2020 Winner Corvelli A. McDaniel, Lorraine Cole, Ph.D. People's Choice Award 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.
2020 Finalist Thomas Debass Safety, Security and International Affairs Thomas Debass Created public-private partnerships to advance America’s foreign policy interests while promoting economic growth and entrepreneurship in developing nations across the globe.
2020 Finalist Lina Alathari, Ph.D. Safety, Security and International Affairs Lina Alathari, Ph.D. Developed threat assessment guidelines and worked with law enforcement, educators and local communities to intervene and prevent possible mass shootings in schools, workplaces and public spaces.
2020 Finalist J. Christopher Mihm Management Excellence J. Christopher Mihm Provided Congress and the executive branch with nonpartisan, fact-based information and recommendations to curb tens of billions of dollars in fraud, waste and abuse, and improve federal agency performance.
2020 Finalist David E. Gray Management Excellence David E. Gray Expertly managed the government’s transition of the National Airspace System from ground-based radar to satellite tracking of aircraft, making flying safer and more efficient.
2020 Finalist Monica Ager Jacobsen Emerging Leaders Monica Ager Jacobsen Played a crucial behind-the-scenes role shaping the complex legal and policy issues involved in imposing sanctions against dozens of human rights abusers worldwide.
2020 Finalist Donna J. Shaver, Ph.D. Science, Technology and Environment Donna J. Shaver, Ph.D. Championed the conservation and recovery efforts for the endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, helping save the species from extinction by protecting and preserving the nests at Padre Island National Seashore.
2020 Finalist Andrew Laurence, Ph.D., Shannon Ferguson, Ph.D. Emerging Leaders Andrew Laurence, Ph.D., Shannon Ferguson, Ph.D. Provided critical information to help law enforcement solve hundreds of drug smuggling cases and other crimes by analyzing microscopic pollen grains to determine where drugs were produced, and the routes taken, as well as the travel histories of crime victims.
2020 Finalist Chihoon Shin Emerging Leaders Chihoon Shin Recognized as one of the world’s leading experts on helicopter safety, having investigated numerous crashes and made important recommendations to prevent future mishaps and save lives.
2020 Finalist Christopher M. Janczewski, Zia M. Faruqui, Kimberly A. Reece and the W2V Team Safety, Security and International Affairs Christopher M. Janczewski, Zia M. Faruqui, Kimberly A. Reece and the W2V Team Led an international criminal investigation of the largest dark web child pornography site that accepted cryptocurrency to cloak more than one million video downloads, resulting in the arrest of the operator, more than 330 users and the rescue of 25 exploited children.
2020 Finalist Elizabeth J. Warner, Ph.D. Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement Elizabeth J. Warner, Ph.D. Engaged in groundbreaking, evidence-based research for two decades that has led to the adoption of new K-12 teacher training and recruiting practices, improving instruction for students in disadvantaged communities and throughout the nation.
2020 Finalist Nancy J. Sullivan, Ph.D. Science, Technology and Environment Nancy J. Sullivan, Ph.D. Developed a highly effective medication for the deadly Ebola virus now awaiting federal approval, providing the ability to treat patients with this highly contagious disease that has ravaged African countries.
2020 Finalist John M. Melle, María L. Pagán and team Safety, Security and International Affairs John M. Melle, María L. Pagán and team Coordinated complex negotiations with Mexico and Canada, resulting in a $1.3 trillion trade agreement overwhelmingly approved by Congress that touches almost every aspect of the U.S. economy.
2020 Finalist John F. Tisdale, M.D., Griffin P. Rodgers, M.D. and the Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics team Science, Technology and Environment John F. Tisdale, M.D., Griffin P. Rodgers, M.D. and the Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics team Pioneered innovative research that could lead to a cure for sickle cell disease, an illness that affects more than 20 million people worldwide.
2020 Finalist Matthew C. Eanes Management Excellence Matthew C. Eanes Helped lead the government’s efforts to shrink the enormous backlog of federal background investigations and designed the most comprehensive reform of the process in 60 years.
2020 Finalist Thomas W. Prevoznik, Joseph Beemsterboer, Gary Cantrell and the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force team Safety, Security and International Affairs Thomas W. Prevoznik, Joseph Beemsterboer, Gary Cantrell and the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force team Investigated and arrested 73 health care professionals and other individuals in six states for the unlawful distribution of 40 million medically unnecessary pain pills, helping address the deadly nationwide opioid epidemic.
2020 Finalist Mark Andrew Braza and the Aircraft Carrier Refueling Complex Overhaul Cost Reduction Team Emerging Leaders Mark Andrew Braza and the Aircraft Carrier Refueling Complex Overhaul Cost Reduction Team Led the planning and contracting for the multibillion-dollar overhaul of the USS John C. Stennis, saving tens of millions of dollars and ensuring the nuclear aircraft carrier will play a critical national security role for the next 25 years.
2020 Finalist Peter A. Briss, M.D. and the 2019 Lung Injury Response team Science, Technology and Environment Peter A. Briss, M.D. and the 2019 Lung Injury Response team Identified the chemical compound in vaping products that caused life-threatening lung injuries among young adults, communicating the danger to public health and saving lives.
2020 Finalist Claire L. Parkinson, Ph.D. Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement Claire L. Parkinson, Ph.D. Conducted cutting-edge scientific research over four decades documenting changes in the ice covers in the Arctic and Antarctic oceans and how they have played a significant role in climate change and adversely affected animal life.
2020 Finalist Cecilia M. Coates Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement Cecilia M. Coates Created and runs a state-of-the-art global supply chain management system that provides $10 billion worth of goods and services every year to diplomats and other federal employees serving the United States overseas.
2020 Finalist Jon Michael Seward Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement Jon Michael Seward Successfully brought lawsuits for nearly 30 years against banks to ensure that tens of thousands of people living in underserved and minority communities could gain access to credit.
2019 Winner Victoria Brahm Federal Employee of the Year Victoria Brahm Restored the quality and safety of a broken health care center for veterans that had become notorious for unsafe medical practices, excessive opioid use and a toxic work environment
2019 Winner Ann McKee, M.D. Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement Ann McKee, M.D. Revolutionized scientific research and our understanding of the long-term effects of concussions, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy, in veterans and athletes
2019 Winner Ryan Shelby, Ph.D. Safety, Security and International Affairs Ryan Shelby, Ph.D. Provided vital training and resources to help people in Haiti rebuild thousands of homes and roofs ripped apart by a Category 4 hurricane, making the structures safer and stronger to withstand future disasters
2019 Winner Jamie Rhome Safety, Security and International Affairs Jamie Rhome Created a new forecasting model and warning system that more accurately predicts the deadly storm surge caused by hurricanes, saving lives by alerting residents sooner of the approaching danger
2019 Winner Robert Cabana and the Kennedy Space Center Senior Management Team Management Excellence Robert Cabana and the Kennedy Space Center Senior Management Team Transformed the historic Kennedy Space Center into a globally distinguished, multiuser launch site for government and commercial space exploration, helping preserve our country’s leadership in this important field
2019 Winner Daniel B. Jernigan, M.D. Science, Technology and Environment Daniel B. Jernigan, M.D. Led response efforts for dozens of disease crises, including Ebola, SARS and West Nile virus, while greatly improving our country’s ability to identify, prepare for and respond to inevitable flu pandemics
2019 Winner Michael R. Bloomberg Spirit of Service Award Michael R. Bloomberg Public Servant, Entrepreneur, Philanthropist
2019 Finalist John P. Wagner Safety, Security and International Affairs John P. Wagner Reduced wait times for American citizens and a growing number of foreign travelers arriving at U.S. airports by expediting the clearance process while ensuring a high level of security.
2019 Finalist Kurt Yankaskas Safety, Security and International Affairs Kurt Yankaskas Identified and implemented solutions to combat noise-induced hearing loss, which affects hundreds of thousands of sailors and Marines, and costs taxpayers billions of dollars each year in treatments for veterans
2019 Finalist W. Marston Linehan, M.D. Science, Technology and Environment W. Marston Linehan, M.D. Discovered six different genetic origins of kidney cancer and provided the foundation for the development of targeted therapies that have saved thousands of lives
2019 Finalist Osama El-Lissy Management Excellence Osama El-Lissy Created a highly effective plan that led the United States to become the first and only country to eradicate the pink bollworm, saving cotton growers tens of millions of dollars annually
2019 Finalist Shannon Sartin and Team Management Excellence Shannon Sartin and Team Led the development of digital tools to make it easier for Medicare patients to access their electronic health records and for doctors to receive payment for the quality, not the quantity, of the care they provide
2019 Finalist William K. Boyes, Ph.D Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement William K. Boyes, Ph.D Conducted important research on the harm that commonly used chemicals have on eyesight and the central nervous system, leading to new standards to protect the public from overexposure to these toxic substances
2019 Finalist Emily Joy Haas, Ph.D. Safety, Security and International Affairs Emily Joy Haas, Ph.D. Improved the health and safety of our nation’s mine workers by using behavioral science to influence the adoption of new technologies and practices that reduce their exposure to known hazards
2019 Finalist Venkatachalam “Ram” Ramaswamy, Ph.D. Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement Venkatachalam “Ram” Ramaswamy, Ph.D. Developed a state-of-the-art modeling system to enhance understanding and prediction of global climate and provide earlier and more accurate forecasts of severe weather events, helping save lives and property
2019 Finalist Paul Shute, Christopher Aragao and David Enright Management Excellence Paul Shute, Christopher Aragao and David Enright Dramatically cut the time and manpower needed to make decisions on service-related mental health claims for veterans, helping tens of thousands of individuals each year receive their benefits faster
2019 Finalist Emily Banuelos and the Taxiway Tango Tiger Team Safety, Security and International Affairs Emily Banuelos and the Taxiway Tango Tiger Team Designed and implemented enhanced surveillance technology that warns when commercial aircraft are lined up to land on a taxiway instead of the intended runway, averting the potential for catastrophic accidents
2019 Finalist McMahan “Mac” Louis Gray Science, Technology and Environment McMahan “Mac” Louis Gray Created a game-changing technology that removes carbon dioxide from power plant emissions and absorbs heavy metals, such as lead, from municipal water supplies
2019 Finalist Michael G. Kozak Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement Michael G. Kozak For nearly five decades, helped shape foreign policy to protect U.S. interests abroad and advance democracy and human rights around the world
2019 Finalist Othmane Benafan, Ph.D. Science, Technology and Environment Othmane Benafan, Ph.D. Advanced the science and use of a special alloy that returns to its original shape after being heated, leading to groundbreaking technologies that enable safer, more efficient aviation and space exploration
2019 Finalist Arthur A. Allen Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement Arthur A. Allen Pioneered and perfected a modeling program that predicts where people lost at sea will be found, cutting search and rescue times and saving thousands of lives during a 35-year career
2019 Finalist Christina A. Neal and the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Team Science, Technology and Environment Christina A. Neal and the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory Team Carefully monitored a large and sustained eruption of the Kīlauea Volcano in Hawaii and provided vital updates to protect residents, tourists and property from ash, lava and toxic fumes
2019 Finalist James McWhirter, Mark W. Pletcher and the Navy Bribery Scandal Team Safety, Security and International Affairs James McWhirter, Mark W. Pletcher and the Navy Bribery Scandal Team Uncovered and prosecuted the largest bribery and corruption scandal in the history of the U.S. Navy, resulting in dozens of federal criminal convictions and sanctions against numerous Navy officers
2019 Finalist Kara L. De Castro Safety, Security and International Affairs Kara L. De Castro Led pivotal international programs to convert weapons-grade nuclear materials for civilian use and enhanced security cultures to guard against their mishandling and misuse
2019 Finalist Leticia Pibida, Ph.D. Safety, Security and International Affairs Leticia Pibida, Ph.D. Strengthened our nation’s defenses against nuclear and radioactive threats by developing performance standards and tests for detection systems that screen nearly 7 million cargo containers entering U.S. seaports every year
2019 Finalist Kristen P. Finne Safety, Security and International Affairs Kristen P. Finne Developed a system for first responders to quickly locate and assist 4.3 million Medicare beneficiaries who rely on electricity-dependent medical equipment and are at risk during prolonged power outages
2018 Winner Jeff Bezos Spirit of Service Award Jeff Bezos Built successful businesses that deliver everyday goods and services, advance space exploration and contribute to our national security and the public good, and launched large-scale philanthropic initiatives to help homeless families and improve educational opportunities in low-income communities
2018 Winner Karen D. Dodge, Margaret Moeser and the Teams Safety, Security and International Affairs Karen D. Dodge, Margaret Moeser and the Teams Brought justice and restored financial losses of nearly $600 million for hundreds of thousands of people who were defrauded by money transfer scams
2018 Winner Andrew M. Herscowitz and the Power Africa Team Safety, Security and International Affairs Andrew M. Herscowitz and the Power Africa Team Provided electricity to some 50 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, while creating hundreds of millions of dollars in export opportunities for U.S. companies
2018 Winner Margaret Honein, Ph.D. Science, Technology and Environment Margaret Honein, Ph.D. Collected and analyzed critical data to help protect women and babies from the mosquito-borne Zika virus that was spreading rapidly in the U.S. and its territories
2018 Winner Marcella Jacobs and the VA Digital Service Team Management Excellence Marcella Jacobs and the VA Digital Service Team Created online digital tools for veterans to more easily access benefits and services, delivering a high-quality and seamless user experience
2018 Winner Daniel L. Kastner, M.D., Ph.D. Federal Employee of the Year Daniel L. Kastner, M.D., Ph.D. Identified an entire new class of rare genetic diseases and treatments to alleviate suffering for thousands of patients in the U.S. and around the world
2018 Winner Parimal Kopardekar, Ph.D. and the Team Promising Innovations Medal Parimal Kopardekar, Ph.D. and the Team Designed a first-of-its-kind traffic management system for unmanned aerial vehicles, paving the way for large-scale use of commercial drones
2018 Winner Alison Smith, Ph.D. People's Choice Award 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
2018 Winner Marshalyn Yeargin-Allsopp, M.D. Paul A. Volcker Career Achievement Marshalyn Yeargin-Allsopp, M.D. Pioneered research to understand the prevalence of autism and other developmental disabilities, influencing the expansion of health, social and educational services for children with special needs
2018 Finalist Stephen C. Curren and the Cyber Incident Response Team Safety, Security and International Affairs Stephen C. Curren and the Cyber Incident Response Team Defended health care computer systems in the U.S. from a global cyberattack that threatened patients’ health and safety
2018 Finalist Matthew Nims and the Food for Peace Team Safety, Security and International Affairs Matthew Nims and the Food for Peace Team Distributed $1.4 billion in emergency food assistance to 20 million people in four nations fighting famine and threatened by violent conflicts, saving countless lives under harrowing conditions
2018 Finalist Hoa Thi Tran, Ph.D. and the Team Safety, Security and International Affairs Hoa Thi Tran, Ph.D. and the Team Delivered emergency humanitarian relief to nearly 700,000 Rohingya refugees who fled violent persecution in Burma to find safe haven in neighboring Bangladesh
