SELECTION PROCESS
An award winner is selected for each of the following categories:
- Federal Employee of the Year
- Career Achievement
- Emerging Leaders
- Management Excellence
- Safety, Security and International Affairs
- Science and Environment
For each category, nominees must show:
- Strong commitment to federal service
- A significant accomplishment within their field that meets the needs of the American people
- Excellence in customer service to citizens or other beneficiaries
Following a careful review and vetting process by the Partnership for Public Service, finalists are selected and announced in late spring.
Award recipients are chosen from the field of finalists by a selection committee comprised of national leaders representing government, business, entertainment, media and the non-profit/foundation community. The members of the selection committee rank the finalists in each category based on:
- The significance and impact of their accomplishments
- How well they foster innovation
- Demonstrated leadership
- The extent to which they exemplify excellence in public service
Winners are announced in the early fall.
2020 SELECTION COMMITTEE

Samantha Bee
Host and Executive Producer
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee

Amy Entelis
Executive Vice President, Talent & Content Development
CNN Worldwide

W. Scott Gould
CEO
Mountain Lake Associates, LLC

Don Howard
President & CEO
The James Irvine Foundation

U.S. Representative Bill Huizenga
Michigan

Michael Lewis
Author

Richard Plepler
Founder and CEO
Eden Productions

Thomas W. Ross
President
The Volcker Alliance

U.S. Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14)

Adam Conover
Creator and host of Adam Ruins Everything

Patrick Gallagher
Chancellor
University of Pittsburgh

Ronnie F. Heyman
Chairman
GAF Industries

Freeman Hrabowski
President
University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Everett Kelley
National President
American Federation of Government Employees

Andrea Mitchell
NBC News Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent
Host, MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports

Tony Reardon
National President
National Treasury Employees Union

Max Stier
President and CEO
Partnership for Public Service