Who’s Judging Your Jokes? Meet This Year’s Humor Awards Panel

Diversity is the cornerstone of our Corporate Humor Awards, and it’s embodied in our panel of judges for this year’s edition.

Once upon a time, in the not-too-distant past of my corporate life at P&G, amidst the spreadsheets and operations meetings, I thought I had stumbled upon the magical, uncharted land of humor.

With the zeal of an engineer, I embarked on what I believed to be a revolutionary mission: Bring Humor Into the Workplace of Everyday Professionals.

In my mind, I was the first to ever attempt such a daring feat in the cubicle corridors of corporate America.

Imagine my surprise—and the ego-bruising dismay—when I discovered that not only had this 'revolutionary' idea been around for more than a decade, but it was studied (officially by real scientists) AND there were others like me.

Here I was, thinking I’d invented the wheel, when in fact, I was merely adding another spoke. It turns out, the path to workplace humor was already trodden, and I was just another traveler, albeit an incredibly handsome one (:

This moment of self-deprecating clarity was a turning point for me.

The initial sting of finding out I wasn’t the first to bring humor in the workplace didn’t deter my spirits—instead, it expanded my view. I realized that humor, like all great things in life, wasn’t meant to be hoarded, but shared.

This revelation opened up a new perspective on collaboration and creativity. There is immense value in co-creating and adopting a collective approach. Each unique perspective doesn’t just add to the mix; it multiplies the possibilities, leading to a richer, more vibrant understanding of workplace humor - ultimately enriching the experience for everyone.

This diversity is the cornerstone of our Corporate Humor Awards, and it’s embodied in our panel of judges for this year’s edition of the Humor Awards.

Each judge not only brings their individual expertise and comedic flair but represents a different slice of life in a different corner of the comedy world.

From

Good Humor by CK Steefel

who turns everyday parenting dramas into comedy, to

Julie Vick

, a humor writer and teacher who crafts witty pieces for the New Yorker and McSweeney’s; and

Carlos Greaves

an engineer-turned-writer whose satirical takes in The Onion and personal essays bring a fresh twist to comedy.

Together, these judges exemplify how varied experiences shape our expressions of humor, and how embracing this diversity can lead to more inclusive, effective, and enjoyable workplaces.

If you participated in this year’s Humor Awards, thank you!
Your nominations were received and are now sitting in the hands of our judge panel.

The judges will decide who among us will receive the following awards:

For Individual Nominations, the judges will make their decision based on the 7 Humor Personas:

• Humor Enthusiast

• Humor Curator

• Humor Inventor

• Humor Entertainer

• Humor Engineer

• Humor Advocate

• Humor Skeptic

For Corporate Nominations, organizations will be judged based on the 5 Skills of Work:

• Execution

• Thinking

• Communication

• Connection

• Leadership.

To find out if you, or someone you nominated won, make sure to tune in for the Awards Ceremony on May 1st at 9AM CT. Save this Zoom link and add it to your calendar.

Through the Corporate Humor Awards, we celebrate the spirit of camaraderie and creativity that makes every day at work a bit more bearable and a lot more fun. We are not just rewarding the funny but championing a workplace culture that values laughter as a tool for building stronger, more connected teams.

Thank you for helping us highlight the humorists among us!