Washington, D.C. — Today, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced the recipients of the 2023 Presidential Rank Awards (PRA) chosen by President Joe Biden. The PRAs are one of the most prestigious awards in the career civil service, recognizing the important contributions of public servants across the federal government.  

“Public servants are unsung heroes – working to better the lives of families across America,” said Jeff Zients, White House Chief of Staff. “They do everything from making sure you get your tax refund to helping you set up your small business to keeping us all safe at home. They get things done with grace and skill and first and foremost to serve the American people. The President, the Vice President, and everyone across the Biden-Harris Administration are grateful for their dedication and their service.” 

The President selected 232 winners from 31 federal agencies for their exceptional leadership, accomplishments, and service over an extended period of time. These individuals are all members of the Senior Executive Service (SES), Senior-Level (SL) and Scientific and Professional (ST) corps.  

“Every day, tens of thousands of dedicated federal employees are solving the nation’s most pressing challenges and developing new technologies to improve the lives of millions,” said OPM Director Kiran Ahuja. “The Presidential Rank Awards highlight public servants who exemplify integrity, exceptional leadership, and a relentless commitment to the American people. Congratulations to all the awardees. The federal government and the American people are safer and better off thanks to your hard work and dedication.” 

This year’s recipients are leaders across government, including: 

• A State Department employee who led the unprecedented relocation of vulnerable people from Afghanistan in 2021, enabling the federal government to welcome 70,000 Afghans into the U.S. after security vetting. 
• An Environmental Protection Agency employee who led research on disinfection of viral aerosols, ways to detect viruses on surfaces, ways to determine COVID-19 variants in wastewater, and developed antibody test kits. 
• A NASA employee who revolutionized how batteries are designed, developed, and tested within crewed missions, setting the standard for all battery developments for human space flight missions. 

As administrator of the PRAs, OPM develops the criteria for agencies, makes determinations of eligibility, and convenes meetings of PRA Review Boards to evaluate the nominees. The OPM Director recommends finalists to the President, who selects the PRA recipients.  

The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 established the Presidential Rank Awards Program to recognize a select group of career members of senior leaders for exceptional performance. The complete list of the Presidential Rank Awards may be found on OPM's website.