In a ceremony at the Pentagon today, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks and Performance Improvement Officer and Director of Administration & Management, Ms. Jennifer C. Walsh, honored Department of Defense 2023 Presidential Rank Awards recipients.
The Presidential Rank Award (PRA), established by statute, is one of the highest awards bestowed upon career Senior Executive Service and senior professionals by the President of the United States. Nominees face a long and rigorous evaluation period focused on those who have made significant and lasting contributions to their agencies in delivering mission critical solutions, providing excellent customer service, and being good stewards of taxpayers' dollars, and includes an extensive on-site evaluation and analysis process. Just being nominated by itself is considered a recognition of sustained exemplary performance over multiple years.
"Year after year, and through a gauntlet of challenges, this year's honorees have risen to the occasion and delivered on critical national security priorities," said Deputy Secretary of Defense Hicks. "They've led teams with purpose, brought out the best in their teammates, and broken down institutional barriers and inertia to expand the capacity and effectiveness of the Department."
Two categories of PRA are available: 'Distinguished' rank to leaders who achieve sustained extraordinary accomplishments, and 'Meritorious' rank to leaders for sustained accomplishments.
Fifteen Department of Defense employees received the award in 2023, having been selected from among the highest performing career executive and senior professional achievers across the Federal service.
The Department of Defense 2023 PRA recipients are:
Distinguished Executive
Christine M. Condon
Deputy Chief Information Officer (Resources & Analysis)
Department of Defense Chief Information Officer
Laura K. Cooper
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia)
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy)
Paul D. Cramer
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment (Installations) (Retired)
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition & Sustainment)
Anne J. McAndrew
Deputy Comptroller (Program/Budget)
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller)
Michael D. Payne
Principal Deputy Director
Cost Assessment & Program Evaluation
Distinguished Senior Professional
Douglas S. Brungart
Senior Research Scientist (Auditory Science)
Defense Health Agency
Meritorious Executive
Rebecca S. Beck
Director, Enterprise Solutions and Standards
Defense Finance and Accounting Service
Catherine L. Contreras
Executive Director, Aviation Contracting & Acquisition Management
Defense Logistics Agency
Roger S. Greenwell, Sr.
Director, Enterprise Integration & Innovation/Chief Information Officer
Defense Information Systems Agency
David E. Johnson
Regional Director, Central (Retired)
Defense Contract Audit Agency
David R. Kless
Deputy Commander, DLA (Energy)
Defense Logistics Agency
Kim R. Laurance
Assistant Deputy Chief Financial Officer
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller)
Steven J. Morani
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment (Logistics)
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition & Sustainment)
Shirley L. Reed
Director, Emerging Capabilities & Systems
Defense Finance and Accounting Service
Brandi C. Vann
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Defense Programs)
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition & Sustainment)
