PMF - Presidential Management Fellows

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PMF Honorary Awards

The PMF Honorary Awards Program was established to recognize past and present Federal public servants who have been instrumental to the enduring success of the PMF Program. The honorees include Chief/Deputy Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCOs), Agency PMF Coordinators, Hiring Managers/Supervisors, PMF Alumni, PMFs, and Coaches/Mentors. These awards were conferred for the first time in 2018 as part of the PMF 40^th Anniversary Celebration, and the ceremony has continued as a standalone event held on an annual basis. The awards program is sponsored by OPM and the PMF Program Office. Not all categories receive nominations year to year.

PMF Honorary Awards for 2023

This year, the PMF Honorary Awards Ceremony will be held held virtually on Thursday, August 24, 2023, from 2:00-3:00pm (ET) to accommodate honorees unable to participate in an in-person ceremony. Honorees will be sent a link for the ceremony and may forward to their family, friends, and colleagues. There were no nominations for Chief/Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer of the Year for 2023.

The Honorees for 2023 are:

Excellence in Service

• Jillian Kojzar, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Excellence in Leadership

• Maria De Fazio, Presidential Management Alumni Association

Agency PMF Coordinator of the Year

• Elizabeth Belser-Vega, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Presidential Management Fellows Alumni of the Year

• Jessica Mroz, Environmental Protection Agency, Class of 2016

Hiring Manager of the Year

• Ajay Bhatt, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Mentor of the Year

• Beth Goldberg, Small Business Administration

Timeline

(All deadlines are based on Eastern Time)

NOTE: The dates below are approximate and subject to change. Please check frequently for any updates.

Additional information on the PMF Honorary Awards Program, including the names of past recipients, can be found below.

Award Categories

There are seven award categories, and the criteria for each appears below:

1 - Excellence in Service

The criteria for this award are as follows: 

• Demonstrates exceptional dedication to the PMF Program that impacted the success of the PMF Program
• Delivers outstanding customer service or performed outstanding operational activities that enabled an overall positive PMF experience
• Serves as a model for others to emulate
• Performs at a level substantially beyond that which would normally be expected in their role

2 - Excellence in Leadership

 The criteria for this award are as follows:

• Demonstrates exemplary leadership qualities
• Commits to successfully achieving organizational objectives and mission goals
• Leads by superior example and helps create an environment of high productivity and cooperation that impacted the success of the PMF Program
• Mentors, coaches, or helps develop others

3 - Agency PMF Coordinator of the Year

Nominees for this award will consist of current or former Agency PMF Coordinators. The nominations for this award must demonstrate or speak to how the nominee:

• Delivered services that were responsive to PMFs’ needs and provided a high degree of value in a way that impacted the success of the PMF Program
• Used creative approaches to an exceptional degree that resulted in superior service to the PMF community
• Came up with effective strategies and methods that allowed for onboarding processes for PMFs at their agency ran smoothly; Achieved results effectively
• Has been an effective user of the PMF Talent Management System to recruit, appoint, and support PMFs within their agency

4 - Chief/Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer of the Year

Nominees for this award will consist of current or former Chief Human Capital Officers or Deputy Chief Human Capital Officers. The nominations for this award must demonstrate or speak to how the nominee:

• Championed the PMF Program/promoted the PMF Program across their agency
• Enabled the PMF Program to fill its objectives at the nominee’s agency
• Provided recruitment and staffing strategies to Hiring Managers
• Overcame obstacles to use the PMF Program to help achieve organizational objectives

5 - Presidential Management Fellows Alumni of the Year

Nominees for this award will consist of PMF Alumni. Nominations for this award must demonstrate or speak to how the nominee during their time as a Federal employee:

• Built strong coalitions beyond the PMF community in a way that directly impacted the success of the PMF Program
• Mentored and supported other PMFs that directly impacted their success in the PMF Program
• Demonstrated strong belief in the PMF Program in their agency and worked to improve or enhance the PMF experience at their agency
• Advocated for the PMF Program in their agency

6 - Supervisor/Hiring Manager of the Year

Nominees for this award will consist of current or former Supervisors or Hiring Managers who have recruited and/or supervised PMFs. The nominations for this award must demonstrate or speak to how the nominee:

• Demonstrated strategic leadership in managing incoming PMFs that impacted the success of the PMF Program at the nominee’s agency
• Fostered an environment of professional development
• Demonstrated innovation leading to positive change in the recruitment and placement of PMFs on behalf of the nominee’s agency
• Demonstrated a commitment to cultivating a diverse and talented workforce
• Developed and challenged staff toward goals, and created a culture that motivated PMFs for high performance

7- Coach/Mentor of the Year

Nominees for this award will consist of current or former Federal Coaches that coach Fellows in the PMF Leadership Development Program or Official Mentors of PMFs (each PMF is required to have a mentor during their fellowship). The nominations for this award must demonstrate or speak to how the nominee:

• Demonstrated strong commitment to the development of PMFs that impacted the success of the PMF Program
• Provided a lasting impact on PMFs; acted as someone from whom PMFs could learn important lessons
• Demonstrated strong knowledge sharing whereby PMFs were able to enhance their own experience through their time working with either coaches or mentors

Nomination and Selection Process

Nominations open approximately three months prior to the awards ceremony. All nominations will be accepted online via an electronic survey form for review by the Awards Selection Committee. Self-nominations are eligible (keep in mind that testimonials from others for self-nominations are desirable). There is no limit on the number of nominations that can be submitted. For nominations to be accepted, all nominees must submit a self-certification (see form below under Resources).

All nominations are reviewed and rated by the Awards Selection Committee, which consists of senior leadership across the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM). During the review process, the names and agencies of nominees are redacted in the interest of fairness. Honorees are selected by the committee and announced on the PMF website. The Awards Selection Committee may also designate Honorable Mentions as they see fit. These individuals (i.e., Honorees and Honorable Mentions) are personally notified prior to the ceremony so they can arrange to be in attendance along with guests.

NOTE: If there are no nominees in a given category that meet the selection criteria, the Awards Selection Committee may opt not to select an Honoree for that category.

Past Award Ceremonies and Honorees

PMF Honorary Awards for 2022

The PMF Honorary Awards Ceremony for 2022 was held virtually on August 19, 2022. The names of the Honorees/Honorable Mentions are listed below. 

Excellence in Service

• Ashleigh Marie Bartlett, U.S. Department of the Air Force

Excellence in Leadership

• Eric Pevzner, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Agency PMF Coordinator of the Year

• Jennifer Lasko, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, U.S. Department of the Treasury

Chief Human Capital Officer of the Year

• Tracey Therit, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Presidential Management Fellows Alumni of the Year

• Victoria Orero, U.S. Department of State
• (Honorable Mention) Gary Norman, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Supervisor/Hiring Manager of the Year

• Maria Durham, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• (Honorable Mention) Stevie Hamilton, U.S. Department of State

Coach/Mentor of the Year

• MaDiha Mahmood, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, U.S. Department of the Interior

PMF Honorary Awards for 2021

The PMF Honorary Awards Ceremony for 2021 was held virtually on August 27, 2021. The names of the Honorees/Honorable Mentions are listed below.

Excellence in Service

• Karen Vyverberg, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Excellence in Leadership

• Kathryn Neeper, U.S. Agency for Global Media

Agency PMF Coordinator of the Year

• Richard Desmond, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
• (Honorable Mention) Dawn Arlotta, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Presidential Management Fellows Alumni of the Year

• Michael Mencarini, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior
• (Honorable Mention) Kimberly Church, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Supervisor/Hiring Manager of the Year

• Regina Julian, Defense Health Agency, U.S. Department of Defense

Coach/Mentor of the Year

• Alyson Rose-Wood, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

PMF Honorary Awards for 2020

The PMF Honorary Awards Ceremony for 2020 was held virtually on August 27, 2020. The names of the Honorees/Honorable Mentions are listed below.

Excellence in Service

• Jordan A. Hibbs, Field Operations Manager, U.S. Department of the Navy, Strategic Systems Programs

Excellence in Leadership

• Tiffany H. Boiman, Director, Office of Policy and Programs, Women’s Bureau, U.S. Department of Labor

Agency PMF Coordinator of the Year

• Elizabeth Walters, Lead Human Resources Specialist, PMF Program Coordinator, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture
• (Honorable Mention) Nataliya Mindel, Pathways Coordinator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Presidential Management Fellows Alumna of the Year

• Leanne Veldhuis (PMF Class of 2010), National Partnership Coordinator, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Supervisor/Hiring Manager of the Year

• Griffith Berg, Forest Engineer, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture
• (Honorable Mention) Jennifer M. Cramer, Forest Planner, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Coach/Mentor of the Year

• Anita M. Linde, Senior Advisor to the Deputy Director for Management, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• (Honorable Mention) Kevin Kissinger, Senior Program Specialist, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 

PMF Honorary Awards for 2019

The PMF Honorary Awards Ceremony for 2019 was held on September 5, 2019, at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. The names of the honorees are listed below.

Excellence in Service

• Dr. Eugenio-Felipe U. Santillan, Geologist, Radiation Protection Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Excellence in Leadership

• Geoffrey Kenyon, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Budget, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management, U.S. Department of Labor

Agency PMF Coordinator of the Year

• Stella C. Forbes, Senior HR Specialist, Office of Employee Engagement, Training and Development Branch, U.S. Department of Labor

Chief Human Capital Officer of the Year

• Marianna LaCanfora, Chief Human Capital Officer, U.S. Social Security Administration

Presidential Management Fellows Alumni of the Year

• Michael Lawyer, Supervisor and Management Analyst for Field Policy and Management, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, PMF Class of 2009

Supervisor/Hiring Manager of the Year

• Victor Lyon, Vegetation Management Staff Officer, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Coach/Mentor of the Year

• Lisa Rosenmerkel, Chief Modeling & Optimization Lab, Data Exploration & Testing, Research Applied Analytics & Statistics, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Department of the Treasury

PMF Honorary Awards for 2018 (the Inaugural Ceremony)

The Inaugural PMF Honorary Awards Ceremony was held in conjunction with the PMF 40^th Anniversary Celebration on September 20, 2018, at the U.S. Department of Commerce. The names of the honorees are listed below.

Excellence in Service

• Linda Wilson, Presidential Management Fellows Program Manager, U.S. Agency for International Development

Excellence in Leadership

• Thomas Liu, Deputy Regional Director, Pacific Outer Continental Shelf Region, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, U.S. Department of the Interior

Agency PMF Coordinator of the Year

• Stephanie Dunson, Public Health Analyst / PMF Program Lead, Population Health Workforce Branch, Division of Scientific Education and Professional Development, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Coach/Mentor of the Year

• Sheila Moynihan, Deputy Director, Office of American Affairs, Office of International Affairs, U.S. Department of Energy

Presidential Management Fellows Alumni of the Year

• William Gillen, retired as the Deputy Director of Operations for Science Management, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – part of the 1^st class of (PMI Class of 1978)

Supervisor/Hiring Manager of the Year

• Ali Feizollahi, Supervisory Economist, Research, Applied Analytics, Statistics Division, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Department of the Treasury

*Special Award for Service to the PMF Program

• Rob Timmins, Deputy Director, PMF Program, U.S. Office of Personnel Management

* This was a special award given during the inaugural awards ceremony to Rob Timmins, who has committed over 20 years to the PMF Program.

Resources

Document	Description	File Type
PMF Honorary Awards Self-Certification Form (for Nominees)	For nominations to be accepted, all nominees must submit this self-certification form. Once completed, this form should be sent to PMFawards@opm.gov. This is a fillable Adobe (.pdf) file, last updated 05/24/2023. Form will be active when the next nomination cycle opens.	[KB]
PMF 40th Anniversary Celebration and Inaugural Honorary Awards Ceremony Program	This is a program from the PMF 40th Anniversary Celebration and Inaugural Honorary Awards Ceremony, held in September 2018 at the U.S. Department of Commerce. It is an Adobe (.pdf) file.	[564 KB]
PMF Honorary Awards Nomination Link	Nominations can be submitted via this link when the next nominations cycle opens.

UPDATED:  08-22-2023