KUCIMAT Award for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
This award recognizes individuals or communities that are playing a leadership role in placing the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion as local government priorities. Through their actions, the recipients of this award will have made a lasting impact on their community, organization, and/or field of public administration by advancing policies of social justice, creating public spaces that are safe for all, or reforming systems that traditionally suppressed civic participation.
2024 Winner
Jaron Balderes
(MPA 2018)
"Jaron is a wicked smart KUCIMAT who also happens to be Mexican-American, LGBTQ+, a U.S. Army veteran, and a close friend. He's recently been awarded the "Bronze Medal for Commendable Service" for his contributions to the EPA for his technical achievements and financial policy development expertise. He was also recently appointed to a commissioner seat on the Human Relations Commission for the City of Topeka, Kansas, where he first interned while earning his MPA. Finally, he's been heavily involved with the Topeka Pride board, and co-led Topeka's first "Pride Palooza," which is a huge deal for LGBTQ+ community members."
- Logan Masenthin (2018) | Denver, CO
Past Winners
| Year | Name | Title/Organization |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Jaron Balderes | Budget Analyst, Environmental Protection Agency |
| 2022 | Kirsten C. Decker | Manager of Strategy and Evaluation, Denver Public Library |
| 2021 | Joshua Robinson | Senior Associate, Network Manager, Living Cities |
| 2020 | Phillip Smith-Hanes | County Administrator, Saline County, KS |