The future of management is not just about efficiency. It is about understanding the human experience within work and designing environments where people can perform, grow, and thrive. That philosophy sits at the heart of the Frank and Lillian Gilbreth legacy, and it is what makes this year’s recognition of Elizabeth Remillard especially meaningful.
As the recipient of the Frank and Jillian Gilbreth Medal, Remillard is being recognized for her contributions to understanding how people interact with their work environments, and how thoughtful design of those environments can improve both performance and well-being. Her work reflects a modern interpretation of motion, skill, and fatigue study, one that places human experience at the center of productivity.
Remillard serves as an Assistant Professor at the New England Institute of Technology and brings more than a decade of clinical experience as an occupational therapist. Her work has consistently focused on helping individuals regain independence, build functional skills, and navigate complex physical and environmental challenges. This foundation provides a deep understanding of how the design of work and daily activities impacts performance.
What distinguishes her contributions is how she has extended that expertise beyond traditional clinical settings. As Co-Founder of Empower Spinal Cord Injury, she has helped create a program that reimagines rehabilitation as a pathway to independence, confidence, and long-term success. The organization’s immersive programming model combines physical therapy, occupational therapy, peer mentoring, and real-world skill development to help individuals adapt to new realities and regain control over their lives.
Empower SCI addresses a critical gap in traditional rehabilitation models. While initial care often focuses on survival and stabilization, long-term success requires a different approach. Remillard’s work recognizes that individuals need time, support, and opportunity to rebuild their capabilities in ways that are meaningful to them. By designing programs that focus on real-life application, she has helped create environments where participants can develop both physical skills and personal confidence.
This approach aligns closely with the principles that define the Gilbreth Medal. The study of motion, skill, and fatigue is ultimately about understanding how people perform work and how that performance can be improved through thoughtful design. Remillard’s work brings this concept into a modern context, focusing on how individuals interact with their environments and how those environments can be adapted to support better outcomes.
In addition to her work with Empower SCI, Remillard has made significant contributions as an educator. Her role in developing and coordinating academic programs ensures that future professionals are equipped with both the technical knowledge and practical skills needed to support individuals in complex environments. Her teaching emphasizes collaboration, problem-solving, and a human-centered approach to care and performance.
Her impact extends even further through community engagement and workforce education. By integrating nonprofit programming into academic settings, she has created opportunities for students to engage directly with real-world challenges. This not only enhances learning, but also reinforces the importance of applying management and healthcare principles in meaningful ways.
At its core, Remillard’s work is about redefining how we think about performance. It challenges the idea that productivity is separate from well-being and instead demonstrates that the two are deeply connected. When individuals are supported in ways that respect their needs, abilities, and goals, performance improves naturally.
The Frank and Jillian Gilbreth Medal recognizes individuals who have advanced the understanding of work through innovation and application. Remillard’s contributions reflect that purpose through her ability to connect theory with practice and to design programs that improve both individual outcomes and broader systems of care.
As organizations continue to explore how to create more effective and human-centered work environments, the importance of this perspective will only grow. Leaders like Elizabeth Remillard are helping to shape that future, demonstrating that the most meaningful improvements in performance come from understanding the people behind the work.
The Society for Advancement of Management is proud to recognize Elizabeth Remillard for her contributions to the field. Her work serves as a powerful reminder that when we design work with people in mind, we create the conditions for both success and fulfillment.