DENVER — Today, Governor Polis announced the Tom Clements Award winners, recognizing state employees who go above and beyond in service to Coloradans, deliver results that matter, and ultimately leave state government better than they found it. “I am always excited to celebrate the incredible work being done by our dedicated State workforce. The Tom Clements Award winners embody Tom’s legacy of exceptional service and commitment to innovation, working tirelessly to build a Colorado for all. This year’s honorees are exceptional and I am proud to celebrate their remarkable contributions to the people of Colorado,” said Governor Jared Polis.
These awards honor Tom Clements, a dedicated public servant, who was killed in 2013 while serving as Executive Director of the Department of Corrections. His legacy continues to inspire Colorado's commitment to building a lasting culture of operational excellence, cutting-edge innovation and outstanding customer service.
The Tom Clements Award recognizes individuals and teams who elevate the standard of excellence in government, adapt systems and processes to most effectively and efficiently serve Coloradans, and have an outsized impact on their organization. In previous years, we have recognized applications in two categories: Outstanding Service in Government and Outstanding Innovation in Government. This year a new award was added, Inspirational Leadership in Government, to highlight an individual who has played a key leadership role and displayed continued outstanding leadership in pursuit of excellence. The new leadership award speaks to the essence of Tom Clement’s legacy and prolonged impact on the corrections system both in Colorado and nationally.
The winners were nominated through their Departments, and a panel of community leaders served as judges for the awards. The judges reviewed nominations from state agencies to identify submissions that solved complex problems through exceptional dedication, delivered innovative solutions that highlight the state’s operational and policy priorities, and transformed the strategies, productivity, and culture of their agency. This year’s winners and honorable mentions are directly helping to achieve those goals.
This year’s judges included former Colorado Senate President Steve Fenberg, retired Denver County Court Judge Gary M. Jackson, former State Representative and educator Barbara McLachlan, President & CEO of Gary Community Ventures Santhosh Ramdoss, as well as Tom’s widow and former Commissioner of Behavioral Health at the Colorado Department of Human Services Dr. Lisa Clements. This year’s winners and honorable mentions are directly advancing major priorities for Colorado, including fostering an economy that works for everyone, saving Coloradans money on healthcare, and ensuring all Coloradans can attain housing.
The winners of this year’s awards are:
Outstanding Service in Government:
Winner: Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), “Incarcerated People’s Communications Services”
Awardees: Royal Cameron & Clarence Wallace
Honorable Mention: Behavioral Health Administration (BHA), “988 Voice to Coloradans”
Awardee: Chloe Rekow
Chief of Staff Operational Excellence Award:
Winner: Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC), “Universal Pre-School Family and Provider Portal”
Awardee: Sabina Andersson
Inspirational Leadership in Government:
Winner: Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS), “Transitional Living Homes”
Awardee: Bonnie Wright
Honorable Mention: Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA), “National Leader in Animal Disease Response”
Awardee: Dr. Maggie Baldwin
Honorable Mention: Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF), “Health Disparities & EDI Accessibility Champion” Awardee: Aaron Green
Outstanding Innovation in Government:
Winner: Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), “Winning Bid for Sundance Film Festival”
Awardees: Arielle Brachfeld, Jeff Kraft, Lisa Kaufmann, Sean Gould, Che Sheehan, Kelly Baug, Skylar McKelvey, Keri Ungemah, Alissa Johnson, Hannah Gutner, Xander Martin, Niki Holland, Jonathan Bray, Josh Blanchard, Tim Wolfe, Virginia Davis, Anna Regan
Honorable Mention: Department of Personnel and Administration (DPA), “Implementing Historic Step Pay”
Awardees: Matt Dunn, Karen Capaldi, Alea Resendez, Jennifer Valdez, Annabel Asp, Abi O'Neal, Kevin Smith, Dave Shilkitu, Emily Ahrens, Scott Siclari, Jessica Greene
Honorable Mention: Department of Corrections (DOC), “Expanding Medication Assisted Treatment for Inmates”
Awardee: Dr. Jessica Krueger
###