ALCOAST 221/25 - MAY 2025 WINNER ANOUNCEMENT - 2024 USCG HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (HRM) ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

R 141354Z MAY 25   MID120001932916U
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST
BT
UNCLAS
ALCOAST 221/25
SSIC: 1650
SUBJ: WINNER ANOUNCEMENT - 2024 USCG HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
(HRM) ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
A. COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC 142048Z JAN 25/ALCOAST 015/25
1. Pursuant to REF (A), I am pleased to announce the recipients of
the 2024 USCG Human Resource Management (HRM) Achievement Awards.
These awards provide recognition for noteworthy human resource
management actions by Coast Guard personnel. More specifically,
the awards reflect member or team emphasis on superior performance
in the care and support of our total workforce, through
extraordinary customer service, creative initiatives, and solution
oriented skills in human resource management and processes. Numerous
nominations were submitted from across the Coast Guard and all
exemplified the highest standards of professionalism, commitment,
and true dedication to our people.
2. There are five individual award categories and two team
categories for the USCG HRM Achievement Awards:
    a. Active Duty Officers (Commissioned Officer/Chief Warrant
Officer),
    b. Civilian Employees (General Schedule/Federal Wage Schedule),
    c. Non-appropriated fund (NAF) employees,
    d. Enlisted Personnel,
    e. Reserve Personnel (Officer/Enlisted),
    f. Teams consisting of 4 to 20 personnel, Headquarters and Pay
Personnel Center (PPC), and
    g. Teams consisting of 4 to 20 personnel, from units not
included in 2.f.
3. The winner of the officer category is LCDR Luke Carani. LCDR
Carani spearheaded a transformative overhaul of the Coast Guard's
outdated Human Resource (HR) system, hampered by technological
advances and slow IT modernization. Facing surging global demand
and critical workforce shortages, he leveraged innovative tools and
Python automation to dramatically improve efficiency and accuracy.
His solutions streamlined career management for over 8,000 officers,
optimized assignment slating for 3,500+, and redirected 10,000+
work-hours from tedious administration to strategic workforce
planning. LCDR Carani's visionary leadership empowered the Coast
Guard with data-driven staffing decisions, bolstering mission
success in the face of dynamic service needs.
4. The runner-up of the officer category is LCDR Lisa Liu.
5. The winner of the civilian category is Ms. Sydney Wagner. Ms.
Wagner developed a groundbreaking analytical model that enabled an
independent promotion system for Reserve officers, empowering
leadership and providing more predictable career paths for over
10,000 officers. Her meticulous curation of legacy personnel data
resolved long-standing inaccuracies, laying the groundwork for more
effective and transparent workforce planning. Ms. Wagner's
innovative problem-solving and unwavering dedication transformed
both Active Duty and Reserve officer management, leaving a lasting
impact on the Coast Guard.
6. The runner-up of the civilian category is Mr. David Cota.
7. The winner of the NAF category is Ms. Debbi Gilbert. Ms. Gilbert
consistently excelled as a Recruitment Specialist for the
Coast Guard Exchange System, navigating complex hiring challenges
with exceptional interpersonal skills and a strategic approach.
Despite significant organizational changes, she maintained high
operational standards, contributing to an 82-day average
time-to-hire. Her collaborative efforts, innovative strategies,
and dedication to improving the candidate experience significantly
impacted recruitment for the 1,400-employee NAF workforce. She
successfully filled 406 of 430 open positions from a pool of
8,609 applications.
8. The winner of the enlisted category is YN1 Olivia Nichols. While
deployed for over 165 days in the challenging Bering Sea and Arctic
Ocean, Petty Officer Nichols delivered exceptional HR support to the
100+ crew of CGC ALEX HALEY. She expertly managed over $300k in
travel, recovered $130k in bonus discrepancies for junior members,
and processed 102 PCS orders, ensuring smooth operations despite a
15% crew shortage. Critically, she demonstrated profound compassion,
proactively coordinating urgent mental health care for seven
shipmates in remote Alaska. Nichols' dedication and unwavering
support were instrumental in ALEX HALEY earning the prestigious
Captain Hopley Yeaton Cutter Excellence Award in 2024.
9. The runner-up for the enlisted category is YN1 Sean Waters.
10. The winner of the reserve category is YN1 Albert Chen. Petty
Officer Chen provided exceptional HR support to nearly 180 personnel
at the Coast Guard Leadership Development Center and Port Security
Unit 301 in 2024. He expertly managed $250,000 in travel claims,
streamlined PCS processes for OCS students during a curriculum
transition, and delivered key administrative training. At PSU 301,
he implemented a new travel reimbursement program, supported
deploying personnel, and facilitated travel claims for numerous
unit members, demonstrating outstanding leadership and dedication.
11. The runner-up for the reserve category is LT John Mullins.
12. The winner of the team Headquarters and PPC category is The IDPL
Promotion System Work Group Team (IDPL WG). The IDPL WG created a
more effective and tailored promotion system for Coast Guard Reserve
officers. Through comprehensive analysis and collaboration, they
developed and implemented an independent promotion system,
incorporating cost-saving measures and a smooth two-year transition
plan. This improved system addresses the specific needs of the
~1,000 Reserve officers, benefiting both them and the Service.
13. The runner-up of the team Headquarters and PPC category is PSC
(OPM-1).
14. The winner of the Team category is Base Boston Health, Safety,
and Work-Life (HSWL). Base Boston HSWL Regional Practice's
innovative "Total Guardian" program provided comprehensive medical
support to over 6,000 personnel across New England. By integrating
streamlined billing, telehealth services, and proactive readiness
initiatives, they addressed critical HR concerns and overcame
physician shortages, achieving an unprecedented 86% medical
readiness rate for the First District. This visionary program
eliminated erroneous charges, facilitated crucial mental health
evaluations, and dramatically improved access to care, particularly
for geographically isolated personnel.
15. The runner-up of the Team category is the SAPRR/BIT Blended
Training Team.
16. The HRM Award Panel consisted of:
      a. CAPT Russell Mayer, DCMS-DPR-5
      b. Dr. Michael Kaloydis, CSC
      c. LT Jonathan Kalisik, CGRC
      d. YNCM Trisha Lawrence, BASE NCR
      e. AETCS Brian Kern, AVTRACEN Mobile
      f. YN1 Tania Valentim, MSST Miami
17. The point of contact for the HRM Awards is CWO3 M. J. Espinoza,
Martin.J.Espinoza@uscg.mil.
18. Bravo Zulu to these HRM Award winners and all nominees who care,
serve, and support the men and women of the world's best
Coast Guard!
19. RADM M. H. Day, Acting Deputy for Personnel Readiness
(CG-DCMS-DPR), sends.
20. Internet release is authorized.