The LDP Innovation Award: Recognizing excellence in early talent development
Now Accepting Nominations for 2026
Have you done something transformative this past year with your early talent development program? Do you know of a colleague or peer who has? Nominate a colleague, or yourself, for the Early Talent Development Innovation Award – in recognition of creativity and excellence in early talent program leadership.
What is the LDP Innovation Award?
The LDP Innovation Award recognizes outstanding initiative and creativity in contributing to the measurable success of an early career talent development program and the program’s participants. The initiative can be in any element of managing or recruiting for a development program for early career professionals.
Nominations will be collected through March 20th, 2026. Winners will be announced during the LDP Summit on May 6&7 in Atlanta. (Winners need not be present to win. But it would be great if they were!) Nominate someone today (or yourself!)
EVALUATION CRITERIA
NEED
What was the business need and what was the potential impact of leaving the issue unaddressed? What was the measurable risk?
SOLUTION
What was the proposed solution? What alternatives were explored? Why was the innovative idea/practice/process designed in the manner it was? Why was the proposed solution considered innovative?
EVALUATION STRATEGY
What metrics were identified to be used in assessing the success of the innovative idea/practice/process. What was the plan for evaluation?
IMPLEMENTATION
How was the innovative idea/practice/process implemented? What challenges were encountered and how were they addressed?
RESULTS
What measurable impact did the innovative idea/practice/process have on the business, the program and/or program participants?
2025 LDP Award Recipients
WINNER: For Krystal Jackowiak’s innovative work in developing a new internship program that boosted clinical hires and expanded post-program opportunities beyond traditional medical and hospital roles
HONORABLE MENTION: For Michelle Orbovich-Williams’s innovative work revitalizing a program so that participants would have more control over their own career path at the organization.
HONORABLE MENTION: In recognition of Ameen Shah and his team’s “road show” initiative winning support for a new program at Thales that boosted retention, alumni engagement and volunteerism.
HONORABLE MENTION: For Sarah Bryce’s efforts at boosting participant satisfaction and career velocity through a series of innovations related to creating learning streams and an experiential learning initiative.
