ILTA is excited to announce the recipients of the first ILTA Volunteer Awards. These awards were created as an opportunity to highlight just a few of the amazing volunteers who dedicate their time to ensure the association’s success. Nominations were received from the ILTA community and the awards were presented at Ascend 2020 on January 18 in Denver, Colorado. We are thrilled to not only honor these individuals with an award, but with words of praise from those who nominated them.
Member Whisperer Award
This award is given to an ILTA Member who most embodies an Ambassador spirit through their network and works to develop relationships to foster member engagement and acquisition.
Winner: Kumar Patel
“I only met Kumar last June but he has already made an impact on our St. Louis ILTA Chapter. At almost every event since June, he has invited and brought along at least 3 people, many of which are first time attendees.”
Calmer of Storms Award
This award is given to an individual who has shown significant dedication to help the association tackle challenges identified by the masses and has gone above and beyond in their efforts to help implement positive change.
Winner: Jim McKenna
“Every time I see Jim at an ILTA event, he is extolling the virtues of being a member in the organization. He relates to his own experience in how ILTA helped him grow in his career and give him confidence. I find inspiration in his words and strive to be the ILTA member champion that Jim defines.”
Consider it Done Award
This award is given to an individual that is a true "Doer;" they are given a specific challenge that the association or industry is facing and provide their recommendations to the Association on the next steps to address this challenge.
Winner: Sandy Mikita
“Sandy has been an incredibly reliable ILTA Volunteer and member. Sandy's work on the Volunteer leadership task force has been invaluable. She operates as the unofficial chair and can always be relied on to get things done and keep the group organized and moving forward. I can not count the number of times I have reached out to Sandy for help because it is just too many. ILTA is lucky to have Sandy as a volunteer, she's amazing!”
Constant Caution Award
This award is given to an individual that is a true "Doer;" they are given a specific challenge that the association or industry is facing and provide their recommendations to the Association on the next steps to address this challenge.
Winner: Perminder Jagdev
“Perminder is a great advocate for tech security and she does so in a relatable way, she always champions security in programming conversations and has been great at delivering content for members in the UK to this effect.”
Cruising and Crushing It Award
This award is given to an individual who doesn't miss a beat and is known for consistently contributing their knowledge and expertise to ILTA educational programs.
Winner: Stephanie Clerkin
"I've only had the pleasure of knowing and working with Stephanie for the past few months. However, that is plenty of time to see how hard she truly works and what a huge impact she has had on not just the STL chapter but the entire ILTA chapter. I truly believe (and I'm sure I am not the only one) that if any deserves this award, it's Stephanie."
Exiting in Excellence Award
This award is given to an individual who is either stepping down from volunteering with ILTA or retiring after many years of significant contribution.
Winner: Tanisha Little
“I was so lucky to have spent several months working with Tanisha in her role as ILTACON TC. She has the most amazing ideas and ran inspiring meetings. She was a true leader and friend in every sense of the words. Her handouts she provided to her team were so amazing that I have a folder on my computer called "Tanisha Ideas"!”
Kumbaya Award
This award is given to an individual that truly understands and embodies the adage that "there are no Second Class Citizens in LegalTech," and makes a genuine effort to showcase that "by working together we are stronger as a whole."
Winner: David Clark
“David truly does treat everyone with utmost respect and recognizes the value that each individual brings to the ILTA world - business partners, other volunteers, members, ILTA staff. He brings everyone together and encourages all to contribute ideas while recognizing the value that each person brings to the table.”
Outside the Box Award
This award is given to an individual that is not afraid to challenge the status quo, act on a new or creative idea, and take on the establishment.
Winner: Jason Dirkx
“Jason is always pushing for improvement in the way we do things. He questions (respectfully) why we do things the way we do and pushes for action in areas where he sees a need. Jason has been bringing up issues with our data structure and impact on reporting. At our last PPC meeting, he suggested a team to evaluate these issues and options, rather than listening to the group continuing to grumble about it. Jason is an incredibly thoughtful, active participant in the PPC.”
The Big Kahuna Award
This award is given to an individual who doesn't shy away from the massive undertaking that ILTACON is, when they see the giant wave ahead - they dive right in and get to work ...full-well knowing their efforts will go unnoticed.
Winner: Chris Hunt
“Chris is one of the best people in ILTA, both personally and professionally. He sees issues and responds to the challenges they present, no matter how big or small the issue might be. The description of this award embodies everything that Chris has done over his time as an ILTA volunteer.”
Gold Star Contributor Award
This award is given to two individuals (1 member, and 1 business partner) who are known to be constant contributors to ILTA content and programs; these individuals are respected as subject matter experts and known to provide content that is gold-star-worthy.
Member Winner: Damien Behan
“Damien is one of our volunteers who can best be described as an unsung hero: He is readily available to review content for local programming and has been a much needed catalyst for ILTA programming in Scotland. I have found Damien's feedback on ILTA's progress in Europe insightful and helpful and I hope he is recognised as such.”
Business Partner Winner: Jeffrey Roach
"Jeffrey is a true example of the ILTA volunteer spirit and we're lucky to have him as a long-time business partner/contributor. We work most closely together on Law Firm 101 and he has been a go-to resource for questions from customers. His vast industry experience and sense of humor always helps create a great vibe at ILTA gatherings. Jeffrey is most definitely a Gold Star Contributor!"
Rockstar Volunteer Award
This award is given to two individuals (1 member, and 1 business partner) who are not afraid to step up, show up, and volunteer to do any task thrown their way; these individuals are known for their enthusiasm and always exceed expectations.
Member Winner: Julie Brown
“Julie Brown has been an ILTA contributor, speaker and champion for many years. Julie has been instrumental in ILTACON's continued success, as well as our Ohio Litigation Support event. Julie is passionate about creating memorable moments, volunteerism, and making sure that all volunteers are recognized and are having FUN. I could not think of anyone more deserving of this award than Julie!”
Business Partner Winner: TJ Johnson
“During TJ's time on the Membership Task Force, I have been more than impressed by her commitment to help ILTA. No matter the task, TJ is always willing to be the first to volunteer to help out. TJ takes charge and seeks opportunities to lend a hand wherever help may be needed.”
Highest of High Fives Award
This award is given to two individuals (1 member, and 1 business partner) who always seem to make things fun but are not necessarily always in the foreground; these individuals are "behind the scenes" professionals that are known for making what everyone else does easier.
Member Winner: Todd Corham
“Todd has, for several years, worked tirelessly on the ILTA Technology Survey. In addition to the countless hours that he devotes to the survey, he is also extraordinarily diligent in ensuring that the integrity of the survey is preserved.”
Business Partner Winner: Donna Payne
“Donna is the Co-Chair of the Partner Advisory Council and as such, works closely with Ray on the PAC agenda and typically leads the discussions.”
For more information on ILTA Awards, including our first-ever Volunteer awards, please visit https://www.iltanet.org/get-involved/volunteer-awards?ssopc=1