Key Points
- The 2026 CapitalCIO ORBIE Awards were held on 26 June 2026 at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner.
- CapitalCIO, a chapter of the Inspire Leadership Network, hosted the awards to honour CIOs who drive business transformation and technology leadership.
- Renee Wynn, CIO (fmr), NASA, received the Leadership ORBIE Award.
- Naveen Manga, Global CIO, Marriott International, received the Super Global ORBIE Award.
- Lucia Soares, Partner, CIO and Head of Tech Transformation, Carlyle, received the Global ORBIE Award.
- Chris Soong, EVP and CIO, HII, received the Large Enterprise ORBIE Award.
- Sharon Pitt, VP of IT and CIO, Virginia Tech, received the Enterprise ORBIE Award.
- Myles Weber, CIO, Appian, received the Large Corporate ORBIE Award.
- Terri Ripley, CIO, OrthoVirginia, received the Corporate ORBIE Award.
- More than 300 guests attended, and the keynote address was delivered by Renee Wynn.
- Winners were chosen through an independent peer-adjudicated process led by prior ORBIE recipients.
Washington (Evening Washington News) July 8, 2026 – The 2026 CapitalCIO ORBIE Awards brought together senior technology executives and business partners at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, where leaders from major organisations across the Capital area were recognised for technology leadership and business impact.
What happened at the ceremony?
As reported by the organisers at ORBIE.org, the 2026 CapitalCIO ORBIE Awards were held on 26 June 2026 at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner, and the event was described as a broadcast-quality awards ceremony announcing the year’s winners live.
CapitalCIO said the awards are intended to recognise CIOs who have demonstrated excellence in technology leadership and who help drive transformation in their organisations.
The ceremony also drew more than 300 guests from leading Capital Area organisations and their technology partners, according to the event coverage from the awards organiser and the wire report.
Who won the major awards?
According to the report carried by Yahoo Finance from the Globe Newswire release, Renee Wynn, CIO (fmr), NASA, received the Leadership ORBIE Award, while Naveen Manga of Marriott International won the Super Global ORBIE Award.
Lucia Soares of Carlyle received the Global ORBIE Award, Chris Soong of HII won the Large Enterprise ORBIE Award, Sharon Pitt of Virginia Tech received the Enterprise ORBIE Award, Myles Weber of Appian won the Large Corporate ORBIE Award, and Terri Ripley of OrthoVirginia received the Corporate ORBIE Award.
Each category reflected the size and scale of the organisations involved, with the awards split across leadership, revenue bands, and organisational reach.
The awards organisers said finalists and winners were selected through an independent peer-adjudicated process led by previous ORBIE recipients.
Why do the ORBIE Awards matter?
CapitalCIO says the ORBIE Awards have recognised leadership excellence since 1998 and are designed to build relationships between executives and trusted business partners while inspiring future leaders.
The programme also positions the CapitalCIO awards as the premier technology executive recognition initiative in the Capital area.
This year’s recognition again placed Washington-area technology leadership in the spotlight, particularly among organisations with large regional and national footprints.
What did the event programme include?
The ORBIE.org event page shows that the awards season began with the ORBIE Leadership Reception on 11 March 2026 at The National Press Club, followed by a Finalist Reception & Dinner on 21 May 2026 at The Army and Navy Club.
The awards ceremony itself took place on 26 June 2026 at The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner. According to the wire report, the keynote address was delivered by Renee Wynn, who was interviewed by Melvin Brown II, Deputy Executive Director (fmr), U.S. Office of Personnel Management.
Background of the development
The ORBIE Awards are an established recognition programme for technology executives and have been running since 1998.
The CapitalCIO chapter is part of the wider Inspire Leadership Network, and the awards are built around peer-based judging rather than a public vote.
In the Capital area, the awards have become an annual fixture for CIOs and their partners, with the 2026 ceremony continuing that tradition at the Tysons Corner venue.
Explore More Local News
USA vs Belgium World Cup Reaction Shakes National Mall Washington 2026
White House Report Targets Smithsonian in Washington 2026
What could this mean for the audience?
For technology leaders in Washington, D.C., and the wider Capital area, the awards underline the growing visibility of CIOs in business strategy and transformation.
For organisations, the recognition can highlight the value of technology leadership in operational performance, innovation and community engagement.
For industry observers and professionals, the event provides a snapshot of which executives and institutions are shaping the region’s technology agenda.
