The Champions of Career Enhancement for Eligible Family Members Award (CCE-EFM) was developed by AAFSW’s EFM Employment Committee to recognize and incentivize those who go above and beyond their job descriptions and routine daily activities to promote the cause of employment and career development for Foreign Service family members. The winning individual or group receives a cash award of $1000 and is honored at AAFSW Awards Ceremony, typically held in November of each year.

Criteria: The recipient(s) will be chosen for his/her/their individual or collective efforts, above and beyond any regular work duties, to adopt best practices and innovations that expand and elevate individual job opportunities and long-term career enhancement for Foreign Service family members.

Eligibility: All active American USG direct-hire employees, their spouses and family members over the age of 18, their EFM domestic partners and their members of household (MOH) are eligible. Any of the above also may nominate an outstanding Locally Employed Staff (LES) member, Personal Services contractor (PSC) or third-party contractor who has significantly exceeded work requirements to expand job opportunities and/or long-term career enhancement for Foreign Service family members.

Previous awardees

2021 Tim Stufft, Chisinau

2020 Janet Heg, Human Resources Officer, Djibouti

2019 Daniel Alvarez (EPAP), Shannon Bland (EFM Coordinator), and Dan Alvarez (Global Employment Advisor), Mexico City

2018 Laura Sheehan, Regional Global Employment Advisor

2017 Judy Ikels, Division Chief, Office of Employee Relations, Department of State

2016 Cindy Jones, Human Resources Specialist, Budapest

2015 Stephanie Arnold, Human Resources Officer, Dublin 

2014 Jamie Armstrong, Human Resources Officer, Hanoi