Emerging Leader Award

Recognizing Innovation and Leadership

Nominations Now Open

The DMEC Emerging Leader Award recognizes individuals within the absence management industry who are contributing innovative and creative solutions for complex leave or disability challenges, and who are demonstrating evolving leadership within their organization, the industry, and/or DMEC.

Nominations for the 2023 DMEC Emerging Leader Award are open between March 1 and April 28, 2023.

Start nomination

Eligibility Requirements

1. The nominee must have worked in the absence management industry between 1-10 years.
2. The nominee must be either an organizational or individual DMEC member. Individuals from both employer and supplier companies are eligible.
3. The nominee cannot currently be serving on DMEC’s Employer Advisory Council, Executive Advisory Board, or the National Board of Directors.

Award Recipient Recognition & Benefits

The winner of the 2023 DMEC Emerging Leader Award will be recognized during the 2023 DMEC Annual Conference, Aug. 14-17, 2023, at the Town and Country Resort in San Diego, CA.

In addition, the winner will receive: 

• A complimentary full conference registration for the 20232 DMEC Annual Conference
• The opportunity to attend a luncheon at the conference with the DMEC Executive Advisory Board and Employer Advisory Council
• A complimentary hotel room for the conference
• A $300 travel voucher for conference travel expenses
• A published interview in @Work magazine
• Recognition on the DMEC website, member bulletin, and social media

Nomination & Selection Process

The DMEC Emerging Leader Award nomination period is open between March 1, 2022 and April 28, 2023. Individuals can be nominated by their supervisors, colleagues, vendor partners, or anyone who has specific knowledge of the individual’s absence management contributions.

In addition to general contact information, the following questions are included in the nomination form:

1. Describe the nominee’s innovative and creative solutions for leave or disability challenges.
2. Describe the nominee’s demonstrated leadership within their organization, the industry, and/or DMEC.
3. Describe an innovative solution the nominee has implemented because of challenges that have emerged during the pandemic.
4. Describe the nominee’s professional accomplishments.

All nominations will be reviewed, and a winner will be selected by a DMEC committee. All nominees will be informed of their nomination, and the winner will be notified by Monday, May 29, 2023.

Start nomination

Past Recipients

Below is a list of our past award winners.

Learn more about our 2022 winners in the @Work article, How Do You Define Leadership? DMEC Emerging Leader Award Winners Share Insights, and one of our 2021 winners in the podcast episode, Encouraging Leadership for Early Careerists.