October 18, 2013

Three winners and two honorable mention candidates have been announced for the 2013 Excellence in Chief Executive Leadership (EXCEL) award.

2013 EXCEL Award Winners

  • Michele Booth Cole, Executive Director, Safe Shores – The DC Children’s Advocacy Center
  • Marla Lahat, Executive Director, President, Home Care Partners
  • Judith Sandalow, Executive Director, Children’s Law Center

2013 EXCEL Award Honorable Mentions

  • Amy Nakamoto, Executive Director, DC SCORES
  • Tim Payne, Executive Director, For Love of Children

Pictured from left to right: Center CEO Glen O’Gilvie; Tim Payne, Amy Nakamoto; Michele Booth Cole; Judith Sandalow; Marla Lahat; Award Sponsor Gelman, Rosenberg and Freedman’s Managing Partner, Jackie Oneto; Award Selection Committee Chair Karen Cleveland.

The EXCEL award program has an eight-year history of recognizing outstanding nonprofit leadership in the Washington, DC metropolitan region. Sponsored by Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman CPAs and administered by the Center for Nonprofit Advancement, the program seeks annual nominations each summer for nonprofit executive leaders who demonstrate leadership excellence in innovation, motivation, community building, inclusiveness/diversity and/or ethical integrity.

Up to three EXCEL award winners and two honorable mention candidates are chosen each year by a selection committee and announced at the Center for Nonprofit Advancement’s annual meeting in the fall. Each winner receives a $5,000 professional development account to use in his/her role as the nonprofit executive and the executive’s organization receives a $2,000 grant to provide professional development opportunities for staff. The nonprofit of each honorable mention candidate receives a $1,000 award to support professional development programs for the candidate or staff.

Nominations may be made by staff, board members, volunteers, clients or other individuals who have had the chance to observe the impact of the nonprofit executives on their communities.

Learn more about the EXCEL award program.