In October 2023, Fisher Alumni Gloria Shepherd received a medal from Samuel J. Heyman for the Service to America Medals alongside her peers Paul Nissenbaum and Maria Lefevre. They created and implemented an infrastructure law that helped them obtain the Management Excellence Medal. This law used 1 trillion dollars to modernize the nation’s highways, bridges, shipping ports, railroads, and airports.
This is currently one of the largest investments in the nation’s transportation system. The law was approved by Congress back in 2021 to repair, renew, and reinvigorate the country’s transportation. They worked closely with Congress and the White House to structure the bills’ legislative language according to what they were doing.
Gloria Shepherd is the Senior Official within the Federal Highway Administration, and this allowed her to take on the highway portion of the bill. She worked closely with the bridges, electrical charging infrastructure, and the Department of Energy. Shepherd worked hard to convince people why things should be done differently, and with the help of her co-workers, they obtained the Management Excellence Medal.
Samuel J. Heyman’s Service to America Medal, or “The Sammies,” is considered the “Oscars” of government service. They honor and reward people who show excellence and leadership by helping the nation innovate, engage globally, and deliver service to the public.
Some of the achievements awarded by “Sammies” are towards government work, including the success of handling international hostage negotiations and fighting organized crimes. They have also honored advanced planetary defense and improved education alongside student loan forgiveness programs.
