2022 Winner Darren Walker Spirit of Service Award Darren Walker A philanthropic leader and innovator working to build a more equitable and just world.
2022 Finalist Hila Hanif, Umid Khikmatov and the Afghanistan Policy Team Safety, Security and International Affairs Hila Hanif, Umid Khikmatov and the Afghanistan Policy Team Organized the successful evacuation of more than 120,000 Afghans, Americans and NATO partners during the chaotic American military withdrawal from Afghanistan during two weeks in August 2021.
2022 Finalist Scott Busby Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement Scott Busby Designed and oversaw landmark efforts to advance human rights overseas and hold violators accountable.
2022 Finalist Diana Bianchi, M.D. COVID-19 Response Diana Bianchi, M.D. Initiated critical clinical research to understand the medical implications of COVID-19 on underserved populations, including pregnant women, children and people with disabilities.
2022 Finalist Nathan R. Newbury, Ian Coddington, Ph.D., Kevin Cossel, Ph.D. and team Science, Technology and Environment Nathan R. Newbury, Ian Coddington, Ph.D., Kevin Cossel, Ph.D. and team Developed a revolutionary system to detect methane gas leaks from oil and gas production facilities as well as identify other pollutants that are major contributors to global warming.
2022 Winner Dr. H. Clifford Lane, M.D. Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement Dr. H. Clifford Lane, M.D. Conducted pioneering work to combat HIV/AIDS that has saved countless lives, organized breakthrough clinical trials for Ebola in Africa and helped establish medical guidelines to treat COVID-19 during the pandemic.
2022 Finalist Suma Nair, Ph.D., M.S. COVID-19 Response Suma Nair, Ph.D., M.S. Coordinated the federal initiative to supply community health centers nationwide that assist underserved populations with life-saving COVID-19 vaccines, antiviral medications, testing kits and protective face masks.
2022 Winner Holly Herrera, Hilary Ingraham, Kiera Berdinner and the Operation Allies Welcome Resettlement Team Safety, Security and International Affairs Holly Herrera, Hilary Ingraham, Kiera Berdinner and the Operation Allies Welcome Resettlement Team Coordinated the largest resettlement of refugees in modern U.S. history, providing housing and services in record time to more than 72,000 people who fled from Afghanistan in 2021 as American military forces withdrew from that war-torn country.
2022 Winner Gregory Robinson Federal Employee of the Year Gregory Robinson Oversaw the successful launch of NASA’s revolutionary James Webb Space Telescope after years of delays and billions of dollars in cost overruns, setting the stage for spectacular discoveries about the origins of the universe.
2022 Finalist Gary Disbrow, Ph.D., Robert Johnson, Ph.D., Kimberly Armstrong, Ph.D., Rodney Wallace and team COVID-19 Response Gary Disbrow, Ph.D., Robert Johnson, Ph.D., Kimberly Armstrong, Ph.D., Rodney Wallace and team Led the federal effort to quickly identify and invest billions of dollars in the rapid development and production of COVID-19 vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics.
2022 Finalist Robert Fenton COVID-19 Response Robert Fenton Orchestrated the creation of 39 mass vaccination centers in early 2021 that in a short time administered lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines to 5.6 million people while also providing federal support to 1,600 smaller vaccination sites throughout the country.
2022 Finalist Yolanda López Management Excellence Yolanda López Guided Voice of America through a tumultuous period of political upheaval, restoring the integrity and independence of its news operations while providing strong support for the workforce.
2022 Finalist Samantha Sutton Emerging Leaders Samantha Sutton Played an important behind-the-scenes role across three presidential administrations as an adviser on U.S. policy toward Israel and the Palestinians.
2022 Finalist Mitchell Zeller, J.D. Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement Mitchell Zeller, J.D. Directed federal efforts to regulate the marketing and accessibility of tobacco products that can cause death and disease, instituting policies that cut back on cigarette usage and saved lives.
2022 Winner Krista Kinnard Emerging Leaders Krista Kinnard Ignited a technology transformation at the Department of Labor by automating repetitive administrative processes, saving time and money, and creating greater efficiencies.
2022 Finalist Jonathan Dworken Safety, Security and International Affairs Jonathan Dworken Coordinated the delivery of critical U.S. assistance to the people of Ethiopia amid a violent conflict.
2022 Finalist Rupa Bhattacharyya Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement Rupa Bhattacharyya Managed three separate victim’s compensation funds during a lengthy federal career, most recently revitalizing the fund that provides payments to those harmed by the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
2022 Winner Cynthia A. Newberg Science, Technology and Environment Cynthia A. Newberg Played an instrumental role internationally and in the U.S. to curb the use of hydrofluorocarbons, incredibly potent greenhouse gases that are major contributors to climate change.
2022 Finalist Kyle Armstrong, Chris Janczewski, Ryan Landers and the Bitcoin Terror Takedown Team Safety, Security and International Affairs Kyle Armstrong, Chris Janczewski, Ryan Landers and the Bitcoin Terror Takedown Team Dismantled a series of sophisticated online fundraising campaigns run by three separate anti-American international terrorist organizations, seizing millions of dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency.
2022 Finalist Craig McLean Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement Craig McLean Played a critical role for decades in the exploration and mapping of the oceans which has provided insights into climate change, helped improve weather forecasting and led to a better understanding of marine life.
2022 Winner Dr. Amanda Cohn, Anita Patel, Dr. David Fitter and the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force COVID-19 Response Dr. Amanda Cohn, Anita Patel, Dr. David Fitter and the COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force Designed and implemented the plan to distribute hundreds of millions of lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines to states, localities and pharmacies nationwide while providing critical health information to the public.
2022 Finalist Steven Musser, Ph.D. Science, Technology and Environment Steven Musser, Ph.D. Championed the use of whole genome sequencing and a public database to identify foodborne diseases that sicken millions of people every year, enabling authorities to remove dangerous products more quickly from the marketplace and protect public health.
2022 Finalist Roy Dotson and the CARES Act Team Safety, Security and International Affairs Roy Dotson and the CARES Act Team Conducted a nationwide criminal investigation that recovered $1.2 billion in stolen federal pandemic relief payments meant for small businesses and the unemployed, and halted the dispersal of $2.2 billion more in fraudulently requested funds.
2022 Finalist David Rader Emerging Leaders David Rader Led a critical initiative to monitor and prevent foreign investments in American technology companies that can be used by adversaries to gain an economic and military advantage over the United States.
2022 Finalist Brandon Wales Science, Technology and Environment Brandon Wales Protected government and commercial computer networks from highly sophisticated and damaging cyberattacks, safeguarding the COVID-19 vaccine supply chain and reducing the risks of devastating ransomware attacks.
2022 Finalist Mark Williams, Ph.D. Emerging Leaders Mark Williams, Ph.D. Documented how agricultural runoff containing nitrogen and phosphorous used in fertilizers migrate into and pollute waterways, prompting new farming conservation practices to protect the environment.
2022 Winner Barbara C. Morton Management Excellence Barbara C. Morton Built trust and a customer-oriented culture among veterans and their families seeking services and benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs by listening and responding to their needs.
2022 Finalist Joseph Poux Jr. Science, Technology and Environment Joseph Poux Jr. Organized a series of global environmental law enforcement operations targeting marine pollution and hazardous waste dumping that uncovered thousands of violations and led to the prosecution of countless individuals, companies and criminal networks.
2022 Finalist Antonio Rios Management Excellence Antonio Rios Instituted an innovative system that has reduced opioid addiction among federal employees receiving workers’ compensation benefits, while also streamlining and speeding up the process for filing claims.