Outstanding Contribution Award

Through the years, many people have given of their time, energy and resources to further the work of the Taos Institute in exploring, developing and disseminating ideas and practices that promote creative, appreciative and collaborative processes in families, communities and organizations around the world. The following Taos Institute Associates have gone above and beyond and here we recognize them for their outstanding contributions to the work of the Taos Institute.


2022 Outstanding Awards

This year the Outstanding Contribution Awards are presented to the many Taos Institute Associates who have helped our ideas reach more people around the globe by translating some of our events or resources in various languages. These include:

With special gratitude for their work in supporting the translations of the plenary sessions at the Taos Institute’s Fall 2022 Gathering: Unfolding Dialogues – Relational Resources for Global Good:

Maria Luisa (Papusa) Molina, Jeanette Samper, Helena Marujo, Sylvia London and Edgardo Morales.

With special gratitude for their work contributing to the translation into Spanish of the Taos Institute book, Social Construction in Action: Contributions from the Taos Institute’s 25th Anniversary Conference:

Josep Seguí Dolz, Inma García, René Emir Buenfil Viera, Ana Iaquinandi, Nora Rentería, Inés Sametband, Mario Osvaldo Castillo Rangel, Paloma Torres-Dávila, Sylvia London, Irma (Ñeca) Rodríguez, Dora Fried Schnitman, Edgardo Morales, Carlos Felipe Villar-Guhl, María Paula Céspedes, Rita de Cássia de Souza, Jorge Sanhueza-Rahmer and Monica Sesma.

With special gratitude for their work contributing to the translation into Portuguese of the Taos Institute book, Social Construction in Action: Contributions from the Taos Institute’s 25th Anniversary Conference:

Carla Guanaes-Lorenzi, Celiane Camargo-Borges, Cristina Ruffino, Emerson Rasera, Gabriela Martins Silva, Giovanna Cabral Doricci, Graziella Mofarrej, Laura Vilela e Souza, Lilian de Almeida Guimarães, Marilene Grandesso, Marina Arantes, Murilo dos Santos Moscheta, Pedro Pablo Sampaio Martins, Rita de Cássia Souza, Roberto Ricardi Costard, and Rosana Lázaro Rapizo.

With deep appreciation for their many valuable and spirited efforts to share and enrich social constructionist ideas and practices in Japan:

Terumi Sameshima and Tomoko Higashimura

With deep appreciation for his translation of three Taos Publications into French to share and enrich social constructionist ideas and practices with French practitioners and students:

Alain Robiolio


2021 Outstanding Awards

This year the Outstanding Contribution Award is presented to Diego Tapia Figueroa, a Taos Institute Associate from Ecuador, with deep gratitude for his outstanding contributions to the mission of the Taos Institute. His creative website: IRYSE: Construccionismo Relacional en Ecuador, crosses boundaries of nations and cultures, theory and practice, social science and the arts, to enlighten and inspire the world.

2021 Outstanding Contribution Award recipients also include the following individuals, with special gratitude for their work on the ICCP 5th International Congress of Collaborative-Dialogic Practices: “New Times, New Horizons” co-sponsored by the Taos Institute and the Houston Galveston Institute.

Saliha Bava
Rocio Chaveste
Nelly Chong
Maritza Crespo Balderrama
Adela Garcia
Adriana Gil-Wilkerson
Marilene Grandesso
Anne Hedvig Vedeler

Sue Levin
Sylvia London
Papusa Molina
Pavel Nepustil
Michael Pontello
Leticia Rodriguez
Neca Rodriguez
Josep Seguí Dolz

Susan Swim
Diego Tapia Figueroa
Tsung-Cheng Tsou
Eduardo Villar
Shi-Jiuan Wu
Yang Xu
HaiBo Zeng
Roxana Zevallos


2019 Outstanding Awards

This year the Outstanding Contribution Award is presented to Kristin Bodiford, Pamela Brett-MacLean, and Paloma Torres-Davila, three Taos Institute Associates who have gone above and beyond. It is with deep gratitude for their outstanding contributions to the Taos Institute, especially for their time, commitment, dedication, dynamic energy and creative leadership in the publishing of the book that celebrates the Taos Institute’s 25th Anniversary conference and in helping to plan the conference: Social Construction in Action: Contributions from the Taos Institute’s 25th Anniversary Conference

Watch the virtual presentation ceremony here.


2018 Outstanding Awards

This year the Outstanding Contribution Award is presented to Karsten Mellon, a Taos Institute Associate from Denmark, with deep gratitude for his outstanding contributions to the Taos Institute and especially for his dynamic and creative leadership in organizing the conference, Children and Youth on the Edge, with the University College Absalon, Roskilde, Denmark


2017 Outstanding Awards

This year the Outstanding Contribution Award is presented to Josep Segui Dolz, a Taos Institute Associate from Spain, for his outstanding contributions to the Taos Institute and especially for his leadership and creativity in organizing the 3rd International Congress of the International Certificate in Collaborative-Dialogic Practices, and with the International Relational Research Network.


2015 Outstanding Awards

This year the Outstanding Contribution Award goes to Monica Sesma to honor the many hours and hours of time she donated to developing new initiatives and collaborating with the board and other associates in ways that brought meaning to to the words “relational practice”.  With deep gratitude for her outstanding contributions to the Taos Institute, and especially for her work with TIAC, the Taos NING site, and the International Journal of Collaborative Practices. Thank You.

Monica Sesma

Monica Sesma Contribution award 2015

This year we have chosen four Taos Associates for the Outstanding Contribution Award. These four individuals donated hours and hours of time in developing new initiatives and collaborated with the board and other associates in ways that brought meaning to the words “relational practice”. Thank You to these amazing people.


2014 Outstanding Awards

Saliha Bava

For her invaluable contributions in the development of the Master of Science program in Relational Leading, and for sharing her technological sophistication and wisdom with the Institute. These are among her many spirited and creative efforts to promote the work of the Taos Institute.


Kristin Bodiford

For her invaluable contributions to the creation of the Taos Online Community Dialogue website, and to the Master of Science program in Relational Leading. These are among her many spirited and creative efforts to promote the work of the Taos Institute.


Celiane Camargo Borges

For her invaluable contributions in the development of the Master of Science program in Relational Leading, for supporting the European infrastructure for the Ph.D. program, and for her active contributions in developing Taos Institute Europe. These are among her many spirited and creative efforts to promote the work of the Taos Institute.


Ottar Ness

For his invaluable leadership in organizing “Beyond the Therapeutic State” in Drammen, Norway, and for his enthusiasm and support in the development of Taos Institute Europe.


2011 Outstanding Awards

This year we have chosen two Taos Associates for the Outstanding Contribution Award.

Rocio Chaveste & Maria Louisa Moline (Papusa)

The 2011 Outstanding Contribution Award is presented to María del Rocío Chaveste Guitérrez and María Luisa Molina López and the Kanankil Institute to honor the contributions of Instituto Kanankil in advancing cultural understanding in the world and for their dedication and leadership in creating an outstanding conference with us. Enriching Collaborative Practices Across Cultural Borders: Constructing Alternatives in Psychotherapy, Education, Community &  Organization Development and Research Practices, March 20-23, 2012, Merida, Mexico 


2009 Outstanding Awards

This year we have chosen two Taos Associates for the Outstanding Contribution Award.

Dr. Dora Fried Schnitman

The 2009 Outstanding Contribution Award is given to Dora Fried Schnitman, Ph.D. for her invaluable contribution in bringing scholars and practitioners from the hemispheres into collaborative and creative exchange, and especially for linking the efforts of dialogic practitioners in Latin America to the activities of the Taos Institute. Dora is  founder of Interfas Institute in Buenos Aires, and has contributed her creative ideas and warm vitality to the participants of the Taos Institute for many years. For an Argentine audience, she has also created many workshops and conferences featuring Taos members. In her many travels throughout the Western hemisphere she has consistently shared constructionist ideas with new audiences. Most important for this award, Dr. Schnitman, in conjunction with the Taos Institute, has created a network of Spanish-speaking colleagues, all of whom are concerned with the theory and practice of dialogue. This electronic network, La Red Dialogico, enables over 120 scholars and practitioners to share their ideas, practices, and projects.


Dr. Alain Robiolio

Dr. Alain Robiolio is awarded the Outstanding Contribution Award for 2009. He has played an invaluable role in the Taos Institute in making its theoretical and practical work available to French speaking audiences. He has single-handedly arranged for the translation into French of major works by Taos Institute authors, including books published by the Institute. Further, on a voluntary basis he helped to generate an audience for the Positive Aging Newsletter in Switzerland, France, and Belgium, and translated all of its issues for over four years. He has also arranged for Taos participants to speak at conferences in Switzerland and France, and has consistently added his warmth, hospitality, and wise counsel to Institute participants.


2007 Outstanding Award

Dr. John Rijsman

Dr. John Rijsman is granted the Outstanding Contribution Award for 2007. Professor John Rijsman, Department of Psychology, Tilburg University, has been an Associate of the Taos Institute for over a for over a dozen years.His contributions have been both enormous and continuous. Deepest appreciation is extended for his bringing about the creation of the Taos PhD program, and his enlivening and sustaining this program since its inception.  Not only has he lent a crucial, helping hand to every single graduate, but he has also served as the major advisor to others. He has further assisted the Taos Institute in developing generative relations throughout Europe, and exploring new collaborative ventures. 


2005 Outstanding Award

Dr. Jackie Stavros

Dr. Jackie Stavros, Taos Associate, is granted the third Outstanding Contribution Award by the Taos Institute. She has volunteered hundreds of hours this year working with Jane Seiling, our chief editor, on the Focus Book Series. Both Jackie and Jane work with authors to bring their visions of publishing to a reality. Dr. Stavros is a professor of Management and Leadership at Lawrence Technical University in Michigan. Several years ago, she offered to volunteer her time, expertise and interest in working with the publishing efforts of the institute. We are grateful for Jackie¹s unending commitment to working with authors, offering her time, talents, vision and voice to the publishing initiatives of the Taos Institute.

Jackie also became one of our authors in 2005 with the new publication: Dynamic Relationships: Unleashing the Power of AI in Daily Living, with co-author Cheri Torres. We want to thank Jackie for her generous contribution to the Taos Institute in 2005.


2003 Outstanding Award

Dr. Susan Levin

Susan Levin, Executive Director of the Houston Galveston Institute and a Taos Institute Associate, is awarded the second Outstanding Contribution Award by the Taos Institute for her superb efforts and dedication in planning and hosting the Transforming Dialogues: Changing Practice conference, a special conference, co-sponsored by the Houston Galveston Institute and the Taos Institute which was held April 10-13, 2003 in League City, Texas. Over 100 participants engaged in transformative experiences that informed their practices. It was truly a collaborative learning conference that challenged and extended our current practice through exploring social constructionism and dialogical experience. Not only did this conference bring together social constructionist theory and practice, it also was a special celebration of the 25th anniversary of HGI and the 10th anniversary of TI. We thank Susan for her outstanding service to the Taos Institute.


2001 Outstanding Award

Dr. Jane Seiling

Jane Seiling has been granted the first Outstanding Contribution Award by the Taos Institute. Through her remarkable efforts and dedication The Focus Book series has been founded, and has given birth to three very estimable children. Jane’s skills, insights, intelligence, and patience are evident in each of these volumes. The authors in each case owe her a lifetime of appreciation. And should anyone require a perfect model for the Membership Organization, we shall be happy to propose Jane’s name. Email Jane at jseilingl@aol.com or see: www.membership.org