Though "House of Cards" actor Michael Kelly was in attendance, the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals once again showcased a more Sorkin-esque example of public service.
Kelly — who plays the most devoted, if villainous, civil servant on TV in fictional Chief of Staff Doug Stamper — emceed the event with NBC News' Stephanie Ruhle to highlight the best of federal employees working to advance the public good.
Actual White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough had a little fun with his Hollywood host, noting that life in the real White House possessed little of the intrigue and Machiavellian tendencies seen on the hit show.
"There are a couple of potential problems that I was hoping you could help me address," he joked with Kelly.
"Don't worry," Kelly said with a sinister snarl, "I know someone."
McDonough said that instead of the power grabs and machinations often portrayed as the status quo of the Washington of the small screen, federal service is often more altruistic.
"One [touchstone] you might have heard the president talk about in some interviews recently is a sticker that we made in the White House that says simply 'Fight Cynicism.' We did that because we know that cynicism sells," he said. "Cynicism is pretty popular these days, but hope is better."
"That doesn't mean that hope is any easier," he added.
Hope was certainly the coin of the realm for the night, as the Partnership for Public Service spotlighted the winners of nine awards whose contributions to public service have helped improve federal government. The winners included:
Federal Employee of the Year
Paul McGann, Dennis Wagner and Jean Moody-Williams of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, whose public-private initiative focused on hospital patient safety, saving an estimated 87,000 lives and $20 billion in costs.
Career Achievement Medal
Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Department of Energy Kathleen B. Hogan, who headed a number of energy efficiency initiatives that will help reduce 3 billion tons of carbon dioxide by 2030.
Homeland Security and Law Enforcement Medal
Department of Justice attorneys Thomas A. Mariani, Jr., Steven O'Rourke and Sarah D. Himmelhoch were recognized for their landmark $20.8 billion settlement against BP for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
National Security and International Affairs Medal
FBI Chief Explosives Scientist Kirk Yeager was recognized for his contributions in the investigations of terrorist bomb attacks at home and abroad and his work on how to stop them.
Science and Environment Medal
Jaques Reifman and the APPRAISE team at the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command were recognized for their development of a portable computer to help detect internal bleeding for wounded soldiers on the battlefield.
Call to Service Medal
Tate A. Jarrow, special agent for the U.S. Secret Service, was awarded for his role in investigating a pair of cybercrime cases that netted more than $350 million in illegal gains through computer hacking, stock manipulation, credit card fraud and money laundering.
Citizen Services Medal
Lisa M. Jones, program manager for the Department of the Treasury, was honored for her role in a long-term bond program that invests in small businesses in low-income communities, with $852 million in loans since 2013 at no costs to taxpayers.
Management Excellence Medal
William Gregory Burel, director of the division of Strategic National Stockpile at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was recognized for his management of a $7 billion repository of critical medication and supplies designated for public health crises deployment. Burel had previously coordinated multiple deployments for everything from an influenza pandemic to the Ebola crisis.
Service to America Medals People's Choice award
Edward Grace and the Operation Crash Team of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their investigation of the illegal trade rhino horns and elephant ivory.
For more information on the Sammies, visit servicetoamericamedals.org.
