Recognizing outstanding nonprofit leaders
Announcing the 2026 EXCEL Award Winner!
After an extensive application and interview process, the Center is excited to announce the 2026 EXCEL Award Winner:
Erica Beal, Executive Director, School Leader Lab
At the School Leader Lab, Erica brings her passion for supporting school leaders and helping them find greater joy, sustainability, and impact in their work. She began her career as a Teach For America corps member and spent a decade as a teacher and school leader before joining School Leader Lab. Her work is grounded in strengthening relationships, equipping leaders with practical tools, and advancing more equitable school systems. Erica holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and a master’s degree from Columbia University.
And we'd like to congratulate our honorable mentions:
Joanne Lin, Executive Director, Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs
Dixon Osburn, Executive Director, Institute for Strategic Dialogue-US (ISD-US)
Click on their names to learn more about these individuals, and stay tuned for our upcoming series of video shorts reflecting on best practices! Thank you to our sponsor, GRF CPAs & Advisors, and selection committee for their continued time and efforts.
Don’t miss the chance to meet this year’s award recipients at our Annual Celebration on Thursday, December 10th from 9–11:30 a.m!
If funding is a prohibitor in your participation for this event, please reach out for ticket assistance.
Awarded by the Center since 2005 and sponsored by GRF CPAs & Advisors since 2007, the EXCEL Award honors exceptional nonprofit chief executives in our region. This year's competition will place a special emphasis on innovation in leadership, recognizing achievement in the areas of motivation, community building, ethical integrity and strategic leadership.
Nominations can be made by Board members, staff members, volunteers, clients or community members, and can be made with or without the candidate’s knowledge.
One nominee is selected as the EXCEL Winner and is given access to a $10,000 professional development account. The winner’s organization receives a $2,000 cash award to support professional development programs for its staff.
Up to two nominees may be selected as Honorable Mention recipients. Each of their organizations receives a $3,000 award to support professional development programs for the candidate and/or staff.
The call for nominations opens in July, and after an in depth review and selection process, winners are introduced at the Center's Annual Celebration in the fall.
If you have any questions about the process, please email seans@nonprofitadvancement.org.