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A virtual series celebrated the exceptional accomplishments of our 2024 Sammies finalists

The Partnership for Public Service’s 2024 Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals®—often called the “Sammies”—celebrates exceptional public servants who keep our nation running.  

This year, we showcased some of our 2024 finalists in the “Sammies Virtual Series,” a four-part LinkedIn Live event featuring several Service to America Medals nominees.  

Improving the customer experience 

First, we welcomed two finalists in the Sammies’ Emerging Leaders category: Andrea Fletcher, chief digital strategy officer for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and Kyle Gardiner, a senior policy analyst at the Office of Management and Budget. 

They discussed their work to improve the way the public engages with our government on digital platforms. Fletcher created online services that help patients dispute medical bills, while Gardiner streamlined burdensome federal forms to ensure deserving recipients receive public benefits.

2024 People’s Choice Award winners 

In July, we announced the winners of our 2024 People’s Choice Award: Yan Ping (Judy) Chen and Jay Evans from the Agricultural Research Service at the Department of Agriculture. At the ARS, Chen and Evans are revolutionizing bee disease diagnosis and treatment by using cutting-edge technologies that detect virus pathogens and developing new medicines. 

They began working together two decades ago, driven by their passion for bee health and concerns about the declining bee population. Chen and Evans have made an incredible impact on beekeeping and our food supply. “Serving in a public agency, we really do feel like our work can have an impact in the short term and in the long term,” Evans said.

On the cutting edge 

During our next event, we examined how federal leaders leverage technology to innovate on behalf of the public.  

Bob McGaughey, a research forester at the U.S. Forest Service, and Stephen Hughes, an engineer at NASA, joined us to discuss how their technological advancements are transforming how our government tackles big projects. 

McGaughey developed software that converts large amounts of geospatial data into detailed information that enables better management of forestlands in the U.S. and abroad. Hughes and fellow NASA technologist Neil Cheatwood led the development of an inflatable heat shield for planetary entry, descent and landing that will enable spacecraft to deliver large payloads to distant planets. 

Better, faster, stronger 

In the last installment of our series, we focused on public servants who lead fast-paced initiatives to meet the needs of the 21st century. 

Mike Schmidt, director of the CHIPS Program Office at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, discussed his work supercharging the U.S. semiconductor industry to increase the domestic production of chips.  

Rachel Han, product lead at the Department of Veterans Affairs shared how her team has developed an app that enables veterans to manage their health care appointments, claims and medical records on mobile devices. 

Finally, two leaders at the Environmental Protection Agency, Karl Simon and Matthew Lakin, talked about designing and implementing a program that funds cleaner-energy school buses to reduce pollution and improve air quality for children in low-income communities. 

Learn more about the Sammies 

In September, the Partnership will announce the winners of this year’s Service to America Medals®. Read more about all our Sammies finalists and discover how they are making important contributions to the federal government and to our country.  

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