Behind every successful digital transformation is a technology leader guiding strategy, innovation, and execution. The 2026 CapitalCIO ORBIE Awards celebrated those leaders by recognizing chief information officers who have made a significant impact across their organizations and industries.
Held at The Ritz-Carlton in Tysons Corner, the annual event brought together more than 300 executives from across the Capital Area. Organized by CapitalCIO, part of the Inspire Leadership Network, the awards recognize CIOs whose leadership has driven business growth, technology innovation, and organizational transformation.
Recognizing Leadership Across Industries
This year’s ORBIE Awards honored technology executives from a wide range of sectors, including hospitality, private equity, defense, higher education, healthcare, and enterprise software.
The 2026 CapitalCIO ORBIE Award winners include:
- Renee Wynn, former CIO of NASA, who received the Leadership ORBIE
- Naveen Manga, Global CIO of Marriott International, who received the Super Global ORBIE
- Lucia Soares, Partner, CIO, and Head of Technology Transformation at Carlyle, who received the Global ORBIE
- Chris Soong, Executive Vice President and CIO of HII, who received the Large Enterprise ORBIE
- Sharon Pitt, Vice President of IT and CIO at Virginia Tech, who received the Enterprise ORBIE
- Myles Weber, CIO of Appian, who received the Large Corporate ORBIE
- Terri Ripley, CIO of OrthoVirginia, who received the Corporate ORBIE
Each award recognizes technology leaders who have demonstrated excellence in business strategy, innovation, leadership, and organizational impact.
Technology Leadership Beyond IT
According to CapitalCIO Chair Lisa Roger, today’s CIOs are helping shape business strategy rather than simply managing technology infrastructure.
She noted that every major technology innovation begins with leaders who define the vision and guide organizations through digital change.
The ORBIE Awards have become one of the industry’s best-known recognition programs for CIOs leading transformation across both public and private sectors.
More Than Technical Excellence
Recipients are selected through an independent peer-review process led by previous ORBIE winners.
Judges evaluate candidates based on several factors, including:
- Leadership and management effectiveness
- Business value created through technology innovation
- Contributions to the broader technology community
- Industry and community engagement
The evaluation emphasizes measurable business outcomes alongside leadership excellence.
A Growing Community of Technology Leaders
The event also featured a keynote conversation with Renee Wynn, former CIO of NASA, interviewed by Melvin Brown II, former Deputy Executive Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
More than 300 technology executives attended the ceremony, representing organizations across government, healthcare, education, financial services, and enterprise technology.
The awards were supported by major technology partners, including Google Cloud, Island, Lumen, Moveworks, Comcast, Zscaler, Cloudflare, Palo Alto Networks, CDW, Workday Government, and several other industry organizations.
Celebrating the Expanding Role of CIOs
As artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and data platforms become increasingly central to business strategy, CIOs are taking on broader executive responsibilities.
The 2026 CapitalCIO ORBIE Awards reflect that shift by recognizing leaders who are helping organizations navigate digital transformation while delivering measurable business value.
Across industries, today’s technology executives are no longer simply managing IT operations—they are helping shape long-term growth, innovation, and competitive strategy.