Recognition in Engineering
Engineering Quarterly Achievers
Quarterly, CTO Leadership will recognize Engineering team members who have excelled in a given quarter. Winners are selected from nominations submitted by their peers. Winners are announced at the Engingeering All Hands. Recognition includes:
- an invitation to the Engineering Quarterly Achievers Chat
- participation in the Engineering Quarterly Achiever’s Recognition Dinner - an expensed meal for yourself, friends and family to celebrate your work.
Engineering Quarterly Achiever’s Chat
The Quarterly Achiever’s Chat recognizes Engineering team members who have excelled in a given quarter by inviting them to join the Chief Technology Officer and 2 members of E-Group in a congratulatory chat. The benefit is three-fold:
- Top performers receive facetime and recognition directly at the executive level
- Knowledge sharing of best practices that can be replicated by other Engineering team members
- Leaders/teams outside of the Engineering organization gain visibility into successes
Key features of this call include:
- 30-minute call
- Held within first two months of new quarter
- CTO and 2 E-Group Members attendance required
- Not recorded
Engineering Quarterly Achiever’s Recognition Dinner
As part of this initiative, Engineering Quarterly Achievers are able to expense a meal up to $250.00 USD
The meal must occur and be expensed before the last day of the quarter following the announcement of their win. Each winner will be messaged individually by the program DRI Liki Simonot to let them know what is the last day of the quarter for expensing. Winners may submit their receipt for reimbursement via Navan.
Expensing Instructions:
- In Navan, click Add Transaction Select Upload receipt (or select Type in details)
- Under Expense Type field, please select “Team events & meals”
- Under Classification, please select “FY26 Team Building”
- Under Description field, please include this link: https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/recognition/#engineering-quarterly-achievers-recognition-dinner
- Click Submit (or Save & close if you need to come back to add more information).
The $250.00 USD is reimbursable for a meal only, other items do not qualify.
Engineering Quarterly Achievers Nominations
Team members can nominate a peer for an award using this submission form at any time. You may nominate as many people as you wish, provided the meet the selection criteria:
- The team member operates within GitLab and in their particular area of achievement in concordance with GitLab Values
- The team member has not won a Quarterly Achiever award within the current fiscal year
Add all relevant information to the text of your nomination – adding a link as SSOT is great, but ideally a nomination shouldn’t require clicking through to anything to be understood and evaluated. Be aware that the text (but not your name!) may be shared with the nominee.
Winners Announcement
Winners will be announced at the Engineering All Hands. The program DRI Liki Simonot will also reach out individually to each winner, providing details on the winners chat, and guidelines on when / how to expense their dinner. If a team member is on leave during this process, they can communicate with Liki on joining a future winners chat, and when to expense their meal.
Categories
In total, 15 team members from across the Engineering organization will be recognized. The categories by segment for FY6 include:
Engineering Efficiency
- Best Design Proposal Award - awarded to individuals who submit well thought-out, technically-sound architecture design document proposals on items that require cross-functional communication and influence
- Cost Savings Award - awarded to individuals who significantly contribute towards reducing costs
- Software Efficiency Award - awarded to individuals who implement an abstraction, pattern, or library that makes future development efforts much more efficient
- Proactive Avoidance Award - awarded to individuals who raise concerns about things before they become disastrous incidents
- Security Improvement Award - awarded to individuals who implement security features or defense in depth pattern to provide a more secure DevSecOps environment for everyone
- Hiring Efficiency Award - awarded to individuals who made a significant contribution to hiring efforts. This award is determined by interview data that is pulled by the recruiting team. If you would like to share your hiring observations for a nominee, you can send them to Jack Connors who will include your observations in the decision making process.
Engineering Excellence
- Engineering Excellence Award - awarded to individuals who develop an innovative idea/approach to an existing problem, and successfully gather wider support within the organization
- Excellence Under Pressure Award - awarded to individuals who keep a cool head while methodically solving high-impact incidents
- Testing Excellence Award - awarded to individuals whose efforts allow us to release with confidence and high quality
- Most Impactful MR or Doc Update Award - recognition for a contribution with a far reaching effect
- Everyone-can-contribute Award - awarded to individuals who step across department lines to make things better than they were before
Customer Results
- Customer-centered Individual Award - awarded to individuals who take ownership of high-impact customer escalations, coordinate stakeholders and build trusting relationships with our customers as they walk the path to a satisfactory resolution
- Customer Kudos Award - awarded to an individual who a customer recognized as an extraordinary contributor in their feedback
- Performance and Scalability Award - awarded to individuals who contribute significantly towards a performance or scalability improvement that benefits our customers.
- Contribution to Sales or Renewal Award - awarded to an individual who assisted in quarterly revenue generating activity - nominated by a member of Sales, CS or Renewals
Categories are reevaluated by CTO leadership and changed as necessary.
Engineering Quarterly Achievers Past Winners
These are the past award winners. The quarter indicated covers work completed that quarter.
FY26-Q1
| Quarter | Category | Award | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY26-Q1 | Efficiency | Best Design Proposal | Not Awarded |
| FY26-Q1 | Efficiency | Cost Savings | Dmitry Gruzd |
| FY26-Q1 | Efficiency | Software Efficiency | Stanislav Lashmanov |
| FY26-Q1 | Efficiency | Proactive Avoidance | Gregory Havenga |
| FY26-Q1 | Efficiency | Security Improvement | Erran Carey |
| FY26-Q1 | Efficiency | Hiring Efficiency | Tony Ganga |
| FY26-Q1 | Excellence | Engineering Excellence | Ravi Kumar |
| FY26-Q1 | Excellence | Excellence Under Pressure | Not Awarded |
| FY26-Q1 | Excellence | Testing Excellence | Not Awarded |
| FY26-Q1 | Excellence | Most Impactful MR or Doc Update | Terri Chu |
| FY26-Q1 | Excellence | Everyone-can-contribute | Not Awarded |
| FY26-Q1 | Customer Results | Customer Centered Individual | Donna Alexandra |
| FY26-Q1 | Customer Results | Customer Kudos | Not Awarded |
| FY26-Q1 | Customer Results | Performance and Scalability | Konst Tchernov |
| FY26-Q1 | Customer Results | Contribution to Sales or Renewal | Not Awarded |
FY25-Q4
| Quarter | Category | Award | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY25-Q4 | Efficiency | Best Design Proposal | Himanshu Kapoor |
| FY25-Q4 | Efficiency | Cost Savings | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q4 | Efficiency | Software Efficiency | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q4 | Efficiency | Proactive Avoidance | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q4 | Efficiency | Security Improvement | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q4 | Efficiency | Hiring Efficiency | Manuel Grabowski |
| FY25-Q4 | Excellence | Engineering Excellence | Heinrich Lee Yu |
| FY25-Q4 | Excellence | Excellence Under Pressure | Kerri Miller |
| FY25-Q4 | Excellence | Testing Excellence | Manoj Memana Jayakumar |
| FY25-Q4 | Excellence | Most Impactful MR or Doc Update | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q4 | Excellence | Everyone-can-contribute | Sarah Walker |
| FY25-Q4 | Customer Results | Customer Centered Individual | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q4 | Customer Results | Customer Kudos | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q4 | Customer Results | Performance and Scalability | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q4 | Customer Results | Contribution to Sales or Renewal | Erran Carey |
FY25-Q3
| Quarter | Category | Award | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY25-Q3 | Efficiency | Best Design Proposal | Andy Knight |
| FY25-Q3 | Efficiency | Cost Savings | Gosia Ksionek |
| FY25-Q3 | Efficiency | Software Efficiency | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q3 | Efficiency | Proactive Avoidance | Rob Hunt |
| FY25-Q3 | Efficiency | Security Improvement | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q3 | Efficiency | Hiring Efficiency | Eduardo Bonet |
| FY25-Q3 | Excellence | Engineering Excellence | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q3 | Excellence | Excellence Under Pressure | Andrew Newdigate |
| FY25-Q3 | Excellence | Testing Excellence | Andrejs Cunskis |
| FY25-Q3 | Excellence | Most Impactful MR or Doc Update | Veronica Mondo |
| FY25-Q3 | Excellence | Everyone-can-contribute | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q3 | Customer Results | Customer Centered Individual | Michael Kozono |
| FY25-Q3 | Customer Results | Customer Kudos | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q3 | Customer Results | Performance and Scalability | Jarka Košanová |
| FY25-Q3 | Customer Results | Contribution to Sales or Renewal | Not Awarded |
FY25-Q2
| Quarter | Category | Award | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY25-Q2 | Efficiency | Best Design Proposal | Bob Van Landuyt |
| FY25-Q2 | Efficiency | Cost Savings | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q2 | Efficiency | Software Efficiency | Dmitry Gruzd |
| FY25-Q2 | Efficiency | Proactive Avoidance | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q2 | Efficiency | Security Improvement | Brett Walker |
| FY25-Q2 | Excellence | Engineering Excellence | Angelo Rivera |
| FY25-Q2 | Excellence | Excellence Under Pressure | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q2 | Excellence | Testing Excellence | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q2 | Excellence | Most Impactful MR or Doc Update | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q2 | Excellence | Everyone-can-contribute | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q2 | Customer Results | Customer Centered Individual | Terri Chu |
| FY25-Q2 | Customer Results | Customer Kudos | Sam Bernal-Damasco |
| FY25-Q2 | Customer Results | Performance and Scalability | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q2 | Customer Results | Contribution to Sales or Renewal | Fabian Zimmer |
FY25-Q1
| Quarter | Category | Award | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY25-Q1 | Efficiency | Best Blueprint Proposal | Alessio Caiazza |
| FY25-Q1 | Efficiency | Cost Savings | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q1 | Efficiency | Software Efficiency | Dylan Griffith |
| FY25-Q1 | Efficiency | Proactive Avoidance | Matt Smiley |
| FY25-Q1 | Efficiency | Security Improvement | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q1 | Excellence | Engineering Excellence | Anton Smith |
| FY25-Q1 | Excellence | Excellence Under Pressure | Craig Miskell |
| FY25-Q1 | Excellence | Testing Excellence | Jay McCure |
| FY25-Q1 | Excellence | Most Impactful MR or Doc Update | Not Awarded |
| FY25-Q1 | Excellence | Everyone-can-contribute | Manoj Memana Jayakumar |
| FY25-Q1 | Excellence | Interviewing Excellence | Peter Hegman |
| FY25-Q1 | Customer Results | Customer Centered Individual | Patrick Bajao |
| FY25-Q1 | Customer Results | Customer Kudos | Kaitlyn Chappell |
| FY25-Q1 | Customer Results | Performance and Scalability | Chance Feick |
| FY25-Q1 | Customer Results | Contribution to Sales or Renewal | Erika Miklós |
FY24-Q4
| Quarter | Category | Award | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY24-Q4 | Efficiency | Best Blueprint Proposal | Not Awarded |
| FY24-Q4 | Efficiency | Cost Savings | Tomasz Maczukin |
| FY24-Q4 | Efficiency | Software Efficiency | Not Awarded |
| FY24-Q4 | Efficiency | Proactive Avoidance | Andreas Brandl |
| FY24-Q4 | Efficiency | Security Improvement | David Fernandez |
| FY24-Q4 | Excellence | Engineering Excellence | Not Awarded |
| FY24-Q4 | Excellence | Excellence Under Pressure | Matt Smiley |
| FY24-Q4 | Excellence | Testing Excellence | Mark Lapierre |
| FY24-Q4 | Excellence | Most Impactful MR or Doc Update | Not Awarded |
| FY24-Q4 | Excellence | Everyone-can-contribute | John Skarbek |
| FY24-Q4 | Customer Results | Customer Centered Individual | Samir Hafez |
| FY24-Q4 | Customer Results | Customer Kudos | Jio Castillo |
| FY24-Q4 | Customer Results | Performance and Scalability | Sylvester Chin |
| FY24-Q4 | Customer Results | Contribution to Sales or Renewal | Cameron Swords |
FY24-Q3
| Quarter | Category | Award | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY24-Q3 | Efficiency | Best Blueprint Proposal | Samil Hiltunen |
| FY24-Q3 | Efficiency | Cost Savings | Rehab Hassanein |
| FY24-Q3 | Efficiency | Software Efficiency | Adam Hegyi |
| FY24-Q3 | Efficiency | Proactive Avoidance | Marius Bobin |
| FY24-Q3 | Excellence | Engineering Excellence | Jason Plum |
| FY24-Q3 | Excellence | Excellence Under Pressure | Corinna Gogolok |
| FY24-Q3 | Excellence | Testing Excellence | Not Awarded |
| FY24-Q3 | Excellence | Most Impactful MR or Doc Update | Simon Street |
| FY24-Q3 | Excellence | Everyone-can-contribute | John Lyttle |
| FY24-Q3 | Customer Results | Customer Centered Individual | Daphne Kua |
| FY24-Q3 | Customer Results | Customer Kudos | Suleimi Ahmed |
| FY24-Q3 | Customer Results | Performance and Scalability | Brie Carranza & Matthew Badeau |
| FY24-Q3 | Customer Results | Contribution to Sales or Renewal | Gerardo Gutierrez |
Engineering Quarterly Achievers Process
This process is followed by a delegate of the CTO Leads team
Engineering Quarterly Achievers Timeline
- Engineering Quarterly Achievers selected within the first week of the new quarter by CTO leadership
- Engineering Quarterly Achievers announced and recognized in the Engineering All-Hands
- Program DRI reaches out to all winners to share details of the winners chat and dinner.
- Engineering Quarterly Achievers Chat held within the quarter of announcement
- CTO and 2 E-Group Members congratulate and inquire about key learnings from achievers on call
Communicating
- Create a Field Operations - Enablement issue (example) to get permission to post in
#field-fyifor the “Contribution to Sales or Renewal” Award. This should be completed at least 2 weeks prior to launching the nomination period.- Consider posting a pre-filled link that selects that specific award.
- In the Engineering Week in Review, add a note that nominations are open with a link to the form.
- Make a Slack post in
#engineering-fyi. Cross-post in#cto, and#eng-managers. - Consider posting reminders 1 week, and 1 day before due date.
Selecting Winners
- Pull the raw data from the nominations sheet and put it in a copy of
Engineering Quarterly Achievers Nominees Selection - TEMPLATE. It’s easier to collaborate on a Google Doc than a Google Sheet.- You can consider using
process-quarterly-achievers.rbto process the data.
- You can consider using
- Make a copy of the
Engineering Quarterly Achievers All Hands Deck - TEMPLATE - Follow the instructions in the template:
- Choose DRIs for each area from among CTO Leads
- Empower CTO Leads to make decisions
- Direct CTO Leads to update the deck with names, photos and speaker notes that highlight the nomination.
Announce Winners
For the next All-Hands, incorporate the final slides into primary deck! After All-hands, update this page with names of winners. Wooo! You’re done until next quarter.
Last modified August 5, 2025: Update file recognition.md (
f878dfc3)
