David Lebryk, named the 2025 Federal Employee of the Year by the Partnership for Public Service, is a former U.S. Treasury Department official with a 36-year career in federal service. As Fiscal Assistant Secretary from 2014 to 2025, he oversaw the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, managing over $6 trillion annually in government disbursements, including Social Security, Medicare, federal salaries, and tax refunds, while ensuring the security of sensitive financial systems. Lebryk was honored for improving transparency in tax collection and spending, delivering 480 million stimulus payments during the pandemic, and recovering $7 billion in improper payments through a fraud detection program.
Born in Indiana, Lebryk grew up in a single-parent household and attended college with federal education grants, fueling his commitment to public service. He holds a B.A. and M.P.A. from Harvard University. His career began in 1988 as a Presidential Management Intern at Treasury, and he later held roles such as Acting Director of the U.S. Mint and Commissioner of the Bureau of the Fiscal Service. He served under 11 Treasury secretaries across both Democratic and Republican administrations, earning praise for his nonpartisan integrity.
In January 2025, Lebryk resigned after refusing to grant the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk’s team, access to the government’s payment system, citing legal and ethical concerns over protecting sensitive data, including Social Security numbers and bank accounts. His stand, which led to his forced retirement, was highlighted as a principled act of leadership during his acceptance speech at the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals ceremony.
Lebryk’s awards include three Presidential Rank Awards, the Treasury’s Alexander Hamilton Award, and American University’s Roger W. Jones Award for Executive Leadership. He briefly served as Acting Secretary of the Treasury from January 20–28, 2025. In his post-government remarks, he encouraged future federal workers, emphasizing the enduring need for skilled civil servants. “So much of what we do in the public sector goes unnoticed and unrecognized,” Lebryk said. “In fact, most of my career was spent trying to be unnoticed.”
It’s that sort of workaday public service that good government groups fear is in danger as the Trump administration looks to rework the federal workforce. The Sammies tried to showcase what’s good in government. Click here to learn more about all of 2025’s honorees.
