2025 Emerging Leaders Award Winners

Congratulations to the 2025 winners!
Winners of the Emerging Leaders Awards will be recognized during WEST 2026 February 10-12 in San Diego for achievements in 2025.

2025 Emerging Leaders Award Winners


Distinguished Young Professional Award


Sarah Barker, Chiron Technology Services, Central Maryland Chapter
MSgt Evan S. Bartholmey, USAF, 363rd Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing (ISRW) Tidewater Chapter
SMSgt Brandi Baumgartner, USAF, 747th Communication Squadron, Hawaii Chapter 
Gerald A. Brisley III, Start to End Networks, Northern Virginia Chapter 
Nemo Buschmann, Bitkom, Bonn e.V. Chapter 
Emma Cook, RSA Security, Northern Virginia Chapter 
MSgt Nicho Chung, USAF, 690th Cyberspace Control Squadron, Alamo Chapter 
William Crum, Spectro Cloud, Rocky Mountain Chapter 
Michelle Dreimann, Palo Alto, Washington DC Chapter 
Rick Gonzales, TEKsystems, Alamo Chapter 
Austin Hall, TEKsystems, Rocky Mountain Chapter 
Matthew Hargenrader, SilverEdge Government Solutions, Northern Virginia Chapter 
Andrew Hernandez, Dell, Northern Virginia Chapter 
David Hopkins, Old Dominion University, Hampton Roads Chapter 
SrA Joaquin Inungaray, USAF, 693rd Intelligence Support Squadron, Kaiserslautern Chapter 
Jamar King, Thompson Hine, LLP, Dayton-Wright Chapter  
Matthias Klaus, Capgemini, Bonn e.V. Chapter
Colleen Law, CGI Federal, Bethesda Chapter   
Kyla Lee, Deloitte, Hawaii Chapter 
Alex Longoria-Mendoza, NTI, Alamo Chapter 
SSgt Ciara Champion, USAF, 225th Air Defense Squadron, Pacific Northwest Chapter 
Matthew Ludwig, Department of Army, Belvoir Chapter 
Robert Markey, XSITE LLC, San Diego Chapter 
Alexandra Manson, Kwaan Bear Technology, Washington DC Chapter 
Daniel Miller, eSimplicity, Washington DC Chapter 
Capt Mason Milsap, USMC, Marine Forces Pacific G6, Hawaii Chapter  
Anahid Ounigian, XSITE LLC, San Diego Chapter
Elizabeth Phillips, Clarity Business Solutions, Central Maryland Chapter  
Elana Rivkin, Amazon, Washington DC Chapter  
Colby Shomaker, M9 Solutions, Northern Virginia Chapter  
Jonathan Silverman, Leidos, Washington DC Chapter 
Michael Snyder, Comcast Government Services, Washington DC Chapter   


Emerging Leadership Award

Kim Eldridge, Tria Federal, Northern Virginia Chapter 
Andrew Funk, NORAD & USNORTHCOM, Rocky Mountain Chapter 
Emily Gwozdz, 32 North Solutions, Inc, San Diego Chapter 
Sarah Kwak Yi, Legato LLC, Central Maryland Chapter 
Christina Mapa Thayer, Red Hat, Washington DC Chapter 
Aitzaz Nathanial, General Dynamics Information Technology, Aberdeen Chapter 
Lorenzo Paluzzi, Adaptavist Inc, Washington DC Chapter 
Jaclyn Wilson, Booz Allen Hamilton, Lexington Concord Chapter 
Parker Woods, Equator Corporation, Alamo Chapter 


Emerging Leader Chapter of the Year Award

Northern Virginia Chapter - Mega 
San Diego Chapter – Very Large 
Hampton Roads Chapter – Large


Model Emerging Leaders Program

Aberdeen Chapter 
Alamo Chapter 
Belvoir Chapter 
Bethesda Chapter 
Bonn E.V. Chapter 
Central Maryland Chapter 
Dayton-Wright Chapter 
Hampton Roads Chapter 
Kaiserslautern Chapter  
Lexington Concord Chapter 
NY - Founders Chapter 
Northern Virginia Chapter 
Rocky Mountain Chapter 
San Diego Chapter 
Washington DC Chapter