Meet the Honorees

This premier awards program for career federal employees, known as the Sammies and considered the “Oscars” of public service, shines the spotlight on remarkable accomplishments that benefit the nation, seeks to build trust in our government and illustrates the role of the nonpartisan civil service, highlighting what we lose when it is disrupted.

As we shine a light on public service excellence in a time of uncertainty, we invite you to join us celebrating the 2025 Service to America Medals honorees.

Yan Ping (Judy) Chen, Jay D. Evans

Revolutionized bee disease diagnosis and treatment, introducing cutting-edge technologies to detect virus pathogens and developing novel medicines to enhance bee health and prevent colony collapse.

Ana B. Hinojosa, Eric Choy and team

Directed enforcement actions against companies seeking to import goods produced by forced labor in China and other countries as part of a broader human rights effort to curb modern-day slavery.

Corvelli A. McDaniel, Lorraine Cole, Ph.D.

Created an innovative program for large commercial financial institutions to provide management and technical assistance to help small and minority-owned banks strengthen their balance sheets and better serve low-income communities.

Alison Smith, Ph.D.

Pioneered the use of nanoparticles to mark sensitive military equipment with a unique fingerprint to guard against counterfeit products and protect our nation’s warfighters

Surabhi Shah and the Urban Waters Team

Created public-private partnerships to clean up and revitalize urban waterways and surrounding lands, spurring economic development and reversing decades of neglect