HR Achievement Awards Judging Committee

Chair: 
Mark Spool, Ph.D., President, 
Management Development Solutions, West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States

Mark Spool, Ph.D., is a pragmatic, results-oriented consultant with over 40 years’ experience in leadership development.  Mark has coached executives and high-potential employees in many organizations.  He has designed and conducted 360-degree feedback, employee engagement surveys, and supervisory/management training, as well as led the development of a global strategic leadership program for top management of an international company.  Mark established the succession planning process and integrated the human resource development systems around a competency model for several companies.

Mark’s breadth of consulting experience includes companies in finance, manufacturing, food & beverage, retail, and oil & chemical, as well as family-owned businesses, government agencies, and not-for-profit organizations.  Mark has also held management positions in ARCO Chemical Company, Payless ShoeSource, and Marathon Oil Company.

Mark holds a Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Michigan State University.  He is the lead judge for the Mid-Atlantic HR Department of the Year and the CEO of the Year Awards, is a Baldrige certified examiner for the Delaware Quality Award, has been an instructor at Penn State and Villanova Universities, published several articles in his field, and served on the board of directors of non-profit organizations.  He was recently nominated for HR Consultant of the Year.
 

Committee:

Şule Hatun Avşaroğlu, Chief HR, Governance & Sales Officer
Architect Technology, Istanbul, Türkiye
 

Heather Barton, HR Consultant
Freelance, London, United Kingdom  
Heather is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. After graduating from Oxford, she worked in education, and was a College Vice Principal. She qualified in Human Resources and held Director posts in the Probation Service, Housing and cultural exchange. She is now an HR Consultant.

 

İbrahim Boylu, Training and Development Unit Manager    
Škoda Türkiye, Istanbul, Marmara, Turkey     
İbrahim Boylu is the Training and Development Unit Manager at Skoda Türkiye, overseeing Skoda Academy, Skoda Coaching Project, and Skoda RASBI Project. With extensive experience in digital transformation and dealership development, he specializes in leadership, lean management, and organizational growth strategies within the automotive industry.

 

Autumn Carter,  AVP, Learning and Organizational Development
Janney Montgomery Scott LLC, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States    
Autumn is a seasoned Learning and Development strategist with 20 years of experience driving corporate success through innovative employee development, engagement, and retention strategies. Known for consistently achieving and exceeding organizational goals, Autumn specializes in maximizing employee productivity and operational efficiency by fostering a culture of continuous learning, development, and engagement.

Shreya Choudhury, Specialist - Business and HR Transformations
Apexon, Pune, Maharashtra, India
With 7+ years of HR transformation expertise, Shreya Choudhury exemplifies how HR can drive measurable revenue growth. With AI-enabled people processes and predictive workforce modeling, she has made talent a strategic lever at Apexon. She has been recognized by People Matters and Stevie Awards as a top Emerging HR Leader.


Chris Cimitile, Head of Talent Process, Engagement & HR Data  
Arkema, La Defense, Greater Paris Metropolitan Region, France   
For 40+ years, Chris has been working in and around talent management, learning & development, individual and organizational effectiveness, and talent process excellence across a number of companies and industries. He currently leads global initiatives for talent review/succession planning, performance management, employee engagement, and the 360° feedback process.

Patty Dowling Thompson, Vice President of Human Resources
Pinnacle Treatment Centers, Mount Laurel, New Jersey, United States
Patty has over 18 years of experience, specializing in transformational talent strategy, DEIB, team engagement, and recognition. Passionate about shaping inclusive workplaces and empowering teams to thrive. Committed to advancing excellence in HR practices. She also holds a Masters in HR, SHRM-SCP and SPHR certifications.

Tarek El-Raffei, Organization Development Director
Cenomi, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Tarek is a seasoned HR and organizational development executive with over 20 years of experience driving strategic transformation across diverse industries, including retail, education, FMCG, and real estate. A Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and recognized among the Top 50 HR Leaders in the Middle East, Tarek brings a grounded and results-driven approach.

Dr. Mansour Farhat, Head of Quality Management Operational Audit
HBCIC Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Dr. Mansour is an accomplished professional with over twenty years of experience in diverse multinational organizations, proven success in business excellence, total quality management, strategic planning, organizational agility, process improvement, risk management, management consultancy and policy and regulation development. He has led multiple change initiatives and quality improvement projects to achieve strategic clarity.

Gunduz Guldamlasi, Head of Learning and Awards Division
Augdemy, Istanbul, Turkey
Founder and Head of Learning and Awards Division at Augdemy, driving transformation through 20+ years of expertise in learning, culture, and employee experience. Blends strategic insight with cross-industry impact—leading award-winning academies and culture programs while empowering organizations to achieve global recognition across tech, telecom, automotive, finance, and beyond.
 

Adam Horvath, Board Member & CEO
European Association of Employer Branding Agencies & Brandfizz Employer Branding, Budapest, Hungary 
Adam Horvath is a Board Member of the European Association of Employer Branding Agencies, collaborating with top international EB companies. He has led award-winning programs for global clients like Thermo Fisher Scientific, Coca-Cola, and EY. Adam is an MIT Sloan (Cambridge, MA) alumnus with expertise in Technology and AI.
 

Er Jia Jiang, Co-Founder
Redcar, San Francisco, California, United States     
Er Jia is Co-Founder of Redcar, leading growth, sales, and ops. Previously at BCG, she advised on GTM, growth, and product strategy. A Princeton math grad, CJ blends analytical depth with startup hustle, building Redcar with backing from Khosla Ventures.
 

Puneet Khatri, Head of services - Libelle Americas / Senior Technical Consultant
Libelle LLC, Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Puneet is a results-driven technology leader with over 16 years of experience in SAP systems, project delivery, and client engagement. At Libelle Americas, he combines deep technical expertise with strong leadership, managing complex SAP automation, cybersecurity, and data masking initiatives across North America. Puneet excels in building trusted client relationships.

 

Rana Kilani, Founder & Principal Consultant
Alrana Consulting & Training, Amman, Jordan      
Rana Kilani is an award-winning HR consultant, mindset coach, and founder of Alrana Consulting. With over 35 years of experience across diverse sectors, she leads HR transformation, leadership development, and cultural change across MENA. Creator of Be Unstoppable, she empowers individuals and organizations to shift mindsets, build inclusive workplaces, and achieve lasting, purpose-driven growth.

Ann Kuss, CEO
Outstaff Your Team, Wilmington, Delaware, United States     
With 13 years of expertise in building remote tech teams for startup unicorns and global tech brands, Ann hired specialists for countless tech positions from more than 20 countries on all major continents. Ann is a proud alumna from Kyiv-Mohyla business school and an MIM Kyiv alumna, and regularly takes part in mentorship programs for junior tech talents.

Milana Lelovic, Head of HR and I/O Psychologist
Mailbird, Inc., Novi Sad, Serbia, Serbia 
Milana Lelovic is an organizational psychologist and Head of HR at a global remote tech company. With nearly a decade of experience, she specializes in building thoughtful, people-first practices, leading international teams, and creating healthy, high-performing workplaces that support both business goals and individual growth.
 

Charmaine R. Maddrey-Smith, Director of Training and Leadership Development
Liberty Lutheran Services, Ambler, Pennsylvania, United States 
Knowledge, vision, expertise, detail—a sampling of what Charmaine observed while judging the Stevie Awards entries. Charmaine reviewed leadership, HR achievements, training programs and the various categories of entries. The submissions are far-reaching and serve to enhance 21st century leadership teams.          

Ankur Mehra, Vice President, Senior Lead Software Engineer
JP Morgan Chase, New York City, New York, United States
Ankur Mehra is a seasoned technology leader serving as Vice President at J.P. Morgan Chase, where he leads the development of next-generation platforms that power some of the most complex technology solutions in global finance. With over 15 years of experience across capital markets, fintech, and enterprise software.

Sanjeev Nanda Kumarm, Senior Business Analyst
Gogo Business Aviation, Denver, Colorado, United States   
Sanjeev is a results-driven individual specializing in business analysis and project management. As a PMP-certified leader, Sanjeev has led cross functional teams to deliver AI solutions and process automations, aligning technology with business strategy. He leverages data to provide actionable insights and bridge the gap between business needs and technological capabilities.

Kristie Pappal, Vice President of Human Resources
Philadelphia Eagles, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Kristie Pappal serves as the Vice President of Human Resources with the Philadelphia Eagles where she provides comprehensive human resources leadership including developing and leading HR strategy and policy, cultivating a positive and productive work environment, engagement and inclusion, internal communications, talent acquisition, employee relations, benefits and wellness, compensation, and organizational development.

Michael Trinder, Learning Solution Architecture
AlixPartners, London, United Kingdom        
Mike Trinder is a learning and development specialist focused on learning architecture and problem solving. With expertise in consulting simulations, leadership development, and digital learning solutions, he creates impactful programs that empower professionals to grow. Mike thrives on collaboration and driving continuous improvement in talent development.

Duygu Unal, Head of HR - Cluster
ALPLA Group, Istanbul, Turkey  
With a focus on learning, culture, and development, Duygu builds people-centered approaches that grow with organizations. Her work reflects a belief in meaningful collaboration, continuous improvement, and creating space for both individual and collective progress.

Valerie Utsey, Executive Vice President, Chief People Officer
ICBA Washington, Washington DC, United States
 

Pinelopi Xendoudaki, Strategic Projects & Staff IT Europe
DHL Express Europe, Athens, Greece, Greece   
Pinelopi is responsible for Strategic Projects and Staff for IT Europe, where she led the implementation of strategic initiatives across EU countries. Her focus is on driving learning and development programs, implementing communication and engagement strategies, and promoting continuous improvement in my work areas.

Olga Yakimakho, Talent Development and Organizational Effectiveness Leader  
Formerly with Spark Therapeutics, Wallingford, Pennsylvania, United States 
Olga Yakimakho, MPA, SPHR, is an accomplished HR leader with 20+ years of global expertise in organizational effectiveness and leadership development across industries and sectors. She has guided talent strategies across 180+ countries, won multiple awards while spearheading the Special Olympics Leadership Academy, and co-authored organizational development tools and publications.

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