Category 3:
Using Innovation, Data, and Breaking Down Organizational Barriers
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To explore the stories behind the winners, click on their program or agency.
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Chief Digital Strategy Officer and Director of the Digital Service
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Tom Mills
Executive Director
Valla Olliver
Deputy Executive Director
Renee Messalle
Director
Jyothsna Charagundla
Director
Priya Livingstone
Director
Matt Corazza
Director
Patrick Metcalf
Director
Chris Liberty
IT Specialist
Paul Nugent
IT Specialist
Hema Bhalla
IT Specialist
Hari Gangavarapu
IT Specialist
Chris Jerussi
IT Specialist
Shaq Ullah
Agile Team Lead
Tom Pilcher
IT Specialist
Arnie Buratty
IT Specialist
Syed Ahamed
Supervisory IT Specialist
Autumn Maxey
IT Specialist
Manisha Migliani
IT Specialist
Sameer Khakurel
IT Specialist
Hiwot Chapman
IT Specialist
Shiva Badia
Lead IT Specialist
Doug Burton
Supervisory IT Specialist
Rajesh Ambhore
IT Specialist
Maelee Byram
Senior Programmer
Steven Lubel
IT Specialist
Edith R. Vaisey
Customer Experience Branch Program Analyst
Nicholas Miller
Salesforce Technical Lead, Indev
Niki French
Customer Experience
Branch Manager
Tamisha Shinholt
Customer Experience Branch Program Analyst
Kristin Andrade
Customer Experience Branch Program Analyst
Natika Cleaves
Customer Experience Branch Program Analyst
Benjamin Terrell
Customer Experience Branch Program Analyst
Vandana Joshi
Quality Assurance, Indev
Umair Khan
Program Manager, Indev
Charlie Inman
Program Manager, Indev
Chandra Mutalam
Salesforce Developer, Indev
Johnny Duman
Salesforce Developer, Indev
Hasan Kalayci
Salesforce Developer, Indev
Kemal Polat
Salesforce Developer, Indev
Pauline Arroyo
CSM Working Group
Charlene Bailey
CSM Working Group
Christopher Barnett
CSM Working Group
Yvonne Beard
CSM Working Group
Aprilynn Hartung
CSM Working Group
Alan Johnson
CSM Working Group
Ermelinda Krakowski
CSM Working Group
Kevin Lett
CSM Working Group
Lyra Medina
CSM Working Group
Juan Ovalle
CSM Working Group
Rachel Pacis
CSM Working Group
Stacey Sanders
CSM Working Group
Cynthia Scott
CSM Working Group
Shaquita Selvy
CSM Working Group
Loretta Warsing
CSM Working Group
Kara Westberg
CSM Working Group
Russell Whitaker
CSM Working Group
Jennifer Gorkowski
Government Project Manager
Patrick Dunn
Customer Experience Branch Supervisory Program Analyst
Ralph Sauls
ISSO
Sharon Pecus
CSM Working Group
Jeffrey Talbert
Senior Supervisor
Aileen Flynn
Service Designer
Brandi Daniels
Service Designer
Christopher Pascale
Senior Service Designer
Elizabeth Hanover
Senior Service Designer
Johnna Scott
Service Designer
Kelly Do
Service Designer
Mandie Peace
Service Designer
Marla Melendez
Service Designer
Michelle Lieu
Senior Service Designer
Nathan Walters
Senior Service Designer
Thomas Savlidis
Senior Service Designer
Nicholas Temple
Service Designer
Tony Quan
Senior Service Designer
Eric S. Powers
Chief Transformation Officer
U.S. Department of the Treasury
Tracy L. Hancock
Digital Business Analyst
Product Manager
Kathryn Marsh
Product Development Specialist
Product Manager
Sierrah Ward
Emerging Technology Analyst
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Affairs Office of Asset Enterprise Management
2025 VHA IE Senior Innovation Fellow and Supporting Community, Outpatient, Urgent care, and Telehealth Services (SCOUTS) Medical Director
VHA Innovation Ecosystem Fellowships and VHA Office of Primary Care
Precision Health Research Scientist/Investigator
VA Palo Alto Health Care System
2025 Fellow, VHA Diffusion of Excellence
2024 Senior Fellow, VHA Innovation Ecosystem
Office of Geriatrics and Extended Care - Nursing Home to Home Program
Amanda Merski
National Program Lead,
Nursing Home to Home Pilot Program
Seth Kindred
RN - Muskogee, OK VA Medical Center
Brandy Dunlap
LCSW - Muskogee, OK VA Medical Center
Marina Fouts
LISW - Cleveland, OH VA Medical Center
Michael Oleski
RN - Cleveland, OH VA Medical Center
Vinny Samuel
LCSW - Houston, TX VA Medical Center
Christiana Nwosu
RN - Houston, TX VA Medical Center
Colleena Spiller Payton
NHTH Program Support Assistant
Tim Hudak
Veteran Insight Specialist
Jeff Cereghino
Special Assistant (DOD and Military Affairs)
Veterans Benefits Administration
Andrea Bomar
Program Analyst (Communication Specialist)
Office of Information and Technology
Mike Holovacs
Management Program Analyst, Pension and Fiduciary Service
Veterans Benefits Administration
Ryan Hinely
Voluntary Services Specialist
Veterans Health Administration
Jon Pruett
Director of Experience Analytics and Measurement (Acting)
Veterans Experience Office
Chris Truchon
Department of Defense Senior Fellow to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
United States Army
Craig Coleman
Public Affairs Specialist, Office of Communication
Veterans Benefits Administration
State & Local Government
Allegheny County Department of Human Service
Ben Schenck
Manager, CX Analytics
Cassie Alexander
Client Experience Analyst
Anna Kapolka
Data Analyst