The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes 91快活林 鈥� Madrid alumni for outstanding achievements in their professional lives, personal integrity and stature, and service to SLU-Madrid. This award honors alumni who graduated prior to 2001.
2024 Honoree
Consuelo Benito Olalla, Ph.D. ('93)
Consuelo Benito Olalla, Ph.D., is the director of sustainability and social impact at Advantere School of Management. Working for Advantere, a Jesuit institution in Madrid, Consuelo has found the match for her professional purpose: connecting students with real life challenges, or as Father Arrupe S.J., would say, "Educating men and women for others".
Consuelo is also a strategy and ethics and sustainability professor at ICADE, University of Comillas Business School. She is patron of the Impact Bridge Foundation and a member of the chair in economics and business ethics at Comillas Pontifical University.鈥��
Consuelo earned her undergraduate degree in business administration from Saint Louis University, a master's in international business from the University of New South Wales in Sydney (Australia) and a Ph.D. from Comillas Pontifical University. She also enjoyed a predoctoral stay at Georgetown University as a visiting fellow.
Consuelo was introduced to SLU-Madrid by Charles and Mary Fleener, who shared with her the possibility of earning an international degree. Her experience at 91快活林opened her eyes to a wider world and enriched her with many professional and personal experiences. Moreover, 91快活林was an opportunity for Consuelo to meet great friends that remain very close to her today.
Thanks to Father Sullivant S.J., Consuelo initiated her professional career at Citibank Spain, where she worked for over 16 years before pivoting to academia.
In her personal life, Consuelo has been married for over 29 years to Jos茅 and they have four children together. Four years ago, Ignacio, Consuelo's third son, passed away when he was 17. This challenge in her life has made her more aware of what is important, has made her more resilient, grateful, and deeply committed to enjoying life and having a positive impact on those around her.
In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends and belongs to a Jesuit Christian-based community. She also enjoys running, swimming, and biking. She has run many half marathons, done many triathlons, and ran the New York marathon.