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Gears of Government Awards

Recognizing individuals and teams across the Federal workforce whose dedication supports exceptional delivery of key outcomes for the American people, specifically around mission results, customer service, and accountable stewardship.

 

 

Adam Jacoff, Ann Virts, Kamel Saidi, Kenny Kimble

Department of Commerce

Department of Commerce

Developed the first ever comprehensive suite of emergency response robot test methods and data collection tools to evaluate and improve bomb-disposal robots and operators. These efforts led to the enhanced testing and use of advanced robot capabilities in challenging environments and the adoption of standard operator measures.

Agency Award

  • Adam Jacoff
  • Ann Virts
  • Kamel Saidi
  • Kenny Kimble
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Abigail Harley, Keeley Kent, Karen Palmigiano, Aja Szumylo

Department of Commerce

Department of Commerce

Maximized Pacific Coast groundfish commercial and recreational fishing opportunities by streamlining restrictive rules and regulations. These rulemaking actions ensure the productivity and sustainability of West Coast groundfish fisheries and fishing communities through science-based decision-making, saving operators between $50,000 - $100,000 per vessel and creating up to 2,600 jobs.

Agency Award

  • Abigail Harley
  • Keeley Kent
  • Karen Palmigiano
  • Aja Szumylo
Bradford Binkley, Joanna Stelnicki, Robert Dugan, Janice Manzaon, Peter Meyers

Department of Commerce

Department of Commerce

Established a communications network across multiple federal law enforcement agencies to identify illegal scrap metal export transactions and procure evidence against violators. Thanks to this team’s diligent work, they dismantled a conspiracy network that was defrauding U.S. and foreign companies.

Agency Award

  • Bradford Binkley
  • Joanna Stelnicki
  • Robert Dugan
  • Janice Manzaon
  • Peter Meyers
John Haberstock, Scott Anderson, Michael Bloomfield

Department of Commerce

Department of Commerce

Identified 4,190 shell companies owned by Iran and North Korea, illuminating new illegal procurement pathways and providing a repository for the law enforcement and intelligence community to identify and mitigate future threats.

Agency Award

  • John Haberstock
  • Scott Anderson
  • Michael Bloomfield
Joe Pika, Tricia Long, TJ Jackson, Greg Paige, Aimee Shadder

Chief Financial Officers Council

CFOC hhs Treasury SSA OMB DOC usda

Chief Financial Officers Council

Identified specific data elements that can be used to pre-check federal payment eligibility criteria. Their work revealed root causes of improper payments, allowing agencies to implement process improvements to save taxpayers money.

Council Award

  • Joe Pika
  • Tricia Long
  • TJ Jackson
  • Greg Paige
  • Aimee Shadder
Chief Financial Officers seal

Chief Financial Officers Council

cfoc dhs DOD doc DOJ usda

Chief Financial Officers Council

Helped drive government-wide improvements in DATA Act data quality. Their work improved communication and information sharing between the agency and the agency inspector general, and increased coordination and openness to feedback during the audit and review processes.

Council Award

  • Kate Oliver
  • Lisa Romney
  • Steve Kunze
  • Tyson Whitney
  • Reed Waller
Commerce seal

Department of Commerce

Department of Commerce

Detected a complex illegal mail repackaging export scheme, resulting in civil penalties of $44 million. This successful conviction will act as a deterrent in the future and increase compliance with export control laws.

Agency Award

  • Michael Bollinger
  • Ari Kozlow
  • R. Elizabeth Abraha
  • Zachary Klein
Mark Luce, Nolan Brandenburg, Jacob Ricker, Jay Hendricks

Department of Commerce

Department of Commerce

Developed innovative encasement technologies to preserve, protect, and provide public access to seven historical documents dating back to before the founding of the United States. Since the re-encasement was completed, over one million people have visited the preserved documents at several public facilities.

Agency Award

  • Mark Luce
  • Nolan Brandenburg
  • Jacob Ricker
  • Jay Hendricks
Commerce seal

Department of Commerce

Department of Commerce

Restored the functionality of NOAA’s new weather satellite following a visibility defect. The team’s innovative techniques and coordinated approach restored the satellite’s ability to observe critical weather conditions across the Western Hemisphere, such as hurricanes, fires, and volcanic activity, with minimal data loss. This team’s response to the crisis restored the value of the nation’s $1 billion investment.

Agency Award

  • Pamela Sullivan
  • Dan Lindsey
  • Harry Cikanek
  • Joseph Pica
  • Vanessa Griffin
Commerce seal

NTIS Team

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NTIS Team

Created a common data platform and analytic tools to help address one of the deadliest diseases facing the world today, malaria. This improvement allowed the President’s Malaria Initiative team to draw insight and make evidence-based policy decisions.

Agency Award

  • Patricia Cullum
  • Kathleen Kaplan
  • Patrick Lee
  • Patricia Gresham
  • Simone Gills
Sheng Lin-Gibson, Clare Allocca

Department of Commerce

Department of Commerce

Combined technical, organizational, and standards expertise from more than 125 U.S. biotechnology stakeholders to develop unified biotechnology standards. This team’s leadership and strategic thinking informed the development of international biotechnology standards and helped promote biotechnology innovation, manufacturing, and trade.

Agency Award

  • Sheng Lin-Gibson
  • Clare Allocca
Xiaoyu Yang, Pedatsur Neta, Yuxue Liang, Stephen Stein

Department of Commerce

Department of Commerce

Revolutionized the ability to identify emerging chemical compounds in complex liquid mixtures through the use of powerful analytical tools and methods. This team’s work is a critical resource for federal, industrial, and academic scientists across the country.

Agency Award

  • Xiaoyu Yang
  • Pedatsur Neta
  • Yuxue Liang
  • Stephen Stein
Ramaswamy Chandramouli

Ramaswamy Chandramouli

Department of Commerce

Ramaswamy Chandramouli

Developed international standards to improve cybersecurity practices for cloud-based technologies. Dr. Chandramouli's work has increased public-private collaboration between government and industry, resulting in enhanced cybersecurity readiness.

Agency Award

Commerce seal

Christin Khan

Department of Commerce

Christin Khan

Led a data science competition that challenged the global computer science community to develop a machine learning algorithm for identifying endangered North Atlantic right whales. Ms. Khan’s challenge resulted in an innovative machine learning workflow that significantly advances data collection procedures for right whale assessments.

Agency Award

Deanna Marks

Deanna Marks

Department of Commerce

Deanna Marks

Provided exceptional customer service and partnership during the 2018 Kilauea Volcano eruption on Hawaii Island by providing 150+ succinct, accurate weather briefings to FEMA and local Emergency Managers. Deanna’s leadership embodies the goals of building a weather ready nation and enhancing our standing in the emergency management community, and will continue to help build, adapt, and evolve NOAA and National Weather Service products and services in Hawaii.

Agency Award

Casey Oravetz

Casey Oravetz

Department of Commerce

Casey Oravetz

Led a multi-year operation which uncovered a scheme that was illegally harvesting and selling 130,000+ pounds of protected striped bass from Atlantic federal waters. Special Agent Oravetz’s efforts will protect the Mid-Atlantic striped bass fishery for future generations and serves as a model for innovative ways to collect and present evidence.

Agency Award

Phillip Paradice

Phillip Paradice

Department of Commerce

Phillip Paradice

Supported economic recovery efforts to invest and disburse $587M in disaster supplemental program funds across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi. As a result, communities have seen infrastructure expansion, business incubation, economic impact analysis, and access to a statewide revolving loan fund.

Agency Award