Bill Mockovak, 2019 Jeanne E. Griffith Award Selection Committee Chair
The Jeanne E. Griffith Award Selection Committee hosted an awards ceremony and reception July 10 to honor Sharon Boivin with the 2019 Jeanne E. Griffith Award, which recognizes individuals working in federal, state, and local government agencies for their efforts to mentor junior statistical staff.
Family, friends, and colleagues joined friends of Jeanne Griffith, the award committee, the Interagency Council on Statistical Policy (ICSP), and Boivin at the ceremony, marking the 17th annual presentation of the award and the 11th year the Government Statistics Section (GSS) has managed the award process.
Boivin is a mathematical statistician at the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), but she has had an impact across the federal government and statistical system by working as a senior member of the Commission on Evidence-Based Policymaking and on assignment to help create a federal data strategy. As her nominators Tiffany Julian and Shelly Martinez point out, they were moved by the stories of how Boivin helped individuals overcome doubts and fears while generously sharing her time and expertise and serving as a sounding board in professional and personal situations.
American Educational Research Association
American Institutes for Research
Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics (COPAFS)
Government Statistics Section
Interagency Council on Statistical Policy
Social Statistics Section
Research Triangle Institute
Washington Statistical Society2019 Award Committee Members
Bill Mockovak, Bureau of Labor Statistics (Chair)
Jeffrey Gonzalez, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Anna Nevius, Retired
Joy Sharp, US Energy Information Administration
Cynthia Ogden, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Diane Willimack, US Census Bureau
Acknowledged within NCES for her contributions to mentoring, Sharon applied this same ethic to assignments outside NCES. As one nominator noted, Sharon brought deep expertise to the team, but also contributed work ethic, positivity, and optimism that was infectious.
Several of the people Boivin mentored mentioned how she was willing to share her skills, pushed them to learn new skills and take on new opportunities, and encouraged them to expand their professional networks. Others commented that she actively sought their feedback, encouraged them to interact and meet with other staff, and urged them to give presentations at meetings or professional conferences. Boivin also served as a sounding board and confidante who was willing to help her staff think through career goals and options while providing thoughtful and honest feedback.
A nominator also pointed out how Boivin has a heart for guiding and creating dedicated civil servants. This passion was on display when Boivin successfully recruited almost 40 part-time team members from across the federal government to create a federal data strategy. In the process, she emphasized professional development, honest communication between team leadership and fellows, and effective performance. She was also always willing to share her time and knowledge, even within such a large group.
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