Outstanding Alumni Award Outstanding Alumni Award Back to Leadership Alumni Network Presented annually, the Outstanding Alumni Award showcases the important and high-impact work of the Partnership’s leadership program graduates. It is given to an alumnus/a or alumni-led team who exemplifies public service through their work to improve the lives of the American people at home or abroad; or through work that transforms government operations for greater mission impact. Award Eligibility Nominations for the Outstanding Alumni Award are open to all members of the Partnership’s Alumni network. These are individuals who completed and graduated from one (or more) of the Partnership’s leadership development programs. Nominees can be graduates from any program year, but nominations should highlight a recent accomplishment. Nominees should have been federal employees at the time that the nominated project or work took place, and the primary work or project being nominated must be related to the nominee’s work as a federal employee (i.e., not community, volunteer, or active duty service). Submission Guidelines All submissions must be completed using the online form by the deadline Self-nominations will be accepted with the appropriate reference Submissions that do not meet the eligibility requirements will not be forwarded to the selection committee Selection Process Awardee(s) is determined by the Partnership for Public Service, following review and vetting of the nominations. Vetting may include interviews for clarification or additional information, reference checks and review of additional source material. The award recipient(s) is honored at the Excellence in Government Fellows Alumni Day of Training on July 29, 2020. The selection committee will assess the impact, outcomes, and innovation of the accomplishment, and public service values and leadership demonstrated by the nominee(s) in achieving the accomplishment. Selection Criteria Nominations are reviewed according to the award criteria below. Please ensure the application speaks to how the nominee(s) meet the criteria. 1. Impact and Benefits Does the work or project improve the lives of the American people at home or abroad; or, transform government operations for greater mission impact? 2. Outcomes Has the project or work changed the community or situation that it addressed, and specifically what kinds of changes were made? 3. Innovation Did the nominee(s) demonstrate a willingness to take risks to achieve the end goal? 4. Public Service Values and Leadership Does the individual or team model exemplary behavior, integrity, and an understanding and commitment to the core values of public service? If you have questions or need additional information, contact Ifeoluwa Shoola at ishoola@ourpublicservice.org. Past Recipients 2018 Winning Team Joseph Renevitz, Department of Energy Marika Bertram, Department of Housing and Urban Development Katherine Chen, Department of Health and Human Services Christina Conell, Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service Isabel Kozak, Veterans Health Administration Javier Muniz, Food and Drug Administration Kathleen Smith, Federal Emergency Management Agency Achievement: Increased the health and well-being of homeless veterans in Phoenix, Arizona through the Veggies for Veterans program, a collaboration between the VA, HUD, the Diana Gregory Outreach Services Foundation and community volunteers. 2017 Winning Teams In 2017, we presented three awards to worthy candidates: The BAIR Award: The winning alumnus or team received a $5,000 prize for their work that has improved government effectiveness, demonstrated exemplary leadership in teamwork and engaged relevant stakeholders to achieve intended goals. WINNERS: Susan Shelton, Department of Veterans Affairs Susanna Cook, Department of Veterans Affairs Brinda Dass, Food and Drug Administration Lisa Kelleher, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Chrissy Killilay, Architect of the Capitol Melissa Koval, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Donald Smith, Small Business Administration ACHIEVEMENT: Established a formal partnership between the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Dream Foundation to fulfill the final dreams of terminally ill veterans. The Leadership in Action Award: Recognized individuals or teams whose efforts reflect values-, people-, and results-driven leadership. WINNER: Karen J. Dean, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ACHIEVEMENT: Created the first ombudsman’s office at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to help employees address workplace issues in an informal, confidential and safe setting. The Citizen Impact Award: Presented to an alumnus or team that made a significant improvement in the lives of the American people and/or the environment. WINNERS: Cecily Brewer, Department of State Mary Rose Conroy, Department of Agriculture Lynn Hull, Food and Drug Administration Kamran Khaliq, Department of Health and Human Services Teri Osabutey, General Services Administration Jennifer Williams, Department of Health and Human Services ACHIEVEMENT: Refurbished and delivered 70 laptop computers to underprivileged students at an alternative school in rural Mississippi through the Computers for Learning program.
