UVA Darden Executive Education Earns 7 Brandon Hall Group Awards, Extending Industry-Leading Streak

Four golds. Three silvers. Six client partnerships. That’s plenty to celebrate.

Executive Education & Lifelong Learning (EELL) at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business and its client partners earned seven honors at the 2026 Brandon Hall Group Human Capital Management Excellence Awards. The awards recognized learning programs created with AARP, Huron, Money Management Institute (MMI), Monex, PBS and The ESOP Association.

The latest wins bring EELL’s total to 33 Brandon Hall Group awards since 2021—more than any other university-based executive education organization during that timeframe.

“This is an exciting recognition, but what matters most are the strong partnerships that help organizations grow their people, equipping them to lead through change and complexity,” said Ashley Williams, CEO and chief learning office of Darden EELL. “By understanding each client’s strategy and priorities, we serve as a total talent development partner, strengthening leadership pipelines, developing talent at critical career transitions and creating pathways for continued growth.”

6 Award-winning Client Partnerships

EELL and its client partners received recognition across leadership, executive development, professional development and hybrid learning categories. Programs earning awards included:

Money Management Institute

• Best Unique or Innovative Leadership Program — Gold
• Best Leadership Development Program — Silver

The ESOP Association

• Best Association Professional Development Program — Gold

AARP

• Best Executive Development Program — Gold

PBS

• Best Hybrid Learning Program — Gold

Monex

• Best Leadership Development Program — Silver

Huron

• Best Executive Development Program — Silver

Several of EELL’s award-winning clients expressed excitement over the recognition and partnerships.

• “Leadership development is a key priority for PBS, and we’re committed to creating multifaceted, station-specific programs that help our current and future leaders achieve their goals. We’re grateful to UVA Darden for partnering with us on the Executive Leadership Program, helping us create an intentional learning experience that prepares leaders for the next stage in their public media careers as executives, general managers or station presidents. This program has been a cornerstone in developing our future leaders, and this recognition is a powerful reminder of why that work matters.” — Dani Iannelli, director of immersive learning at PBS
• “Leading in an Ownership Setting is the result of a true partnership between The ESOP Association, the Employee Ownership Foundation and Darden’s EELL, combining Darden’s expertise with our deep understanding of the unique challenges facing ESOP companies. Earning a gold award is especially meaningful because it provides independent validation of the program’s great success, reflecting the quality of the program along with our shared commitment to giving ESOP executives an exceptional leadership development experience.” — James Bonham, president and CEO of The ESOP Association
• “We’re honored by this recognition. It reflects what our partnership with Darden has meant to Monex: world-class, rigorous leadership development, and something just as valuable—lifelong bonds among the teammates who go through it together. That’s the kind of impact that lasts decades, not quarters. The partnership has been truly exceptional, and together we’ve built a program making a meaningful positive difference for our future leaders and our business.” — Juan Pablo Carriedo, CEO for Monex International Markets.
• “As our leaders take on greater strategic responsibility, they must be prepared to think across the enterprise, navigate complexity and make decisions that strengthen our business for the future. Through our collaboration with Darden, we created an experience that challenges accomplished leaders to broaden their perspective and translate learning into action. This silver excellence award reflects the strength of that work and our shared commitment to developing leaders who are ready for what’s next.” — Ronnie Dail, COO of Huron

Building Capabilities to Lead Through Change

The latest recognition builds on five consecutive years of Brandon Hall Group honors for EELL and its clients.

The 2026 awards reflect an evolution in how organizations approach talent development. AI and rapid technological advances are reshaping work, business models and the skills organizations need, while leaders face growing complexity and pressure to lead transformation. Talent development must address today’s demands while building the adaptability, judgment and capabilities organizations will rely on for continued growth.

“The most effective learning should feel unmistakably connected to the organization experiencing it,” said Devin Bigoness, chief client officer of Darden EELL. “Our role is to listen closely, challenge assumptions and bring together the right faculty and experts, content and learning approaches for each client’s goals. The measure of success is whether participants can take what they’ve learned and use it to make a meaningful difference in their organizations.”