© 2025 Arizent. All rights reserved.
Excellence in benefits 2025

Meet 2025's Excellence in Benefits Award winners

ByAlyssa Place
July 28, 2025 7:00 AM

Our annual Excellence in Benefits Awards celebrates exceptional leaders who are continuing to innovate and evolve in the complex and demanding world of workplace benefits.

Whether they're finding cost-conscious ways to provide a top-notch healthcare experience for their teams, implementing next-gen benefits like mortgage benefits or homeownership support offerings, or setting the standard for high-level leadership, this year's class of nominees has set the bar for addressing a wide spectrum of needs with empathy and action. 

Read more: How this Google exec is approaching mental health benefits in today's world

Over the coming weeks, we'll be highlighting the accomplishments of these individuals, hearing from their peers, and offering best-in-class advice for leading a benefits team that can make a difference to employees. And join us in September to meet this exceptional group of professionals at our annual Benefits at Work conference, happening September 3-4 at the Wynn in Las Vegas. This year, EBN's annual event has been reimagined to serve only HR and benefits professionals, and will speak directly to the challenges and priorities facing today's HR and benefits leaders. From peer-driven strategy sessions to curated roundtables, this is where employer-side professionals gather to share what's working, ask tough questions, and build a playbook for what's next.

Want to meet our 2025 class of Excellence in Benefits Award winners? Read on, and sign up to attend Benefits at Work September 3-4.

Dawn Beaudin, VP of benefits at Hyatt Hotels

Dawn Headshot
Delivering high-value care while managing costs: "Dawn's approach to specialty care benefits is only one example of her willingness to go beyond traditional benefits design and work with innovative partners to deliver better quality, more affordable care. Through her leadership, Dawn has demonstrated that employers can provide excellent care while managing costs effectively, setting an impressive standard for other benefits leaders." 

Alex Bertin, Head of total rewards at BambooHR

Alex Headshot
Digging into data to get better results: "Alex exemplifies true excellence in benefits leadership through his evidence-based approach that goes far beyond traditional HR practices. Rather than following industry trends or implementing policies without validation, he leverages comprehensive data analysis to create meaningful, measurable change that addresses real employee needs."  

Laura Boroch, Head of employee sustainability and people operations at Patagonia

Generous family benefits: Patagonia is known in the industry for its family-focused benefits, including company-paid health insurance, generous parental leave, and on-site child care.

Read more: Patagonia's secret to employee engagement? Onsite daycare

J. Brian Coleman, VP of total rewards at Dawn Foods

Coleman
A holistic approach to well-being: "By implementing comprehensive programs that address various life stages and a range of identified needs, the company provides support and resources with no barriers to access and no cost constraints for members. This holistic approach not only enhances employee well-being and satisfaction but also fosters a supportive and inclusive workplace culture." 

Tiffany Dennis, Senior wellness program manager at Golden 1 Credit Union 

Dennis
Embracing wellness as a career calling: "Tiffany has demonstrated exceptional leadership in transforming Golden 1 Credit Union's wellness program from a reactive, fragmented effort into a strategic, collaborative success story. Her innovative approach, cross-department collaboration, and employee-focused initiatives have significantly improved engagement, preventive care, and overall health outcomes." 

Dirk De Roo, Director of compensation and benefits at Phillips Exeter Academy

Dirk
Leading from a position of excellence: "Dirk has led Phillips Exeter to a position of excellence as an employer.  Dirk introduced two innovative programs funded by Phillips Exeter Academy, providing unlimited CFP-level financial planning services and a virtual wellness point solution aimed primarily on metabolic, musculoskeletal, and mental health conditions.  It's very gratifying to see that our employees have made the connection between our organizational values of empathy, generosity of spirit, and well-being with both programs." 

Katelyn Green, Senior generalist and payroll coordinator at Rush Memorial Hospital 

Empowering employees with healthcare: "Katelyn exemplifies the proactive, employee-first mindset that defines true excellence in benefits leadership. By leading Rush Memorial through a transformative shift to an ICHRA model, they modernized the organization's benefits structure without losing sight of what matters most: Clarity, accessibility, and individual empowerment." 

Joanne Homa, Director of benefits at Faith Technologies 

Joanne
Implementing and investing in new benefits technology: "The entire benefits team consistently demonstrates a deep commitment to ensuring that our benefits programs meet the evolving needs of our workforce and their families. With a focus on continuous improvement, we proactively seek out opportunities to enhance plan designs, introduce innovative tools like digital benefits guides, and explore forward-thinking solutions such as AI support features." 

Dijanira McClosky, Head of health and welfare benefits, total rewards at Guardian Life Insurance Company of America 

A new view on retirement: "Dijanira has had to step into a role overseeing the retirement side of the house and has brought a fresh perspective in her collaborations with the team and our vendors. She is very thorough and has unbegrudgingly given valuable input to processes for which the team has become so accustomed to without change." 

Stacie Mundahl, Vice president, global benefits services at InComm Payments 

Stacie
Individualized and empowered support: "Stacie truly champions all things health and wellness. Her motto for her team and how they engage with our employee population has been to "meet you where you are at" as each individual employee has unique circumstances and are at different stages of life. Stacie and her team have implemented eight pillars of wellness at InComm Payments and show up each and every day to educate and empower employees to be the best consumers of their health that they possibly can be." 

Sabra Sciolaro, Chief people officer at FirstUp 

Sabra
Employee education leads to results: "From expanding voluntary benefits to championing mental health and work-life balance through initiatives like Focus Fridays and Distance Days, Sabra's approach centers on meeting employees where they are. She also ensures that communication is embedded in every step of the employee journey — making benefits education part of onboarding, manager training, and regular internal programming." 

Read more: How Firstup's CPO is rewriting the rules for benefit leaders

Gina Uehling, People resource center manager at Valmont Industries 

Gina
Prioritizing financial wellness: "Gina's leadership has not only transformed Valmont's benefits program but has also set a benchmark for excellence in employee well-being. Her team is currently very focused on providing tools to support employees' financial wellness and mental health to be the most cost-efficient for both the employee and Valmont. Her innovative approach and unwavering dedication have created a culture where employees feel valued and supported, leading to increased engagement and satisfaction." 

Marie Yorn, Total rewards director at Keystone Cooperative

Marie
Communication and connection: "Marie has done a phenomenal job connecting with our diverse team of 2,000 employees across a wide range of health statuses, coverage needs, and levels of understanding. Keystone's mission is to Lead. Serve. Grow. Embrace. Marie lives the Keystone mission each day shaping strategic benefits and compensation programs that reflect Keystone's value and drives employee engagement."
Alyssa Place
Editor-in-chief, Employee Benefit News
Excellence in benefits 2025 Employee benefits
MORE FROM EMPLOYEE BENEFIT NEWS