Bold Leaders

When the authors launched the Nextgov Bold Awards earlier this year to recognize innovation in federal technology they frankly didn't know what to expect. The 19 individuals and teams from a dozen agencies selected by the editorial staff as finalists exemplify the kind of creative problem-solving, technical acumen, ambition and persistence they frequently hear about in the private sector but too seldom learn about in government. Some of the finalists are: 1. Joshua Anderson, behavioral detection officer, Transportation Security Administration, 2. Joshua Campbell, geographer and geographic information systems architect, Humanitarian Information Unit State Department, 3. Maj. Kenneth N. Bourque, director of operations, 608th Air Communications Squadron Air Force, 4. Mary Mitchell, biologist, US Fish and Wildlife Service, 5. Jonathan Rubin, director, First Fridays Usability Testing Program General Services Administration, 6. John Wallace, program analyst, Informatics Veterans Affairs Department, and 7. Allison Wolff, IT Labs lead, NASA.