Meet the 2026 idfive Fiver Award Winners

By idfive \ August 4, 2026

Every year, the Fiver Awards give us a chance to pause and celebrate the people who make idfive, well, idfive. Not just the big wins or polished deliverables, but the day-to-day stuff that makes great work possible: the clarity, creativity, care, follow-through, smart questions, steady hands, and occasional heroic spreadsheet. This year’s winners show up in very different ways, but they all have one thing in common: they make the work better and the people around them stronger. We’ll start with the big one.

Rob Beal Leadership Award

The Rob Beal Leadership Award is idfive’s highest annual honor. Created in 2021 in memory of idfive founder Rob Beal, the award recognizes a Fiver who carries forward Rob’s legacy of generosity, humor, attention to detail, and thoughtful leadership. Rob helped shape idfive from the beginning, not only through his vision and investment, but through the way he led: with care, trust, high standards, and a deep belief in the people around him. He gave us plenty of lines we still come back to, from “No surprises” to “Listen better than you talk” to “There are feelings and then there are data. Both matter.” That’s Rob energy. And this year, that energy belongs to Katelyn “KJ” Brickey. KJ joined idfive as an intern in 2011. Today, she’s our Director of Client Service and one of the people teams count on most when the stakes are high, the timelines are tight, and the moving pieces are many. Over nearly 15 years, she has helped lead just about every kind of project we do, from complex website launches and content migrations to campaigns, environmental graphics, brand work, QC, and all the tiny-but-critical details that keep the whole machine moving. KJ leads with kindness, loyalty, steadiness, and a deep commitment to getting the work done right. Like Rob, she has a way of making people feel supported without ever lowering the bar. She brings people together, creates clarity, and makes complicated work feel possible. Also, fun fact: with this recognition, KJ has now won every idfive award there is to win. Which feels about right for someone who has spent nearly 15 years showing up for the work, the clients, and the people behind both. KJ joins past Rob Beal Leadership Award recipients, including Jake Tarbert, Peter Toran, Tara Nowakowski, and Kathe Flynn.

BURP Award

This year’s BURP Award goes to Mark Mende, Senior Account Executive. And yes, the award name is ridiculous. The meaning is not. BURP stands for Balance, Urgency, Respect, and Pride, four things Mark brings to his work every day. The best account leaders are part strategist, part diplomat, part air traffic controller, and somehow still manage to make it all look calm. Mark has done exactly that over the past year, guiding several complex website redesigns with strategists, designers, developers, copywriters, stakeholders, shifting priorities, and the occasional surprise curveball, all in the mix. Clients know Mark as a trusted partner. We know him as someone who shows up, digs in, keeps projects moving, and meets challenges with determination, optimism, and care. Very BURP of him, honestly. Mark joins past BURP Award recipients, including Anthony Neumann, Pat Balasavage, Katelyn Brickey, Brad Walker, Bryan Burke, and Christian Mortlock.

Rising Star Awards

This year, two Fivers earned Rising Star recognition: Anya Kaszubowski, Senior Art Director, and Faisal Akram, Senior Media Strategist & Analyst. Anya has distinguished herself through a rare combination of creative excellence and strategic thinking. She has a natural ability to understand what clients are trying to achieve and translate those goals into thoughtful, effective visual experiences. Her work is precise, purposeful, and rooted in a clear understanding of how design can move people and brands forward. Faisal has quickly become a trusted voice in media strategy and analytics. His thoughtful, data-driven approach helps clients navigate an increasingly complex media landscape while making smart decisions about risk, resources, and performance. Whether he’s evaluating opportunities, adapting to changing market conditions, or helping make sense of the numbers, Faisal brings clarity, insight, and results. Anya and Faisal join past Rising Star Award recipients, including Pat Balasavage, Anthony Neumann, Christian Mortlock, Melanie Bengel, Anny Sequera Celis, Jacqueline Stiefvater, and Allison Grande. Congratulations to Katelyn, Mark, Anya, and Faisal!