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DC Chapter Awards

The AGA DC Chapter Awards Committee wanted to thank everyone who provided nominations for Program Year (PY) 2025-2026. There were many great candidates for all the categories. We want to congratulate all the award winners presented at the annual AGA Washington DC Chapter Awards Gala on May 30, 2026, which are listed below.

– The AGA DC Chapter Awards Committee

Director

  • Orinda Basha, CGFM, CPA, Director, Sikich

Voting Members:

  • Evelyn A. Brown, CGFM CICS (Retired), Retired Deputy Chief Financial Officer, U.S. Office of Personnel Management
  • Patricia Wensel, CGFM, CPA, Retired Special Assistant to the Chief Financial Officer, U.S. Department of Agriculture
  • Virginia B. Robinson, CGFM, CPA, DABFA, CFC, CICA (Retired), Retired Executive Director, U.S. Joint Financial Management Improvement Program
  • Jeffrey C. Steinhoff, CGFM, CPA, CFE, CGMA, Retired Assistant Comptroller General of the United States and Managing Director, Financial Management and Assurance, U.S. Government Accountability Office

Senior Advisor

  • Scott Bell, CGFM, MBA, Senior Staff Accountant, U.S. Department of the Treasurer

Washington DC Chapter Award Categories (the Chapter subsequently nominates awardees for the AGA National Awards in the same category name, and highlighted those instances the awardee will be nominated by the Chapter for an AGA National award with a different category name below):

DC Chapter Founder’s Awards for Enhancing the Prestige of the Government Accountability Profession recognizes superior service that enhanced the AGA DC Chapter prestige and stature. The award is bestowed in tribute to the memory of AGA and DC Chapter founding member and first National President, Robert W. King, who led the establishment of AGA and the DC Chapter. The recipient of this DC Chapter Award will be the DC Chapter’s nominee for the AGA National Robert W. King Memorial Award.

  • PY 25-26 DC Chapter recipient: Timothy E. Gribben, Commissioner, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, U.S. Department of the Treasury – for a career of exemplary leadership in federal financial management and collaboration across the government at the highest levels

DC Chapter Founder’s Award for Advancing Government Accountability recognizes an active AGA DC Chapter member or DC-based organization that has, over a sustained period, made major contributions to advancing government accountability at the federal, state, and/or local level. This award was bestowed in tribute to the memory of two AGA and DC Chapter founding leaders and Past National Presidents, Raymond Einhorn and T. Jack Gary, whose contributions to advancing government accountability spanned over five decades. The recipient of this DC Chapter Award will be the DC Chapter’s nominee for the AGA National Einhorn-Gary Leadership Award.

  • PY 25-26 DC Chapter recipient: Domenic N. Savini, CPA, CMA, CRFAC, Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board – for exceptional leadership, innovation, and technical excellence in transforming federal financial accounting education and stakeholder engagement

Achievement of the Year Award recognizes a government employee or organization who has exhibited leadership or outstanding achievements in developing, implementing, and improving financial management in government service in the past year.

  • PY 25-26 DC Chapter recipient: S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid – for attaining the first clean audit opinion on the balance sheet through collaborative engagement

Educator Award recognizes individuals in the metro-DC area who have made significant contributions to the education and training of government financial managers.

  • PY 25-26 DC Chapter recipient: Mike Wetklow, CPA, PhD Candidate, George Mason University, Former Federal Senior Executive – in recognition of exemplary leadership in modernizing government financial management through STEM and financial reporting education and workforce development

International Achievement Award recognizes a government employee who has exhibited leadership or outstanding achievements in international government financial management.

  • PY 25-26 DC Chapter recipient: Z George (Doc) Kosniski, U.S. Department of Homeland Security – for exceptional contributions to international financial governance in support of the United States’ global mission

Emerging Leader Award of Excellence recognizes younger government financial professionals for notable contributions toward excellence in financial management, with the desire that the recognition will encourage others to achieve early in their professional lives.

New Leader:

  • PY 25-26 DC Chapter recipient: Terry Cathopoulis, PhD, U.S. Department of Homeland Security – for innovative leadership in government financial management

Young Professional:

  • PY 25-26 DC Chapter recipient: Teferi Mekonnene, CGFM, National Aeronautics and Space Administration – for exceptional early career leadership and performance as a Budget Analyst

Excellence in Research Award recognizes individuals who throughout their careers (minimum of 15 years) have made continuous contributions to government financial management by their direct participation in research activities and/or through their encouragement and support of others engaged in government financial management research. DC Chapter nominees for this award will be forwarded by the chapter for consideration for the AGA National Cornelius E. Tierney/EY Research Award.

  • PY 25-26 DC Chapter Recipient: Simcha Kuritzky, CPA, CGFM, MBA, Director of Consulting, Subject Matter Expert, CGI – for four decades of exceptional leadership in implementing the USSGL, resolving complex governmentwide reporting challenges, and enhancing the federal financial management community’s understanding of complex accounting topics

Government Transparency of the Year Award recognizes a government entity that has demonstrated outstanding commitment to transparency through clear, effective, and accessible public communication. This award honors innovative reporting and presentation of financial or performance information that fosters public understanding and trust in government operations. The DC Chapter award nominee will be forwarded by the chapter for consideration for the AGA National Relmond P. Van Daniker Government Transparency Award.

  • PY 25-26 DC Chapter Recipient: Office of Financial Integrity, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, U.S. Department of the Treasury – for transforming the federal government’s approach to preventing fraud and improper payments through data transparency

Distinguished Leadership Award recognizes a government employee who has demonstrated sustained, outstanding leadership and made significant, long-term, and lasting contributions to the advancing government financial management. The award honors individuals whose leadership has strengthened accountability, improved financial management practices, and promoted excellence and professionalism across the government financial management community. The DC Chapter award nominee will be forwarded by the chapter for consideration of the AGA National Frank Greathouse Distinguished Leadership Award.

  • PY 25-26 DC Chapter Recipient: Justin Marsico, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, U.S. Department of the Treasury – for exceptional leadership in strengthening federal financial integrity through real-time fraud prevention systems and elevating accountability and public trust

James W. Saylor Lifetime Chapter Service Award recognizes an active AGA DC Chapter member who has consistently made important contributions to the development and enhancement of the chapter during the past year.

  • PY 25-26 DC Chapter Recipient: Paul Lionikis, CGFM, PMP, AGA National Governing Board, Director of Chapters, Area 8, Government Financial Management and Business Development – for unwavering commitment, enduring service, and inspiration of members for more than a decade

For more information on the AGA National awards see AGA – PDT Awards of Distinction (agacgfm.org)

Other Washington DC Chapter Award Categories:

William J. Anderson Lifetime Achievement Award is given in appreciation for significant and continuous contributions to government financial management and the DC Chapter.

  • PY 25-26 Recipient: Wendy Payne, CGFM, CPA, CFE, CGMA, Retired Executive Director, Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board – for her lifetime of leadership and dedication to advancing government accountability, financial management, and the DC Chapter.

2025-2026 AGA DC Chapter President’s Awards:

Exceptional Event Coordination – Chad Willhite (Director of the Monthly Luncheon – Live Ops)
Exceptional Professional Development – Annalena Winer (Director – Annual Training Program)
Exceptional Chapter Communications – Thomas Chin (Director/Editor in Chief – Communications – Newsletter)
Exceptional Transparent Reporting – Joslyn Marshall (Assistant Director of Strategy)
Exceptional Stewardship – Wendy Allen* (Chapter Treasurer)

* This DC Chapter awardee will be forwarded by the chapter for consideration for the AGA National Volunteer of the Year Award.