President Donald Trump often claims that government workers are lazy, dishonest and corrupt. But there’s another side to the story. For every bad apple, there are countless public sector workers passionately (and, more often than not, thanklessly) working in pursuit of a more perfect union.

Five years ago, the Integrity Icon Awards began as an effort to “name and fame” these unsung heroes. Since then, The Citizen and partner Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Accountability Lab have been handing out awards to a select, vetted group of bureaucrats who exemplify the best of Philly.

On Thursday, May 22, 2025, more than 125 people (including several past winners!) gathered to celebrate this year’s group of Integrity Icons at a reception at Fitler Club. The evening’s master of ceremonies, former Mayor Michael Nutter, defined integrity in his own words, saying that it’s about public workers conducting “themselves in a way that’s in the best interest of the public and not themselves personally.”

The program kicked off with a prerecorded video from each winner, showcasing the impactful track records which led up to their nominations. Every year, The Citizen and Accountability Lab assemble a panel of high-integrity judges who sift through dozens of nominees. Past winners have included city employees in a wide array of departments, from Parks to Police, arts to immigrant affairs, and beyond. The awards are also intended to be forward-looking — celebrating a gold standard for current and future generations of workers to live up to.

The 2025 Integrity Icon Awards

This year’s Icons:

Nathan Sallard is the Client Services Manager at Group Violence Intervention (GVI), a division of the Office of Safe Neighborhoods. He has dramatically improved the results of his office’s programs, helping to save lives and secure quality jobs for Philadelphians.

Yu-Shan Chou is a Language Access and Engagement Specialist for the City Commissioners Office, where she works tirelessly to ensure that immigrant communities are informed, empowered, and have access to the polls.

Rorng Sorn breaks down barriers for immigrant communities in an effort to help them receive critical mental health services — part of her role as the Language Access Coordinator for the City of Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services.

Omar Crowder is the beloved principal of Northeast High School, where he’s provided uncanny leadership at a time of unprecedented difficulties in that part of the city. Under his watch and despite these challenges, Northeast High School has boasted a sky-high staff retention rate for staff and impressive graduation rates for students.

Charlene Samuels is the Constituent Services Representative for City Council Minority Leader Kendra Brooks. Known for her encyclopedic knowledge of City laws and support programs, she routinely helps residents with finding solutions to their needs, whether it’s keeping them in their homes or connecting them with a healthcare provider.

In addition to the videos, the night’s jubilant atmosphere compelled each winner to deliver a few more words while accepting their award from Mayor Nutter on stage. Although they were full of thank yous, the speeches also served as a reminder of why Integrity Icon was created in the first place.

Charlene Samuels, one of this year’s winners — and the Constituent Services Representative for City Council Minority Leader Kendra Brooks — inspired a raucous round of applause with her comments: “I’m so glad for this opportunity that has been afforded to me. I don’t take it lightly, because I don’t believe in mediocrity. You have to set the bar high and have a high standard.”

Well said.

Watch the event

Photos from the event

PAST INTEGRITY ICON CELEBRATIONS