Our Board of Examiners

Below are the names of the individuals who sacrificed time and family to review and provide helpful feedback to the organizations that submitted an application for the Senate Productivity and Quality Award. These persons comprise the esteemed membership of our Board of Examiners. We post their names here in recognition of the significant investment in…

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Benefits of an Examiner

Below are 20 benefits of being an Examiner. The tremendous professional development opportunity of being a hard-working, engaged examiner offers: A resume-noticeable accomplishment, Public recognition of accomplishment including a certificate and employer letter signed by Virginia’s Senators, Continued personal learning and professional development – sharpening skills and adding knowledge valuable to other types of certification…

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Workshops, coming soon!

Baldrige Excellence Framework Workshops: These sessions provide an introduction to the Baldrige Excellence Framework, concepts and Criteria.  Using the Case Study of a fictitious organization, the training includes large group discussion, and small group exercises to help participants learn or expand their understanding of the Criteria and how it may assist their individual or organizational…

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June Webinar

Operationalizing Equity June 6, 2023| 11:00 am to 12:00 pm (Central Time) ADD TO CALENDAR REGISTER NOW MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EVENT   DESCRIPTION CultureBrokers defines equity as “results that do not differ by race, ethnicity, culture, and other meaningful differences.” Interpreted in this way, equity moves from an abstract and amorphous concept toward a practical,…

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2023 May Spotlight

At SPQA, our support in helping organizations on their journey to excellence leverages the talents and experiences of our volunteer workforce. Each workforce member has a unique story to tell. In this article we have interviewed Steve Bonk to get his story. Why did you choose to become a Board Member for SPQA?  Became a SPQA…

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2023 May Spotlight

At SPQA, our support in helping organizations on their journey to excellence leverages the talents and experiences of our volunteer workforce. Each volunteer workforce member has a unique story to tell. In this article we have interviewed José Perez Martínez. What interested you in becoming an Examiner with SPQA?  Wanting to learn about organizations choosing…

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2022 Above & Beyond Award

Every year the SPQA recognizes special examiners who have contributed greatly to the success of the Award Program. This peer recognition from team members and team leadership is delivered through three special awards: Above and Beyond Award, Rookie of the Year Award, and Examiner of the Year. The Above and Beyond recognition is awarded to…

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September Webinar

Delivering on your Commitment to Excellence September 12, 2023 | 11:00 am to 12:00 pm (Central Time) ADD TO CALENDAR REGISTER NOW MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EVENT DESCRIPTION An organization can only achieve true excellence when all its diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural groups experience the same great results from its offerings. CultureBrokers calls this “equity.”…

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2023 April Spotlight

At SPQA, our support in helping organizations on their journey to excellence leverages the talents and experiences of our volunteer workforce. Each volunteer workforce member has a unique story to tell. In this article we have interviewed Harold Hanson. What interested you in becoming an Examiner with SPQA?  I appreciate working with multidisciplinary teams observing…

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2023 April Spotlight

At SPQA, our support in helping organizations on their journey to excellence leverages the talents and experiences of our volunteer workforce. Each workforce member has a unique story to tell. In this article we have interviewed Mary Redd-Clary, PhD., our SPQA Secretary to get her story. Why did you choose to become a Board Member…

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Nyrma Soffel

Nyrma Soffel, Office Manager for the City of Harrisonburg’s Department of Community Development, is at the center of customer services related to development and building projects that come to City Hall. Nyrma has wide-ranging experience in operational quality control and assurance, and in Six Sigma and Lean methodologies. Her focus on service-oriented process improvement and…

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James Spengler

James (Jim) Spengler is currently employed by The Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities Department (RPCA) in Alexandria, Virginia. Their mission is to create meaningful experiences through public space, cultural activities, and programming. Operating responsibilities cover public parks, medians and rights-of-way, urban forestry, outdoor areas at public schools, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and a city…

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April Schmidt

April Schmidt is zealous about helping organizations perform at their highest potential. Her career began in healthcare as a Medical Social Worker with an expertise in geriatrics, having work experience in: Skilled Nursing Facility, Homecare, Hospice & Palliative Care, Health Insurance and Aging Continuum. April learned about the value and importance of working as an…

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