. The idea of working with high quality,
handmade textiles for the home came naturally. I’m
from Tucuman, and in Tafí del Valle, during those long
summers and cold winters in the Calchaquí valleys, the
rugs, blankets, saddlebags, “peleros” and “pullos” were
a part of our daily life. At Elementos Argentinos we seek
to offer products that combine the art of both yarn and
handweaving with contemporary designs, as a way to
unite the past with the present”.
Elementos Argentinos
Pablo Mendivil, Designer and Co-Founder
Pablo is designer and co-founder of Elementos
Argentinos. This is his story:
“I majored in Design and worked for over 10 years in
advertising, journalism and television. I started to visit
northwestern Argentina regularly, and I was constantly
amazed by its colors and textures. The diversity, but
most importantly the people, drew my inspiration for
the development of this project, which allows me to
combine my passion for designing decorative objects
with a personal desire to be part of a sustainable
company”
Distinguished Service Award

Lisa Toenniges is the CEO and owner of Innovative Learning Group (ILG). A dynamic and
respected leader, Lisa has nearly 30 years of experience in the performance improvement
industry and has consulted with many Fortune 1000 companies about their learning strategies
and solutions.
ILG was born out of Lisa’s passion for building a business, providing for her employees, and doing
what is right for clients. Her dedication has earned ILG many awards, including being named to
the Inc. 5000 List of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies and being designated one of
Michigan’s 50 Companies to Watch.
As an active member in the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI) for almost
three decades , Lisa has served as the past president of its Michigan Chapter, chaired its 2010
annual conference , and participated on its board of directors. In April 2015, she completed her
term as the Society’s past president; her other board roles were president, president-elect, and
treasurer. She also is a Certified Performance Technologist.
Lisa has a master’s degree in instructional technology from Wayne State University and a
bachelor’s degree in music education from Michigan State University.
Chapter Awards
Chapter of Merit |
Bay Area / Boise State Chapter |
Chapter of Merit |
Boeing Chapter |
Chapter of Merit |
Capella Chapter |
Chapter of Merit |
Hampton Roads Chapter |
Chapter of Merit |
Michigan Chapter |
Chapter of Merit |
Montreal Chapter |
Chapter of Merit |
Potomac Chapter |
Chapter of Merit |
Tennessee Chapter |