Building a Thriving, Ethical Indiana—One Business at a Time

Melissa Barnes serves as the Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer and Senior Vice President of Enterprise Risk Management at Eli Lilly & Company, bringing decades of ethics-informed leadership and legal expertise to her work. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Melissa joined Lilly in 1994 and has held a variety of senior legal and business roles — including General Counsel for Lilly Diabetes and Lilly Oncology, and Deputy General Counsel overseeing global litigation and investigations, regulatory affairs, and human resources.

Over her tenure, she has built a strong reputation both nationally and internationally for her innovation, influence, and steady leadership in ethics and compliance. She has been recognized by numerous organizations — including being named an “Attorney Who Matters” by Ethisphere and a “Rising Star” by the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association. Melissa also serves on multiple boards and committees, including as Chair of the Ethics and Business Integrity Committee for the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations.

Her combined legal education, extensive experience in ethics-driven leadership roles, and her broad board and volunteer service make her one of the foremost voices in promoting integrity and ethical culture within complex global organizations. Now, as the Founding President of the Indiana Center for Business Ethics, Melissa continues her commitment to advancing ethical leadership—helping shape the next generation of values-driven organizations across Indiana and beyond.

Frank D. Walker is a respected business leader, marketing research innovator, and philanthropist whose commitment to ethics and values‑driven work has spanned over seven decades. As Chairman Emeritus of Walker Information (a company founded in 1939 by his mother, Dorothy “Tommie” Walker), Frank rose through sales (beginning in 1960) to become President in 1967 and later CEO, always maintaining a strong focus on how business should not only excel but also do right.

During his leadership, Frank developed research tools specifically designed to measure ethical culture within organizations and assess the business value of corporate responsibility—demonstrating his conviction that ethics, not just compliance, must be the foundation of corporate identity.

In addition to his business accomplishments, Frank has been a generous philanthropist across Indiana, supporting a wide range of initiatives that promote ethical leadership and civic engagement. Now in his 90s, Frank has extended this lifelong mission by becoming the founding visionary of the Indiana Center for Business Ethics. Through this new Center, his legacy continues—equipping Indiana businesses with practical tools, resources, and inspiration to lead with integrity for generations to come.

Michelle brings over 15 years of strategic and operational leadership across education, healthcare, and the nonprofit sector. She has led multi-million-dollar initiatives, built scalable systems, and guided organizations from vision to measurable impact. Known for equity-centered strategy, collaborative leadership, and data-informed decision-making, Michelle joins the Indiana Center for Business Ethics to help shape its strategy and strengthen its operational foundation for long-term success.