INNOVATIVE LEARNING GROUP - Key Persons
Anne Morris loves working with people and working with people is exactly what she does as Innovative Learning Group's office manager.
Anne is responsible for the company's accounting and human resources activities, including accounts payable and receivable, payroll, employee benefit administration, and the company's recruiting process.
It's that mix of people skills and numbers prowess that has given Anne nearly 45 years of experience in investor relations, human resources, facility management, and payroll from companies ranging from very large to start-up to non-profit.
Anne has a bachelor's degree in general studies with an emphasis on accounting and finance from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.
Job Titles:
- Representative
- Client Relationship Representative
- Member of the Ann Arbor Chapter of the Association for Talent Development
Brandon has worked in sales for more than five years and has 10 years of non-profit leadership experience. He has worked with clients in the automotive, business services, marketing and advertising, oil and gas, and utilities industries. Brandon has provided guidance to support key client initiatives in the areas of systems implementation, new hire orientation, security awareness, onboarding curriculum architecture, and facilitation.
"The key to finding the right solution is being a great listener," says Brandon. "You need to let clients tell you their needs, frustrations, and expectations so you can ask the right questions to get to the best solution."
Brandon is a member of the Ann Arbor Chapter of the Association for Talent Development and is currently serving on its board of directors as the vice president of programs. His previous role was member-at-large, which he held in 2023.
Currently, he is working towards earning a bachelor's degree in economics and a bachelor's degree in business administration and management from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Central Indiana Association for Talent Development Chapter
- Project Manager and Instructional Designer
Innovative Learning Group project manager and instructional designer, Carly Patterson is an extrovert who has never lost her curiosity of the world around her.
"My passion for learning and helping others learn has been a constant in my professional life, and I plan to keep the fire of curiosity going regardless of where I am," says Carly.
About 15 years ago, Carly made the switch from a career in journalism to one in learning and performance support, working on the vendor side of the industry in project management and instructional designer roles.
"As a former journalist, I enjoy and excel at taking big concepts and breaking them down into easy-to-digest and interesting components," she says. "I like to look at options, together with my clients, and establish a human-to-human connection that allows me to guide them to the best, most creative learning solutions to meet their needs."
Carly has developed a wide range of learning interventions, including e-learning and blended learning, for a multitude of industries, such as aerospace, automotive, business services, financial services, education, food service, healthcare, manufacturing, and pharmaceutical. She was the project manager on a project with Takeda that resulted in a Gold 2023 Chief Learning Officer Learning in Practice Award for Excellence in Partnership.
Carly is a member of the Central Indiana Association for Talent Development Chapter. In 2023, she volunteered to assist with the association's annual Learning Summit and was in charge of presenter care and coordination.
Carly has a master's degree in instructional systems technology from Indiana University Bloomington and a bachelor's degree in journalism from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.
Job Titles:
- Project Manager and Instructional Designer
"Training truly has the ability to change lives," says Innovative Learning Group Project Manager and Instructional Designer Christina Calderwood. And Christina has been "changing lives" for nearly 30 years.
She has experience in training and performance improvement, working from both the vendor side and the client side. Christina has consulted with clients in the automotive, insurance, finance technology, retail, manufacturing, and defense industries.
Job Titles:
- ILG in 2014 As a Media Developer
- Project Manager and Instructional Designer
Whether it's solving a logic puzzle or working with a client to develop an effective learning solution, Innovative Learning Group Project Manager and Instructional Designer Dawn Pierce enjoys a good challenge.
"Because I interact almost daily with my clients, often across multiple business units or multiple projects within a business unit, I have a unique vantage point to discover commonalities and efficiencies that otherwise may go undetected," says Dawn. "This provides tremendous input when designing learning and performance solutions aimed at giving clients the results they seek."
Dawn has 25 years of experience working with a diverse group of global clients in a variety of industries, including agriculture, aviation, automotive, banking, chemical, consumer goods, hospital and healthcare, insurance, information technology, manufacturing, medical technology, and utilities. Additionally, she has worked on a multi-year project to convert an accredited in-person veterinary technician training program to a self-paced, blended solution with a focus on mobile learning.
She has also led learning and performance support projects on topics that include compliance, cyber security, human resources (DEI, onboarding, and wellness), marketing, materials engineering, product knowledge, quality, safety, Six Sigma, and systems.
"Working across multiple industries is fascinating and provides endless learning for a life-long learning nerd like me," she says. "It's easy to be passionate about developing solutions that will take learners on an adventure - that's what resonates with me because learning something new should always be exciting and impactful."
Additionally, Dawn has presented on interactive PDFs at several Association for Talent Development (ATD) events, including the West Michigan ATD Chapter meeting, the Central Ohio ATD Learning Technology and Design Day Conference, and the Central Indiana ATD Learning Summit.
Dawn joined ILG in 2014 as a media developer and quickly acclimated to the company's business processes, relishing her behind-the-scenes work and the creativity it demanded. She soon transitioned to a project coordinator and then to an instructional designer, where she further honed her expertise to become a project manager.
Job Titles:
- Animator, Graphic Designer, and Media Developer
As an animator, graphic designer, and media developer for Innovative Learning Group, Eris Noren is always looking for ways to use visual elements, imagery, and motion to help tell a story.
"No matter who the end users are, creating a great learning experience really comes down to solving problems and addressing learning objectives in a meaningful and engaging way," says Eris. "I always try to deliver learning solutions that are both innovative and useful."
With nearly 30 years of experience in visual design, Eris has created award-winning designs for clients in a variety of industries, including automotive, aviation, medical technology, consumer goods, information technology, retail, and business services. He has extensive experience creating animations, illustrations, games, UX/UI designs, and videos to support learning.
Job Titles:
- Senior Director of Client Solutions
- Senior Director, Client Solutions / LinkedIn
Because of Gayle's collaborative and consultative approach, clients know they can rely on ILG to be a great partner. She leads with tremendous energy and humor - a contagious attitude that sparks productive teams and drives client satisfaction.
Gayle has 35 years of experience managing a wide range of key accounts representing more than 2,000 completed learning solutions. She directs teams that develop all types of learning, including web-based, instructor-led, mobile, virtual reality, and blended learning solutions on topics such as compliance, leadership, products, systems, onboarding, and Lean. Gayle also serves as a strategic consultant on virtual reality, curriculum architecture, learning portals, and evaluation.
In 2019, Gayle was recognized as one of Michigan's Most Valuable Professionals by Corp! magazine. Additionally, her projects have won many awards for ILG's clients, including multiple Brandon Hall Excellence in Learning Awards:
Two 2023 Gold awards with a global healthcare client
2023 Silver award with Midmark
Two 2022 Silver awards with the Vaccines division of a global pharmaceutical client
2021 Gold award and Silver award with a global healthcare client
Two 2019 Bronze awards with a medical technology client
2017 Bronze award with Lowe's
2016 Silver award with SafetyServe.com
2015 Bronze award with DTE Energy
2013 Silver award with Haworth
Because of Gayle's collaboration, ILG has won two CLO Learning in Practice awards for Excellence in Partnership: a Gold with Takeda and a Silver with a major retail client. Additionally, her efforts have also resulted in ILG receiving an Indirect Supplier Diamond, Diverse Supplier of the Year award from Boston Scientific and an Outstanding Human Performance Intervention Award of Excellence from the International Society for Performance Improvement for work with a client in the pharmaceutical industry.
Gayle has shared her experience managing multiple large projects and developing e-learning and virtual reality solutions at the Detroit Chapter of the Association for Talent Development and at ILG's learning events. She also has authored blogs and articles on project management.
Gayle has a master's degree in adult instruction and performance technology from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and a bachelor's degree in business administration from Central Michigan University.
As the marketing director for Innovative Learning Group, Laura Vultaggio brings nearly 30 years of marketing and communications experience to the company.
She leads ILG's e-mail marketing and social media strategies, media relation initiatives, and customer relationship management program.
Simply said, Laura loves to create marketing and communication programs. She is an expert in developing internal and external marketing and communication initiatives for mid- to large-sized global companies across multiple industries, including automotive, health and fitness, and insurance. Laura is applying this experience in ILG's entrepreneurial setting to create initiatives to help the company continue its remarkable growth.
Laura's marketing and communication initiatives have resulted in awards for ILG. She led the team that created the company's 15-Year and 10-Year Anniversary Infographics, which won the 2020 and 2014 Gold Hermes Creative Award respectively. She also led the team that created the ILG's mobile learning Series Mobile or Not… Here It Comes!, which received a Gold Hermes Award.
Additionally, Laura is well versed in web technology and web communications; she has managed the implementation and maintenance of a variety of company Internet and intranet sites, including ILG's medical technology and life sciences microsite. Her overall marketing and communication expertise has given Laura the ability to serve as a project manager for ILG client web, video, and communication initiatives.
Laura is a member of the International Association of Business Communicators. She also is a past board member of the Detroit Chapter of the Association for Talent Development, having served a one-year term as the vice president of marketing and communications.
Laura has a master's degree in instructional technology from Wayne State University and a bachelor's degree in journalism from Oakland University.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Owner
- CEO and Owner / Toenniges
- Member of the Board of Trustees for on My Own of Michigan
Lisa Toenniges is the owner and chief executive officer of Innovative Learning Group, a company she founded in March 2004.
A dynamic and respected leader, Lisa has 35 years of experience in the performance improvement industry and has consulted with many Fortune 1000 companies about their learning and performance 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 entrepreneurial spirit, positive outlook, and hands-on leadership style have been the drivers behind ILG's profitable annual growth.
"I know that every day we help people acquire knowledge and skills so they can work smarter," says Lisa. "They are able to move their careers forward and better provide for themselves and their families. Knowing we can have that kind of impact on the quality of people's lives is a huge motivator and it's one of the great rewards of running the company."
Lisa's dedication to the industry has earned her and ILG numerous accolades, including:
Best of MichBusiness, Small Business
LearningElite judge for Chief Learning Office r magazine's 2021 award program.
Recognized as one of Profiles In Diversity Journal's 2019 Women Worth Watching
Best of MichBusiness, Transformative Leader
Michigan's Most Valuable Professionals Award (Corp!)
Michigan 50 Companies to Watch (Michigan Celebrates Small Business)
Inc. 5000 2016 List of America's Fastest-Growing Private Companies (#4003)
15 Brandon Hall Awards of Excellence
One Gold and two Silver Learning In Practice Excellence in Partnership Awards (Chief Learning Officer)
Two Outstanding Human Performance Intervention Award of Excellence (ISPI)
Lisa has devoted more than three decades to the International Society for Performance Improvement at both the chapter and international levels. In 2018, she received the Distinguished Service Award for her outstanding contributions to the advancement of the Society. Lisa has held several leadership roles on ISPI's board of directors, including treasurer, president-elect, president, and past president. She is also a Certified Performance Technologist.
Additionally, Lisa has given much of her time to mentoring college students and professionals who are contemplating a career in training and performance improvement. She is a frequent speaker and panelist at performance improvement, instructional design, entrepreneurial and small-business conferences, and other business-related events.
Lisa has been a member of the Board of Trustees for On My Own of Michigan since 2018. Currently, she is the Treasurer of the Executive Committee, having served as the Secretary from 2020-2022. Lisa also is a volunteer grant reviewer for Impact100 Oakland County.
Lisa has a master's degree in instructional technology from Wayne State University in Detroit and a bachelor's degree in music education from Michigan State University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Learning Guild
- Senior Director of Technology
- Senior Director, Technology and Visual Design
- Senior Director, Technology and Visual Design / LinkedIn
Matt Kurtin, Innovative Learning Group's senior director of technology and visual design, provides leadership for ILG's programmers, animators, and graphic designers who make every learning solution more robust.
His deep understanding of technologies connects ILG's project teams to creative, innovative ideas for truly interactive, engaging client learning experiences. Matt is consultative with clients and consistently applies the latest advances in digital capability with practical application in learning.
Recognized throughout the industry for his technology leadership - and has been named a Learning! Champion Thought Leader by Elearning! magazine - Matt is in constant demand to share his knowledge. For more than 25 years, he has advised client organizations on their overall technology strategy for learning and performance improvement. Matt provides insight into leading best practices for use of augmented reality, virtual reality, mobile solutions, gamification, serious games, learning portals, and learning management systems. Matt is also proficient in Unity, C#, HTML, JavaScript, Articulate, and Captivate, and he has led the authoring of thousands of e-learning courses.
Matt's team supports the programming of courses that have been translated in more than 20 languages and provides integration services for courses deployed to numerous SCORM/AICC/xAPI‑compliant learning management systems and many proprietary management systems. In a nutshell, Matt makes everything work seamlessly.
In 2021, Matt was recognized as one of Michigan's Most Valuable Professionals by Corp! magazine. In 2022, he received a VR developer certificate demonstrating proficiency in the use of the Unity engine, based on experience working on several VR projects.
Matt is a member of The Learning Guild and is a frequent speaker at this and other national and local professional associations. He has presented at the Detroit, Central Ohio, and Greater Cincinnati chapters of the Association for Talent Development (ATD), ATD TechKnowledge, Realities360, the Chicago eLearning & Technology Showcase, the Association for GXP Excellence Conference, FocusOn Learning, DevLearn, the Online Learning Conference, and the Central Indiana ATD Learning Summit. Additionally, he is the co-host of ILG's podcast series, LT 2: Let's Talk Learning Technology.
Matt has a bachelor's and master's degree in electrical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Learning Guild
- Project Manager and Performance Consultant
"An L&D Alchemist" is how Innovative Learning Group Project Manager and Performance Consultant Rose Benedicks describes herself, and it's an apt description.
With more than 20 years of experience in the learning and performance support industry, Rose knows a thing or two about instructional systems design and performance consulting.
"The challenges I face in my role are like puzzles, which I love," says Rose. "Each circumstance and the contributing factors are unique, and I get to exercise my brain every time I work with a client or project. The challenges are dynamic and complicated as well as nuanced and slippery, which makes solving them equally unique and satisfying."
Rose has consulted with clients in the building materials, consumers goods, restaurant, and legal and financial services industries. She has designed and developed solutions on a multitude of topics, including customer service, soft skills, legal education operations, sales enablement, and new business orientation.
"Building client relationships is all about respect - respecting client perspectives, needs, and priorities," says Rose.
Rose is a member of The Learning Guild and is a frequent speaker at this and other national and international professional associations. She has presented at the Association for Talent Development International Conference & Expo, DevLearn, Learning Solutions, Learning Technologies, and THE International Society for Performance Improvement Conference.
Rose has a master's degree in instructional systems technology from Indiana University Bloomington and a bachelor's degree in technical writing from the University of Central Florida.
Job Titles:
- Programmer
- Web Developer
- Programmer / WSchirmacher
As a programmer for nearly 30 years, Walter Schirmacher brings to Innovative Learning Group his extensive experience in e-learning development, website programming, and mobile delivery.
Computers are Walter's passion. Since the age of 11, Walter has learned about every new computer system that has come on the market, eventually using that expertise to begin a career in programming.
Walter's experience with e-learning and web/media development tools includes Adapt Framework, Adobe Animate, After Effects, Audacity, Audition, Articulate Studio and Storyline, Captivate, Dreamweaver, Illustrator, Lectora Publisher, Pro Tools, Photoshop, Premiere, Unity, and Visual Studio. Moreover, he is an expert programmer, skilled in ASP.Net, C#, Go, PHP, Perl, Python, and VB. In 2023, Walter received a VR developer certificate demonstrating proficiency in the use of the Unity engine, based on experience working on several virtual reality projects.
Walter has served as a programmer and web developer on many projects for a diverse group of clients, leveraging his experience with HTML5, XML, CSS, and JavaScript. He has programmed courses for clients in industries such as agriculture, medical technology, retail, home improvement, education, banking, and hospital and health care.
In addition to being co-host of ILG's podcast series, LT 2: Let's Talk Learning Technology, Walter has presented on many learning technologies, including augmented reality, chatbots, interactive PDFs, videos, and virtual reality at the West Michigan Association for Talent Development (ATD) Chapter, the Central Ohio ATD Learning Technology and Design Day Conference, the Central Indiana ATD Learning Summit, and the Chicago eLearning & Technology Showcase. He also served on a panel discussion and conducted a round table on the topic of gamification at the Michigan Chapter of the International Society for Performance Improvement. Additionally, Walter has been involved in the family-games-in-education industry for 25 years, having served on national industry committees.
In 2021, Walter was a West Michigan ATD Chapter board of directors' member and served as the co-vice president of technology.
Walter holds a bachelor's degree in education from Concordia University in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Job Titles:
- Graphic Designer and Media Developer
Zach has applied his brand of design to many ILG client projects, including those in the automotive, business services, chemical, consumer goods, information technology, and medical technology industries.
In addition to his design approach, Zach also loves "geeking out" on things such as augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and virtual reality.
"I consider myself lucky to be in an industry with so much emerging technology," he says.
Prior to ILG, Zach played an integral part in the design and architecture of several adaptive online courses; these have changed the way people learn. He has also been a part of several branding initiatives and marketing campaigns, including creating the collateral for ILG's award-winning Putting Performance First series, and being a guest on the animation episode of ILG's podcast series, Let's Talk Learning Technology.
In addition to the standard designer tools, Zach is proficient in After Effects and Premiere Pro. He earned a certificate in audio production and engineering from Washtenaw Community College in Ann Arbor.