Speech #CREC-2017-10-31-pt1-PgS6920_t0

I would like to offer special congratulations to the 2017 award winners, who have truly exemplified the very best in government. The recipients of the Excellence in Management and Program Support Award are the Vermont Service Center Employee Services Team, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, St. Albans, including Steffan Defeo, supervisory operational support specialist; Julie Kuhn, supervisory operational support specialist; Angelina Bucio, operational support specialist; Joreen Hatin, supervisory immigration services officer; Michael Kane, supervisory immigration services officer; Forest Glodgett, operational support specialist; Ann Gratton, operational support specialist; Lee Ann Jette, operational support specialist; Lisa Kline, operational support specialist; and Sarah Sherman, operational support specialist. The recipients of the Professional Award are the Vermont Service Center Phase 1--Strategic Plan Team, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, St. Albans, including Judith Hochberg, section chief; Kyle Davis, supervisory immigration services officer; Joreen Hatin, supervisory immigration services officer; Michael Kane, supervisory immigration services officer; Michael Hoeflich, supervisory immigration services analyst; Paul Novak III, supervisory immigration services analyst; Elizabeth Chester, management and program analyst; Forest Glodgett, operational support specialist; Miranda Baltzell, immigration services officer; Luke Fairman, immigration services officer; Lisa Labarge, immigration services officer; Janet Marantz, immigration services officer; Ryan Marlow, immigration services officer; Nathan Matusick, immigration services officer; Sara Rutanhira, immigration services officer; Susan Sheehan, immigration services officer; Danielle Spooner, immigration services officer; Shelly Walters, immigration services officer; and Brian Woods, immigration services officer. The recipient of the Leadership Award is Michael Parascando, supervisory special agent, Homeland Security Investigations Tip Line, Office of Intelligence, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Williston. The recipient of the Public Safety Award is John Marquissee, Border Patrol agent, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Derby. The recipient of the Community Service Award is Julia Hoefel, immigration services analyst, Northeast Regional Office, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, South Burlington. The recipients of the Collaboration and Partnership Award are Linette Boyse and Erin Hakey, immigration services analysts, Process Improvement and Efficiency Team, Vermont Service Center, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, St. Albans. The recipient of the Valor Award is Christopher Whipple, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Highgate Springs. And finally, the recipient of the Vermont Federal Employee of the Year Award is Amelia Palmer human resource specialist, Recruitment and Placement Branch, Human Resources Operations Center, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, South Burlington. Once again, I congratulate these Vermont Federal employees.