Ragan’s 2025 Workplace Wellness Awards: Honorees and finalists announced

Ragan Communications is proud to unveil the finalists and honorees for its 2025 Workplace Wellness Awards, which celebrate the individuals and organizations setting the standard for employee wellbeing.

From groundbreaking mental health programs to standout benefits strategies and DEI-focused initiatives, this year’s finalists are helping redefine what it means to support employees in today’s dynamic work environment. The awards honor organizations and professionals leading the charge to create healthier, more inclusive and engaging workplaces.

Winners will be announced in June.

Click these links to jump to each section.

Honorees: People of the Year

CEO of the Year • CHRO of the Year • Culture Officer of the Year • Total Rewards Leader • HR Team of the Year

Finalists: Top Places to Work for Employee Wellbeing

Large Organizations • Midsize Organizations • Small Organizations

Finalists: Outstanding Total Rewards Programs

Large Organizations • Mid-Size Organizations

Finalists: Wellness Programs & Initiatives

DEI • Employee Benefits • Employee Engagement • Employee Experience • Financial Wellness • HR & Communications Collaboration • Learning & Development • Mental Health Initiatives • Physical Wellness • Work/Life Balance

People of the Year Honorees

These individuals and teams have championed employee wellbeing from the top down and across their organizations.

CEO of the Year

• Dr. Erling, Renown Health – Under Dr. Erling’s leadership, Renown Health launched a range of programs supporting mental, emotional and physical wellness, including expanded behavioral health access and personalized wellbeing services. His vision has made employee health a system-wide priority embedded into the organization’s operational strategy.

CHRO of the Year

• Kelly Jones, Cisco – Kelly Jones spearheaded Cisco’s inclusive wellness strategy, delivering programs that address mental health, caregiving, financial wellness and flexibility across a global workforce. She also led the expansion of mental health benefits and increased access to virtual care.

Culture Officer of the Year

• Robyn Jordan, DriveTime – Robyn Jordan developed a wellbeing roadmap centered on employee feedback, resulting in refreshed benefits offerings, improved PTO policies and targeted wellness resources. She also introduced transparent communication efforts that built trust and promoted workplace wellbeing as a core value.

Total Rewards Leader

• Toni-Ann Sforza, Municipal Credit Union – Toni-Ann Sforza led a team that ensured employees understood and utilized wellness benefits by producing strategic, accessible and multilingual campaigns. Their work contributed to stronger engagement with mental health and total rewards offerings across departments.

HR Team of the Year

• Vistatec HR Team – Vistatec’s HR team built a wellbeing program that spans physical, mental and social support, including fitness reimbursements, remote-friendly resources and manager training. Their cross-functional approach and employee-first mindset helped embed wellness into the company’s everyday culture.

Finalists

Top Places to Work for Employee Wellbeing

Large Organization (1,000+ employees)

• AlerisLife: EPIC Team Member Wellbeing
• Amgen: Total Workforce Health
• Bank of America
• Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas)
• NYU Langone Health: Wellbeats Platform for NYU Langone Health Employees & Family
• ServiceNow: Global Employee Communications and Engagement
• Verisk: Verisk Invests in and Fosters Wellness and Well-being

Mid-Size Organization (100–999 employees)

• Altimetrik, Corp.: Harmony Wellness Program
• LAIKA: LAIKA Total Rewards
• PAN Communications: PAN’s Commitment to Supporting Work-Life Balance
• Unanet

Small Organization (fewer than 100 employees)

• Breaktime Media
• Marathon Strategies
• Sapling Financial Consultants
• SourceCode Communications
• Vital Voices Global Partnership: People Operations Team

Outstanding Total Rewards Programs

Large Organization

• Athena
• Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas)

Mid-Size Organization

• Municipal Credit Union
• Unanet

Wellness Initiatives and Programs

DEI

• Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas)
• United Federal Credit Union

Employee Benefits

• DC Housing Finance Agency: DCHFA’S 2024 Workplace Wellness Program
• KCSA Strategic Communications
• LAIKA: LAIKA Benefits Team
• T-Mobile

Employee Engagement

• DHR Global: Reaching for Wellness
• EPAM Systems: Employee Engagement is a Corporate Imperative
• Kaiser Permanente: Amanda Higgins, Northern California Regional Communications
• Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas)

Employee Experience

• LAIKA: LAIKA Total Rewards
• Renown Health
• SpartanNash: Organizational Safety at SpartanNash
• St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital: GPM Onboarding
• United Federal Credit Union

Financial Wellness

• ADP Retirement Services: Financial Well-Being Roadmap Series
• Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas)

HR & Communications Collaboration

• Apexanalytix: BeWell
• Cox Enterprises
• MSU Federal Credit Union: 2025 Open Enrollment
• Municipal Credit Union: Total Rewards Communications
• NRG Energy: Wear Pink, Power Hope

Learning & Development

• Athena: Empowering Leaders and Building a World-Class Workforce
• EPAM Systems
• Sapling Financial Consultants
• United Federal Credit Union

Mental Health Initiatives

• Aetna: Resources for Living
• Henry Schein: Wellness Committee 2024
• Lexicon: “Strong as Steel: Building Mental Might” Initiative
• Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas)

Physical Wellness

• ePlus: ePlus Well & Good
• Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas)

Work-Life Balance

• Exos: Readiness Culture Code
• Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas)

Congratulations to all of this year’s finalists and honorees. Your work is transforming today’s workplace into a healthier, more supportive space where employees can grow and succeed.

Stay tuned — winners will be announced this June.