Beth Kilss, 2010 Chair, Griffith Award Selection Committee

Jeanne E. Griffith

It is time to start thinking about nominating an outstanding supervisor, technical director, team coordinator, or other member of a governmental statistical staff who encourages mentoring of junior staff in the federal, state, or local statistical system for the 2010 Jeanne E. Griffith Mentoring Award. Nominations will be accepted beginning in January and must be submitted by March 26. The award winner(s) will be determined by May 7.

The award consists of a $1,000 honorarium (to be split if there is more than one awardee), a citation, and a plaque, which will be presented at a ceremony in June.

Winners are selected for their efforts to support the work and develop the careers of junior staff. Examples of typical mentoring activities include the following:

• Advising junior staff to help them create career opportunities, networking skills, and contacts for growth and development




• Counseling junior staff and providing resources to help develop their technical writing, analysis, presentation, and organizational skills and knowledge




• Encouraging junior staff growth and career development through attendance and oral presentations at meetings with higher-level officials and the staffs of other agencies




• Becoming involved in professional associations, training courses, and conferences




• Motivating junior staff and building self confidence through feedback on their efforts, being a listener when needed, and creating a caring and supportive environment




• Serving as a role model for junior staff through professional expertise, information, and insight; balancing collegial and personal roles; and including everyone across rank, race, ethnicity, and seniority

Nominations should be prepared in the form of a letter or memorandum summarizing the nominee’s actions that support and encourage junior staff in the federal, state, or local statistical community. Nominations may be accompanied by up to six supporting letters, which should be attached to the nomination. Photo and email copies of support letters are acceptable.

Descriptions of what nominees actually do are the strongest demonstration of candidate mentoring. Examples include “the mentor is a source of advice … counsels with long-term goals in mind … thought I was well qualified even though I had some doubts … encourages staff to seek out positions that will increase their visibility and stretch their professional capabilities.”

Award Committee
Emerson Elliott

Carol House

Dan Kasprzyk

Beth Kilss (chair)

Stephanie Shipp

Clyde Tucker

Andy Orlin, Jeanne Griffith’s husband, serves as emeritus member, thus providing continuity and historical perspective.

The Jeanne E. Griffith Mentoring Award was established to honor Griffith, who died in August of 2001 after working for more than 25 years in the federal statistical system. Throughout her career, and especially in her later senior management positions at the National Center for Education Statistics and National Science Foundation, one of Griffith’s top priorities was to mentor and encourage younger staff at all levels to learn, grow, and recognize and seize career opportunities as they came along.

This year marked the first time in the award’s seven-year history that two winners were chosen, as well as the first time the ASA’s Government Statistics Section oversaw the award selection. Kevin Cecco, chief of the Corporation Statistics Branch, Statistics of Income Division, IRS, and Lillian Lin, mathematical statistician in the Division of HIV and AIDS Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, received their awards at a ceremony held on June 17, 2009, in Washington, DC.

Nomination packages may be mailed or emailed to Jeanne E. Griffith Mentoring Award Committee, American Statistical Association, 732 N. Washington Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-1943; monica@amstat.org. For more information, visit the section’s web site or contact Monica Clark at monica@amstat.org or Beth Kilss at bakilss@msn.com.