This year’s winners were honored for groundbreaking work that improved public health, enhanced accessibility and supported vulnerable communities across the District.
The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation (Cafritz Foundation), in partnership with the George Washington University Center for Excellence in Public Leadership (GW CEPL), recognized outstanding D.C. government employees at the 22nd Annual Cafritz Awards Gala.
The event is the signature program of the Cafritz Foundation and is a celebration of leadership and innovation in public service. It was held June 3 in the University Student Center’s Grand Ballroom featuring a dinner and an awards ceremony.
The Cafritz Awards were established in 2000 by Calvin Cafritz, a prominent D.C. philanthropist who remained deeply involved with the program until his passing in 2023.
Each year, individual employees and project teams are selected through a rigorous nomination and review process. Winners are chosen based on innovation, measurable impact and their ability to inspire others. Individuals receive a $7,500 cash prize. Team awardees share a $15,000 prize.
GW President Ellen M. Granberg welcomed the award winners to the event, after first noting the long-time partnership between GW and the Cafritz Foundation.
“We are honored to host this evening’s event and to help spotlight the extraordinary public servants—five individuals and two teams—whose work uplifts every corner of the city,” Granberg said. “You’ll hear their stories tonight, and trust me, they are inspiring.
“As a D.C. resident and the president of the George Washington University where our entire community is deeply committed to public service, I’m especially proud to celebrate these honorees. Their dedication, creativity and tireless effort make our city a better place to live, work and serve.”
Natalie Houghtby-Haddon, executive director of CEPL, which is housed in GW’s College of Professional Studies, said this year’s honorees did outstanding, important work that benefited many across D.C.
“One thing about this year's class of award winners is that they represent such different facets of life in the District,” Houghtby-Haddon said. “And so for residents, for people who work in the District, for people who visit, the winners have done things that have a ripple effect to make the experience of people who live, work and visit the District and the nation's capital, be safer, be able to access things they might not otherwise be able to do. And I’m just really proud of all of them.”
This year’s winners made significant strides in public health and social services, including launching innovative programs that provide peer support for individuals experiencing homelessness and pioneering emergency medical interventions that increase survival rates during critical care in the field.
“These are examples of people who go above and beyond in their day-to-day lives to be creative and to be innovative,” Houghtby-Haddon said. “They think about how they can help others have a better quality of life. And that helps our community be better.”
To view the winners in the biographies of the winners for the 22nd Annual Cafritz Awards, please visit here. If you are interested in nominating yourself or someone else for the 23rd annual awards, nominations are now open, and you can do so here.
