PLJ Recognizes our
2025 JOYFUL LEADERSHIP
Award Winners
The Profiles in Leadership Journal Joyful Leader Award honors leaders who infuse their organizations with joy, enthusiasm, and inspiration. This accolade acknowledges individuals who lead with compassion and humanity, fostering uplifting workplaces. These leaders prioritize positivity, growth, and fulfillment, complementing strategic thinking and decision-making.
Open to leaders across all sectors—corporate executives, entrepreneurs, educators, nonprofit leaders, and creative visionaries—the award celebrates those who transform the work and leadership experience, whether at a Fortune 500 company, a startup, or a community organization.
The Joyful Leader Award recognizes those who cultivate thriving work environments through humor, playfulness, emotional intelligence, and optimism, promoting a culture of creativity, innovation, and well-being. Read about these exceptional individuals in the following pages.
2025 Joyful Leadership Award Winners
- Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP – Carter Dugan – Partner-in-Charge, Houston
- Orbital Engineering, Inc. – Dave Karafa – Executive Vice President, Utility Services
