THE JEFFERSON AWARDS
Our National Winners
For over 50 years, Jefferson Award recipients have represented America’s top changemakers alongside more than 65,000 grassroots unsung heroes from communities representing 100 million Americans.
Our National Winners
Lifetime Achievement in Public Service
2002 Ray Chambers
2010 Marlo Thomas
2011 Craig Hatkoff, Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro
2012 The Robin Hood Foundation
2014 Tom Brokaw
2016 Billie Jean King
2017 Harry Belafonte
2021 Joan Ganz Cooney
2023 Leeza Gibbons
2024 Reverend James Lawson
S. Roger Horchow Award for Outstanding Public Service by a Private Citizen
1973 John W. Gardner
1974 Ralph Nader
1975 Katharine Graham
1976 John D. Rockefeller, III
1977 Art Buchwald
1978 Paul Mellon
1979 Howard Jarvis
1980 Dr. Norman Borlaug
1981 Walter Cronkite
1982 Bob Hope
1983 Kirk Douglas
1984 J. Peter Grace
1985 Lee Iacocca
1986 H. Ross Perot
1987 Irving Brown
1988 James W. Rouse
1989 Leo Cherne
1990 Jimmy Carter
1991 Robert C. Macauley
1992 Faye Wattleton
1993 James Burke
1994 Jim & Sarah Brady
1995 Walter H. Annenberg
1996 Brian Lamb
1997 Nancy Brinker
1998 Oprah Winfrey
1999 Elizabeth Dole
2000 Elayne Bennett
2001 Ted Benna
2002 Lilly Tartikoff
2003 Anne Douglas
2004 Ken Burns
2005 Vartan Gregorian
2006 Michael Feinberg, David Levin
2007 Professor Jeffrey Sachs
2008 Edward Jagen
2009 Greg Mortenson
2010 Paul Farmer, M.D.
2011 Bill Shore
2012 Harry Connick, Jr., Branford Marsalis
2013 Professor Elie Wiesel
2014 Andrew Shue, Charles Best
2015 Jeff Skoll, Ivan Hageman
2016 Sean Parker
2017 Peter Diamandis, Sheila Johnson
2018 Elaine Wynn
2019 Scooter Braun
2020 Kristen Bell
2021 Jessica Ladd
2022 Sharon McMahon
Outstanding Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged
1973 Cesar Chavez
1974 Dr. Thomas Szasz
1975 Rev. Leon Sullivan
1976 Rev. Theodore Hesburgh
1977 Dr. Howard Rusk
1978 Jerry Lewis
1979 Jesse Jackson
1980 Allard Lowenstein
1981 Marva Collins
1982 Claude Pepper
1983 Helen Hayes
1984 Maude E. Callen
1985 Betty Ford
1986 Eugene Lang
1987 Ginetta Sagan
1988 Fr. Bruce Ritter
1989 Kimi Gray
1990 Jaime Escalante
1991 Marian Wright Edelman
1992 Eunice Shriver
1993 Arthur Ashe
1994 Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward
1995 Barbara Bush
1996 Rosalynn Carter
1997 Oseola McCarty
1998 Thaddeus S. Lott, Sr.
1999 Millard Fuller
2000 Benjamin Carson, M.D.
2001 Dr. Dorothy Height
2002 Bill & Melinda Gates
2003 Dr. Mathilde Krim
2004 Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth
2005 Dave Pelzer
2006 Dr. I. King Jordan
2007 Geoffrey Canada
2008 Darell Hammond
2009 William E. Milliken
2010 Jim Gibbons
2011 Jerry M. Reindorf
2012 Richard Proudfit
2013 Dolores Huerta
2014 Dr. Pedro Jose Greer, Jr.
2015 Adam Braun
2016 Kyle Zimmer
2018 Bryan Stevenson
2019 Mariska Hargitay
2020 Patrick Lawler
2021 DeAndre Brown
2023 Paul Dreschnack, MD
2024 Amy & Ben Wright
U.S. Senator John Heinz Award for Outstanding Public Service by an Elected or Appointed Official
1973 Dr. Henry A. Kissinger
1974 Elliot Richardson
1975 Peter W. Rodino, Jr.
1976 Arthur F. Burns, Alan Greenspan, William E. Simon
1977 Michael Mansfield
1978 Hubert H. Humphrey
1979 Kenneth Gibson, William Donald Schaefer, Coleman A. Young
1980 Cyrus R. Vance
1981 Warren Christopher
1982 Howard H. Baker
1983 Paul A. Volcker
1984 William H. Webster
1985 James A. Baker, III
1986 George P. Shultz
1987 Justice William J. Brennan
1988 Dr. C. Everett Koop
1989 Paul Nitze
1990 General Colin Powell
1991 Dick Cheney
1992 Justice Thurgood Marshall
1993 Carla Hills
1994 George Mitchell, Bob Michel
1995 Justice Harry Blackmun
1996 Sam Nunn
1997 Robert Dole
1998 Robert Rubin
1999 Daniel Patrick Moynihan
2000 John Glenn
2001 Madeleine Albright
2002 Rudolph Giuliani
2003 Dr. Condoleezza Rice
2004 Justice Sandra Day O'Connor
2005 Lee H. Hamilton, Thomas H. Kean
2006 Hon. John Lewis
2007 Hon. Richard Daley
2008 Hon. Joe Lieberman
2009 Sen. Edward Kennedy
2010 Hon. Michael. R. Bloomberg, Hon. Cory A. Booker
2011 Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
2012 David H. Petraeus
2013 Hon. Tom Coburn, Hon. Patrick Leahy
2014 Hon. Gabrielle Giffords
2015 Justice Sonia Sotomayor
2016 Arne Duncan
2017 Hon. Deval Patrick
2021 Dr. Anthony Fauci
2022 General Jacqueline D. Van Ovost
Samuel S. Beard Award for Outstanding Public Service by an Individual 35 & Under
1973 Joseph A. Yablonski
1974 Maynard Jackson
1975 R. Emmett Tyrell, Jr.
1976 Vilma S. Martinez
1977 Max Cleland
1978 Bernard Powell
1979 Denis Hayes
1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team
1981 David Stockman
1982 Henry Cisneros
1983 Jan Scruggs
1984 Sally Ride
1985 Trevor Ferrell
1986 Robert Hayes
1987 Steve Jobs
1988 Marlee Matlin
1989 Marc Buoniconti
1990 Anne Donahue
1991 Wendy Kopp
1992 Michael Brown, Alan Khazei
1993 Mary Taylor
1994 Wayne Meisel
1995 Stacey Bess
1996 Andrea Jaeger
1997 Michael Danziger
1998 Bobby Jindal
1999 Anthony Shriver
2000 Faith Hill
2001 Lance Armstrong
2002 Chad Pregracke
2003 Matthew Meyer
2004 Kirsten Lodal, Brian Kreiter
2005 Benjamin Shuldiner
2006 Peyton Manning
2007 Lindsay Hyde
2008 Ocean Robbins
2009 Jennifer Staple
2010 Tad Skylar Agoglia
2011 Brittany & Robbie Bergquist
2012 Amber Lynn Coffman
2013 Dr. Neilesh Patel
2014 Jack Andraka
2015 Lauren Bush Lauren
2016 The Young American Soldier
2017 Founders, Black Lives Matter: Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza, & Opal Tometi
2018 Alexis Jones
2021 Founders, Bridging Tech: Margot Bellon & Isabel Wang
Outstanding Public Service by a Corporation
2011 Prudential, Starkey Laboratories
2012 Pfizer
2013 GE
2014 Weyerhaeuser
2015 Target Corporation
2016 Salesforce
2017 Warby Parker
2018 Mastercard
2019 Patagonia
2020 TOMS
2021 JUST Goods
2024 Bell Bank
Outstanding Public Service in Professional Sports
2010 Nnamdi Asomugha, Tyrus Thomas, Curtis Granderson, Stuart Holden, Dwight Howard, Dirk Nowitzki, Justin Tuck, Lauryn Williams, Venus Williams, Ryan Zimmerman
2011 Drew Brees, Tamika Catchings, Stephen Curry, Warrick Dunn, Brad Davis, Ernie Els, Ryan Hall, Paul Pierce, CC Sabathia, Brian Westbook
2012 Jeremy Affeldt, Dereck Faulkner, Julie Foudy, Jeff Karstens, Jim Kelly, Charlie Kimball, Pat LaFontaine, Hannibal Navies, Jeff Saturday, Troy Vincent, Marty Lyons
2013 Mark Ein
2014 Mariano Rivera, James Thrash
2015 Fred Jackson
2016 Eric Decker
2017 Joe Torre
2018 Shaquille O'Neal, Chris Long
2019 Von Miller
2020 Larry Fitzgerald, Dawn Staley
2022 John Calipari
2023 Shane Battier
Outstanding Service by an Individual(s) 25 & Under
2010 Ellie Duke, Katherine Foronda, Ted Gonder, Dallas Jessup, Emma Lindle, Tristan Love, Jessie Mintz, Zoe Ridolfi-Starr, Joe Togani, Kelly Voigt,
2011 Sicomac Elementary School Student Council, Sashin Choksh, Morgan Harley, Greg Nance, Nick Hebert, Patrick Ip, Talia Lemon, Sarah Nuss, Mordecai Scott, Jessica Singer, Tyrone Stevenson, Vanessa Strickland
2012 Rachel & Kelsi Okun, Charles OrgBon, III, Jourdan Urbach
2013 Sejal Hathi, Sam King, Alexis Werner
2014 Lillian Pravda, Maria Keller
2015 Corinne Hindes & Katrine Krisebom, Kid President
2016 Sophia Sanchez-Maes
2017 Laurie Hernandez
2018 Pia Phillips and Abbie Nelson
2019 Morgan Guess
2020 Owen Colley
2022 Ben Collier, James Kanoff, and Aidan Reilly, founders of The Farmlink Project
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award for Outstanding Public Service Benefiting Local Communities
1974 Robert T. Bates, James Ellis, James Masten, Ellen S. Straus, Peter Wilson
1976 Felix Rohatyn
1977 Father Alfred Boeddeker, Jean Chaudhuri, Dr. Leonard Cobb, Olga Mele, Marjory Taylor
1978 J.O. Asbjornson, Thomas Cannon, Sr., Mary Kathleen Clark, Robert G. Levy, Elizabeth Maier
1979 Cornelius D. Banks, Dr. Ann Hines, Joyce Hunter, Father Bruce Ritter, Clarence H. Snyder
1980 John Carpenter, Tilda Kemplen, Lee Klein, Elaine Greibenow, Dr. Louis Mattucci
1981 Hank Adams, Irene Auberlin, David Crockett, Homer Fahrner, Noey Somchay
1982 Dallas Doyle, Richard Marvin Garrett, Helena Kyle, Caroline Putnam, Ruth Heinz, Lorraine Schreck
1983 Dean Crisp, Darlene Handley, Dr. Robert Kustra, Candy Lightner, Tony Messineo
1984 Virginia Clemmer, Frances & Campbell Cutler, Margaret Marshall, Betty Taylor, Donna Velvick
1985 Linda Barker, Dr. Frank McGlone, Arturo Montoya, Jean Kennedy Smith, Mary Beth Tober
1986 Ruby Ferrell Callaway, Therese Dozier, Fannie Royston, Philip Viall, Sonya & Tanya Witt
1987 Joan W. Bailey, Elizabeth Brown, Fred Doescher, Howard Jones, Jim Knocke
1988 Joanna & Jim Chappell, Peter Frazza, Lola Martin, J.T. Pace, Amy Marie Windom
1989 David Cain, Clara Johansen, Stephen P. Klinker, DDS, Julia Middleton, Brent Wyatt
1990 Wayne Barton, John Bell, Queen Hyler, Dr. Viola Taylor, Jane Van Sant
1991 Claire & Romeo Bennett, P.O. Walter Bennet, Ann Chapman, Mistilee Grace, Deborah Walrod
1992 Mary Ellen Eagle, Albert Eckstein, MD, Hon. Edward Rodgers, Carol Kane, Rachel Rossow
1993 Ella M. Jones, Leatrice 'Chick' Big Crow, Rev. Herschel C. Smith, Christi Todd, Dr. James Withers
1994 Victor Acquino, Dorita Epps, Daniel Greene, Marjory Ray, Rev. Julius L. Scipio,
1995 Mattie Hill Brown, Billy Earley, Maggie Lopez, Pamela Roland
1996 Cahn Ba Dang, Jesse Hipps, Dr. Vincent Jenco, Clara Kirk
1997 Sgt. Roger Redd, Dawn Degenhardt, Momma Hawk, Chris Morris, Margaret Moul, Pat Zimmerman
1998 James "Major" Adams, Rose Crumb, Crystal Davis, Pam Marota, Carlos Spaht, II
1999 Thelma Barnett, Jean-Dominique Catchings, Patrick Dickinson, Dr. William Magee, Jr., Victor Trevino
2000 Richard Cyr, Mat Dawson, Jr., Donald Fisher, Ardelia Ingram, Allan Law
2001 Dr. Allen O. Battle, Gertrude M. Cole, Jose Luis Flores, Kompha Seth, Samuel Williams
2002 Maise DeVore, Linda Gregory, Tomas Gutierrez, Angela Knight, Rev. John F. Norwood
2003 Rodney S. Alford, William D. Grace, Bridget McDaniel, Rev. Wendell Mettey, Dr. and Mrs. Sherwin Winn
2004 Judith Bluestone, Kim Meeder, Rev. Alice Parker, Bobby J. Trimble, Dr. Erwin M. Vasquez
2005 Rosie Leetta Abram, Ofrs. Billy Bolin & Paul Kirby, Marcelle Fortier Citron, Coke Hallowell, Corwin B. Marbly, Sr.
2006 Vincenza Carrieri-Russo, Gail Conner, Holly Dunn-Pendleton, Stanley Ratliff
2007 Andrea Blamble, Nancy Costello, Heidi Kuhn, Kathryn Martin, Stevie Moore
2008 Jackie Betz, Erin Drischler & Megan Neuf, Nancy Collins, Debbie & Hank Perret, Lia Rowley, Harry Vogler
2009 Dick Bere, Karen Broughton, Kevin Brown, Diane Dobitz, Catalino Tapia
2010 Robert S. Edwards, Dr. Mark Kline, Gary Maxworthy, Jackie Millar, Heather Wilder
2011 Pat Aseltyne, Jenny & Andy Czerkas, Megan Johnson, Rachel Muha
2012 Jack Cassidy & Anthony Smith, Oscar Medina, IV, Ed Rose, Midge Wilson, John Young
2013 Dr. Joseph Bailey, Oral Lee Brown, Jeffery Ryan Futrell, Ed & Sue Goldstein, Robert Nevins
2014 Jeremiah Anthony, Shawn & Amanda Bakker, Eric Fuchs-Stengel, Michelle Lacourciere, Stephen Tybor
2015 Margo Ahrendsen, Mara Botonis, Brooke & Keith Desserich, Manuel Santos, Marie Wolbach
2016 Dr. Ted Goodfriend, Sadiya Omar, Skyler James, Rafael Sarango, Jeff Wilbarger
2017 Dorothea Bongiovi, Dr. Patricia Derges, Suzy DeYoung, Fred & Cora Reed, Emily Torchiana
2018 Frank Austin, Nancy Eigel-Miller, Ingrid Johnson, Jeff Klare, Richard Perez
2019 Tim Arnold, Wayne Bisek, Renee Fahey, Dr. Kit Ford, Christan Rainey
2020 Nancy Abraham, Major Etta R. Gray, Lisa & Mike Irvin, LaDay Johnson, Doug McNeil
2021 Rusty Boruff, Martin Casado & Mariel Triggs, Katie Nzekwu, Toni Short, Miamie Sleep
2022 Delfarib Fanaie, Nashauna Johnson-Lenoir, Terry McLean, King Singh, Kat Wehunt
2023 Mariah Calagione, Reverend Roland Gordon, Jenna Shaffer, Luke Sharp, Michelle Vacha
2024 David Bates, Mateo Canamar, Matt Dorgan, Liz Estilow, Bruce Kintner
Outstanding Public Service by an Employee
2008 Frank Flammini, Exelon Corporation; Dr. Victor Garcia, Cincinnati Children's Hospital
2009 Lynn Flanga, National Grid; Brandy Sabatini Regan, Reed Smith
2010 Wilda Evans, RCI; Mario Martinez, University of Illinois, Chicago
2011 John Cronin, Pace University; Alicia Ewen, Allstate Insurance Co
2012 Timothy Crawford, Nationwide Insurance; Jennifer Marinopolus, Safeway Inc
2013 Doreen Cadieux, Deloitte; Theresa Echytil-Etler, AstraZeneca
2014 Janie Lopez, Highmark; Lisa Bardill Moscaritolo, Pace University
2015 Andy Daecher, Deloitte; Nicholas Weber, Exelon
2016 Dr. Patricia Curtin, Christiana Care; Priscilla Puente, United Steelworkers
2017 Matt Brown, CNO Financial Group; Nancy McCurrach, United Steelworkers
2018 Kimberly Collica-Cox, Pace University; Marc Scott, United Steelworkers
2019 Dr. Sandy San Miguel, Purdue University; Michael SImon, Highmark Health
2020 Anne Carelli, The Coco-Cola Company; Jacqueline Cassagnol, MSN, RN, PMC, Pace University
2021 Kimber Nicholetti-Martinez, Purdue University
2022 Major John W. Treadwell Sr, New Castle County Government, New Castle County, Delaware
2023 Sharnae Smith, Booz Allen Hamilton
2024 Terrell Al-Sharif
Students In Action Top National Teams
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2008 Carondelet High School, Concord, CA
2009 Salesianum High School, WIlmington, DE
2010 Salesianum High School, WIlmington, DE
2011 Adlai Stevenson High School, Lincolnshire, IL
2012 Gold: Benedictine Academy, Elizabeth, NJ; Ambassador: Salesianum High School, Wilmington, DE
2013 Gold: Thorton Township High School, District 205, Chicago, IL; Silver: Brownsville Area High School, Brownsville, PA; Bronze: Washington Township High School, Sewell, NJ; Ambassador: Benedictine Academy, Elizabeth, NJ
2014 Gold: Washington Township High School, Sewell, NJ; Silver: Charter School of Wilmington, Wilmington, DE; Bronze: Shaler Area High School, Pittsburgh, PA; Ambassador: Springfield High School, Toledo, OH
2015 Gold: El Camino High School, South San Francisco; Silver: Darul Arqam High School, South River, New Jersey; Bronze: St. Elizabeth High School, Wilmington, DE
2016 Gold: Greenville Technical Charter High School, Greenville, SC; Silver: Clearview Regional High School, Mullica Hill, NJ; Bronze: El Camino High School, South San Francisco, CA; Ambassador: Washington Township High School, Sewell, NJ
2017 Gold: Lake High School, Toledo, OH; Silver: Swansea High School, Swansea, SC; Bronze: Clearview Regional High School, Mullica Hill, NJ; Ambassador: Washington Township High School, Sewell, NJ
2018 Gold: Brownsville Area High School, Pittsburgh, PA; Silver: Fishers High School, Fishers, IN; Bronze: Sage Oak Charter School, Redlands, CA; Ambassador: Clearview Regional High School, Mullica Hills, NJ
2019 Gold: Lexington High School, Lexington, SC; Silver: Champlin Park High School, Chaplin, MN; Bronze: An Noor Academy, Piscataway, NJ; Ambassador: Fishers High School, Fishers, IN
2020 Gold: Greenville Technical Charter High School, SC; Silver: Sage Oak Charter Schoo, CA; Bronze: Andover High School, MN
2021 Gold: Valley ChangeMakers, Los Angeles, CA; Silver: Wren High School, Piedmont, SC; Bronze: Cooper High School, Twin Cities, MN; Bronze: Fishers High School, Fishers, IN
2022 Gold: Lexington High School, Lexington, SC
2023 Gold: Ashley Ridge High School, Summerville, SC
2024 Gold: Robbinsdale Cooper High School, New Hope, MN
Outstanding Public Service by a New Yorker
2019 Edie Lutnick
Outstanding Public Service Benefiting the New York Community
2019 Jessica Nauiokas
2020 JC Hall
LEAD360 Challenge National Recipients
2011 Shortridge Magney High School, For Law & Public Policy, Strong Women Strong Girls, San Mateo High School, S.M.A.R.T. Garden Project, New Social Engine, American Idle, HP Teens for Tomorrow, Eleanor Roosevelt High School
2012 Zachary Certner, SNAP
2013 TGIF
2014 Emma Rider
2015 Brittany Amano, Patricia Manubay, Wesley Boone
2016 Cory La Roe, Will Lourcey, Grace Wickerson
2017 Emma Stumpf
2018 Reagan and Payton Garnsey