Each year, APSE honors individuals, organizations, and employers for their individual and collective contributions to Employment First. We invite nominations for the 2025 National APSE Conference June 2025.  

Please submit nominations in as many of the categories as you would like. 

APSE Awards aim to honor those who have excelled and made significant contributions in the following categories:

• Rebecca McDonald Chapter Leader Award
• Organizational Best Practice Award
• Employer of the Year Award
• Lois Curtis Advocacy Award (person with a disability)
• Public Policy Leader Award
• Wendy M. Wood Rising Leader Award
• David Hammis Innovation Award
• Got Mike! Emerging Leader in Scholarship Award (sponsored by the Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation)
• Certified Employment Support Professional™ (CESP) of the Year Award

APSE strongly encourages that consideration be given to ensure that nominees reflect the full range of diversity across the field. Self-nominations will not be accepted. We will recognize all award nominees at the 2025 National APSE Conference and online. Nominees will be made aware of their nomination.

Reviewers will consider each proposal on the quality of the narrative provided by the nominator, strong letters of support, adherence to APSE's mission, and vision for employment equity. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Please ensure you get an email confirming your submission, otherwise, your application may not have been received. 

Thanks in advance for your consideration; we look forward to receiving your submissions! 

APSE National Awards Nomination Directions

Deadline for nominations: March 29, 2025

1. Login at www.apse.smapply.org and under “Programs” select the APSE Awards to begin your application. (Direct link: https://apse.smapply.io/prog/apse_awards) 
2. Confirm your email address - the confirmation email will come from info@apse.org. This is required to fully submit the application form.
3. Add contributors - if you’d like to have others participate in the completion of the nomination form you can add them as contributors! 
4. Select the award category in which you are submitting your nomination online.
5. Answer the narrative questions addressing the award criteria under each award description. (250-word maximum per question)
6. Attach at least one individualized letter of support for your nominee.  The letter of support must address the 2022 APSE award criteria.
7. Upload a photo of the nominee in jpg form on the application. This should be a high-quality photo of the nominee.
8. Once you’ve submitted you will receive a confirmation email. If you do not receive a confirmation email, your nomination has not been received.

Please reach out to info@apse.org if you have any questions or difficulties entering the information online.