Maximus Values Icon Award Winner: Dianne Henderson

“This is really silly, but I keep this box with a stack of cards from people who have reported to me over the years just thanking me,” Social Media Manager Dianne Henderson said as she explained how she’s paid forward the mentorship she’s received over the years. “You know, I can’t get through this without crying.”

For Henderson, whose strategic vision defines Maximus’ social media presence, mentoring colleagues takes a less structured form, something she learned from her first boss.

“I’ve always looked up to her as a mentor even though she couldn’t necessarily teach me things about social media,” she said. “She taught me to take a chance on people and to read if someone was a good person or a smart person—or teachable. She helped me establish a rhythm of working for things that I want.”

What she wanted when she started at Maximus in 2022 was to launch an employee advocacy program. Henderson envisioned providing tools for employees to elevate good news about Maximus and make connections meaningful to their work through their social media accounts. She put in the work, so when her team launched the effort in April 2023, it took on a life of its own.

The Social Media Employee Advocacy Program gained the company visibility on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and Instagram as employees engaged with and promoted Maximus content. The program’s positive impact earned Henderson a 2023 Values Icon Award for innovation.

In Henderson’s nomination for the award, Corporate Communication Senior Director Jared Curtis noted that the program was responsible for increasing social media reach nearly threefold on corporate channels.

“The success of this program also showcased the company as forward-thinking and innovative, appealing to both current and prospective employees and customers who value modern and digitally savvy brands,” Curtis said. “Employees sharing content often carries more authenticity and can positively influence how the broader public perceives the brand.”

Henderson recognizes the program’s impact but is quick to say it was a team effort.

“I’m very proud, but not because of me personally,” she said. “I feel like the award is for the program because I’ve just moved it forward. I got it started, and I’m kind of behind the wheel, but [Communications Specialist] Jessie Moyer and the participants are so important to the program’s success.”

Henderson also credits Maximus leadership for taking a chance on a new concept and giving her the resources to move it forward quickly.

“It was an innovative program and something we had never done before, but [CHRO] Michelle Link was very receptive to it,” she said. “It took six months to do here what took seven years at my last job. I think what makes it work are the innovative people we have in the company.”

While the project earned her the award for the value of innovation, Henderson said the full suite of Maximus values resonates.

“For me, all of these values are very much aligned to my personal values,” she said. “These are all things I look for in a work environment, but I also see them in my spouse, my friends, and my children.”