We are pleased to announce the individuals and organizations named as Finalists for the 2025 Kolbe Conative Excellence Awards. Congratulations to this incredible group, all of whom have displayed exceptional creativity and leadership when it comes to the use of conation and Kolbe Wisdom™. Thank you to all who were nominated and applied for consideration. Winners will be announced at KolbeCon in October.
This award honors a Kolbe Certified™ Consultant who has developed a high level of expertise in Kolbe Theory and has used Kolbe products and methodologies to impact organizations and/or individuals.
Marit Peters
President & Executive Director
Marit Peters is the President and Executive Director of the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas (IIAT) and CEO of Catalyit. Marit has spent the past 20 years working across various industries including insurance, information technology, healthcare, aviation manufacturing and association management. Marit works closely with insurance agencies and companies to understand their current challenges and deliver proven results. She has also consulted with businesses across the country sharing her vision, Kolbe Wisdom and other proven tools to help businesses remain relevant, build high-performing teams and cultures and operate at a world-class level.
Celeste Ross & Chandon Thorell From Inside Out Ventures
Leadership Coach/Consultant
Celeste J. Ross is the founder and owner of Inside Out Ventures – a consulting company that helps build educational, business, and family leaders from the inside out. For over 25 years she has been combining her abilities as an educator, trainer/facilitator, and licensed Kolbe Certified Consultant to provide transformational experiences that develop the innate abilities of individuals, teams, families, and organizations. Celeste has worked internationally and throughout the United States as a consultant, trainer, executive/health coach, and educator with companies like Cartus International, The Hershey Company, and the Salt River Project – helping people develop skills, attitudes, and effective communication practices that impact a positive work culture and high levels of engaged performance. Celeste and Chandon have also worked with over 500 students in the Greater Phoenix Area, helping them understand their innate strengths and using them to navigate their journey in education as well as their ever-changing world.
Chandon Thorell had been an avid fan of Kolbe since discovering his MO in 2000. He first became a Certified Consultant in 2003 to share Kolbe with the students at Villa Montessori Middle School where he was a Lead Teacher and then Director of the middle school. Chandon learned the value of maintaining his Continuing Education credits when he needed to go through Certification again in 2010 to use with his own companies and when joining with Celeste Ross and Inside Out Ventures. Chandon’s passion is working with adolescents and he loves working with business clients who then help fund using Kolbe in education.
Shawn Gulyas, Founder & The Thought Catalyst | 5482, Certified since 2007
Shawn exists to design and facilitate creative experiences that challenge one’s thinking and action – helping individuals and companies find their authenticity, breathe into their well-being, and elevate their people touchpoints. After a career filled with growth and learning in Human Resources leadership, Shawn decided to venture out and get his hands dirty with other organizations in need of bringing their work to life through championing people. Think of Shawn as a “jump-starter” of ideas around the belief that everyone matters and as a leader who creates cultures and communities where values, natural instincts and well-being are the essence of success.
Rebecca Swanson, Co-Founder & The Talent Connector | 7662, Certified since 2013 & Certified Performance Specialist
Rebecca’s ability to make optimistic human connections with ease and foster meaningful relationships has contributed to a recruiting career that has spanned more than 20 years. She is an employer brand ambassador, linking all talent actions back to the organization’s core purpose and values to ensure she’s connecting the right people to the right opportunities in partnership with hiring leaders. At humanworks8, think of Rebecca as the talent connector, weighing in on all things talent lifecycle – from first impression to onboarding.
AJ Kruse, Co-Founder & The Concept Illustrator |7634, Certified since 2017 & Kolbe Youth Certified
AJ needs to make things make sense, not only for himself, but for you as well. His resilient curiosity is illuminated by people and discovering how they work. This quality, along with his knack for joining backstage design and front stage presentation has guided him through a dynamic professional career that began in elementary education and has continued in organizational development. For humanworks8, think of AJ as someone who holds fast, lighting the path to improvement and handing you tools to make the journey a success.
Sarah Marshall, Co-Founder & The Experience Architect | 7643, Certified since 2020 & Certified Team Specialist
Sarah is at her best when helping leaders work through plans of action that strengthen the employee experience – that’s what makes her the Experience Architect at humanworks8, where she not only builds the roadmap to better culture, but executes that strategy alongside her clients. Sarah’s instinctive way of problem-solving begins with gathering information, and the People Touchpoints that energize her most include Communication, Talent Discovery, Team Transitions, and Performance Management. Seeing results of intentional action in these areas in business large and small energizes her and fuels continued creative problem-solving.
Kari Gillenwater
Owner of Gillenwater Consulting Group, Inc.
Gillenwater Consulting Group partners with business owners and leadership teams to help them shift into high gear and build thriving, scalable businesses. Founder Kari Gillenwater, a Kolbe Certified™ Consultant, Team Specialist, and Work Performance Specialist, uses Kolbe as the foundation behind everything she does. Her work is designed to build world-class teams, align leadership, and drive measurable, lasting growth. Kari’s approach blends strategic planning, leadership coaching, and team optimization to help clients hire the right people, lead with confidence, and create a culture where collaboration thrives. She works closely with her clients and their teams to improve communication, strengthen trust and scale without burning out their teams. A proud partner to Kolbe Corp, Kari loves collaborating with her fellow consultants, encourages others to pursue Kolbe Certification, and actively champions Kathy Kolbe’s mission to unlock human potential. For Kari, Kolbe has been the “missing piece to her puzzle” and the defining element that has helped her build her consulting practice to align with her core values and embrace her 6482. Her passion is helping leaders grow into confident business owners who create organizations where their teams’ strengths and results can thrive.
This award honors a company for using Kolbe solutions to make a difference in their organization with demonstrable results.
Azure Standard is a family-owned independent distributor and manufacturer of organic and non-GMO groceries, natural foods, and sustainable living products. Headquartered in Dufur, Oregon, Azure serves communities nationwide through buying clubs and wholesale business partners, offering over 13,000 high-quality products. Rooted in strong relationships and guided by core values, Azure’s mission is to inspire healthy and abundant living while supporting family farms, independent businesses, and customers who care about wholesome food and sustainable choices.
For over 24 years, Tel Tech Networks has been a trusted partner for Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, healthcare, retail, and data centers across the nation. As one of the last privately held corporations of significant size headquartered in Phoenix, AZ, we take pride in our independence and deep local roots while serving clients nationwide. Our ability to make decisions quickly, without outside shareholder influence, allows us to stay agile and customer focused. We deliver end-to-end low-voltage solutions, from design and installation to testing, maintenance, and long-term support, backed by a relentless commitment to quality, an unwavering dedication to safety, and a track record of ensuring customer success.
Cherry Republic is a specialty cherry retailer based in Northern Michigan, known for celebrating Michigan’s tart cherries through our 200+ cherry-baked products, such as salsas, jams, chocolate-covered cherries, and baked goods. Our company was founded on the principles of ‘Life, Liberty, Beaches, and Pie,’ all of which aim to ensure that every customer gets the chance to experience what we love most – Northern Michigan, through supporting cherry farmers, protecting our lakeshore, and creating delicious cherry products.
