26th Annual State Agency Recognition Awards
Celebrating outstanding achievements and accomplishments in small business and DVBE advocacy and contracting.
The State Agency Recognition Awards (SARA) is happy to celebrate our 26th annual ceremony. SARA honors state departments, Small Business (SB) and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) advocates, and state leadership for outstanding achievements in SB & DVBE advocacy and contracting for fiscal year 2024-25.
The awards ceremony was held in person April 14, 2026 at the May Lee State Office Complex.
See the winners of each category below.
Introduction presented by Imran Chaudhary, Statewide Advocacy Support Program Manager, Department of General Services Presentation of Colors by Travis Air Force Base Honor Guard The National Anthem by Sergeant Christopher Calceta, Certification Officer, Office of Small Business and DVBE Services, Department of General Services
Departments that achieved 30 percent or more small business participation and 5 percent or more disabled veteran business participation were recognized with a Notable Achievement Award.
The winners are:
- Agricultural Labor Relations Board
- Alcoholic Beverage Control Appeals Board
- Board of Pilot Commissioners
- Board of State and Community Corrections
- California Coastal Commission
- California Commission on Aging
- California Conservation Corps
- California Department of Health Care Services
- California Department of Human Resources
- California Environmental Protection Agency
- California Gambling Control Commission
- California Health and Human Services Agency
- California Health Facilities Financing Authority
- California Public Employees’ Retirement System
- California School for the Blind
- California State Teachers’ Retirement System
- California Student Aid Commission
- California Tahoe Conservancy
- CalSavers Retirement Savings Board
- Cannabis Control Appeals Board
- Civil Rights Department
- Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training
- Commission on Teacher Credentialing
- Debt and Investment Advisory Commission
- Delta Stewardship Council
- Department of Aging
- Department of Cannabis Control
- Department of Child Support Services
- Department of Conservation
- Department of Education
- Department of Finance
- Department of Financial Protection and Innovation
- Department of Housing and Community Development
- Department of Insurance
- Department of Motor Vehicles
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Fair Political Practices Commission
- First 5 California
- Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation
- Governor’s Office of Service and Community Engagement
- HOPE for Children Trust Account Program Board
- Military Department
- Native American Heritage Commission
- Office of Data and Innovation
- Office of Tax Appeals
- Office of the Inspector General
- Public Employment Relations Board
- ScholarShare Investment Board
- School for the Deaf-Fremont
- School for the Deaf-Riverside
- Sierra Nevada Conservancy
- State Board of Equalization
- State Treasurer’s Office
- State Water Resources Control Board
Presented by Marta Carrera and Tonii Alejandrez, Certification Managers, Office of Small Business and DVBE Services, Department of General Services
The departments that made the largest increase in their small business or disabled veteran business enterprise participation percent from 2023-24 to 2024-25, while also participation, were recognized with a “Most Improved” award. The award was given to five departments based on the sizes of the departments and broken down by small business participation and DVBE participation.
Departments that achieved the greatest increase in SB or Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) participation rates from 2023-24 to 2024-25, while maintaining overall program engagement, were honored with the ‘Most Improved’ award. In addition, departments were recognized based on their size and exceptional involvement in state contracting programs. Selection criteria for Small Business and DVBE participation reflect a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion in procurement practices, demonstrated by meeting or exceeding participation goals of at least 25 percent for Small Business and 3 percent for DVBE.
Most Improved Small Business Participation Winners
Extra Small Agency: under $250,000
Native American Heritage Commission
Participation rose from 10.03% to 93.03%
Small Agency: $250,000 - $2 million
Education Audit Appeals Panel
Participation rose from 10.35% to 100%
Medium Agency: $2 – $20 million
Scholar Share Investment Board
Participation rose from 24.62% to 90.18%
Large Agency: $20 – $50 million
State Water Resources Control Board
Participation rose from 45.63% to 65.60%
Extra Large Agency: over $50 million
California Department of Veterans Affairs
Participation rose from 32.24% to 47.31%
Presented by Darvin Manuel, Statewide Advocacy Support Manager and Michael Barraza, Certification Officer, Office of Small Business and DVBE Services at the Department of General Services
Most Improved DVBE Participation winners
Extra Small Agency: under $250,000
Board of Pilot Commissioners
Participation rose from 0.89% to 78.82%
Small Agency: $250,000 - $2 million
Public Employment Relations Board
Participation rose from 3.30% to 31.03%
Medium Agency: $2 – $20 million
California Environmental Protection Agency
Participation rose from 15.52% to 33.41%
Large Agency: $20 – $50 million
Department of Conservation
Participation rose from 3.12% to 23.24%
Extra Large Agency: over $50 million
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Participation rose from 3.16% to 7.54%
Presented by Megan Wisniewski, Compliance Manager and Chad Wright, Business Outreach Liaison, Office of Small Business and DVBE Services at the Department of General Services
Presented by the California Department of Veterans Affairs, these two awards are presented to an individual and a business. The individual award goes to a disabled veteran who is a champion of the disabled veteran business enterprise program. The business award goes to a disabled veteran-owned business that works with the state and supports veteran entrepreneurs.
The winners are:
Individual Excellence
Stephanie Perez
Cambridge House
Business Excellence
Roebbelen Contracting Inc.
Presented by Roberto Herrera, Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs, California Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Green Awards are given to agencies who have met their Small Business and DVBE goals while proving their commitment to Environmentally Preferable Purchasing. The Green Awards consider Environmentally Preferable Purchasing data, participation in the Performance and Environmental Standards workgroup, and the number of purchasing officials that have taken EPP training.
The winners are:
Gold Award
Department of Motor Vehicles
Sliver Award
Department of Motor Vehicles
Bronze Award
California Department of Justice
Presented by Tony Wang, Senior Procurement Engineer, for the Department of General Services.
The Advocacy Support Unit is excited to share its inaugural Advocacy Impact Recognition Award, celebrating outstanding SB/DVBE Advocates and their departments for their commitment to increasing SB and DVBE participation.
This award recognizes teams who: The winner is: Danielle Gifford California Highway Patrol
Presented by Sandra “Julee” Starkey, Advocacy Support Analyst with the Office of Small Business and DVBE Services at the Department of General Services.
This award recognizes three SB/DVBE advocates throughout the state of California for exemplary work and success through outreach efforts, performance measurements, and notable improvements with a bronze, silver, and gold award.
The winners are:
Gold Award
Elizabeth Lesniak
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Silver Award
Joanne Arcilla
Department of Water Resources
Bronze Award
Samantha Gaines & Nicole Newkirk
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration
Presented by Paige Johnson, Small Business and DVBE Advocate, Department of Social Services
The Agency of the Year Award honors a state agency or department for their best practices, creativity, and outstanding achievements to advance the state’s small business and DVBE programs. This year's winner demonstrated their commitment and success across the areas of outreach efforts, performance measurements, and notable improvements.
The winner is: California Military Department Presented by Danetta Jackson, Statewide Supplier Diversity Program Chief, Department of General Services
The Supplier Diversity Award is given to a California state department, agency, board, commission, office, or university that met their small business and disabled veteran business enterprise goals while demonstrating their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in state procurement and contracting. This includes DEI policy implementation, supplier diversity, and other activities.
The winner is: Danetta Jackson Department of General Services
Presented by Angela Shell, Chief Procurement Officer for the State of California and Deputy Director of the Procurement Division at the Department of General Services.
This award celebrates organizations that recognize and honor the state’s small business and DVBE programs. These organizations, mostly counties, cities, transportation agencies, utilities, and other local municipalities are reciprocity partners of the state of California. Their efforts, although outside of state government, also benefit the small business and DVBE communities.
The winner is: Sacramento Municipal Utilities District (SMUD) Presented by Demeshia Swanson, Business Outreach Program Manager, Office of Small Business and DVBE Services, Department of General Services
This award is in memory of Angel Carrera Jr., Chief of the Certification and Outreach Branch at DGS who passed away in 2019. The award recognizes and celebrates a leader in state procurement who, like Angel, supports small businesses and DVBEs in state procurement and is a tremendous leader.
The winner is:
Colonel Adam Rix
California Military Department
Presented by Angela Shell, Chief Procurement Officer for the state of California and Deputy Director of the Procurement Division at the Department of General Services
This award is given to the state department, agency or individual whose best practices, innovation, and advocacy efforts have allowed them to go above and beyond in exceeding the state’s Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise contracting goals.
The winner is: Erika Gomez State Coastal Conservancy Presented by Nick Maduros, Secretary of Government Operations Agency.
Presented for the 18th year, this award honors the state agency or department that best demonstrates excellence and innovation in providing contracting opportunities to small businesses and disabled veterans business enterprises. It is a prestigious honor given to the department or agency that models a superior standard to which other state departments can aspire.
The winner is:
California State Teachers' Retirement System
Presented by Elmy Bermejo, Office of the Small Business Advocate, Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.
Presented by Angela Shell, Chief Procurement Officer for the State of California and Deputy Director of the Procurement Division at the Department of General Services.