Genevieve Ainslie receives Distinguished Early Career – Practice Award at SIOP 2026

The Distinguished Early Career Contributions Award – Practice recognizes “an individual who has made significant contributions to the practice of I-O psychology within 10 years of receiving a terminal graduate degree,” according to SIOP. The award honors early-career I-O psychologists who have made significant, evidence-based contributions to the field either broadly (through adoption by multiple organizations or practitioners) or deeply (through major organizational change).

“Genevieve has that rare combination of analytic ability and interpersonal skills that enables her to both engage clients in problem-solving and work with highly technical data scientists to ask the right questions, design data analysis plans to answer those questions, and provide research-based recommendations to address client challenges,” wrote HumRRO’s Deborah Whetzel, Ph.D., in the nomination letter. “Beyond her technical expertise, Genevieve demonstrates exceptional ability to translate research into actionable solutions that directly impact professional credentialing, workforce selection, and public safety.” In addition, Ainslie contributes to the advancement of the I-O field through publications, presentations, and volunteering, as well as teaching at Georgetown University.

“Receiving this award is a huge honor and represents the cumulative impact of over a decade spent bridging the gap between research and practice,” said Ainslie. “This award also reflects the incredible opportunities I’ve had to work on meaningful, high-stakes assessment projects with outstanding colleagues at HumRRO and our partners across government, credentialing, and professional organizations. I’m grateful to SIOP for this honor and to HumRRO for fostering an environment where rigorous I-O practice thrives.”

Ainslie joins HumRRO’s Beth Bynum, Ph.D., who received the Distinguished Early Career Contributions Award – Practice, in 2019.