The Autodesk Community team would like to congratulate our incredible Expert Elite members on a wonderful year.
The Expert Elite program recognizes leaders who make exceptional contributions to the Autodesk Community by sharing their knowledge, experience, and time to help others succeed.
Their efforts make a difference for customers around the world every day. As Vikram Dutt, VP of Industry and Portfolio Marketing at Autodesk, comments: “I’ve seen firsthand how Expert Elites consistently go above and beyond to make a positive impact and bring their exceptional talents to support our customers. They truly are the backbone of our community. Congratulations to this year’s Expert Elite Awards winners and thank you all for your inspiring work.”
The Expert Elite Awards honor members who have exemplified the program’s seven core values: Advocacy, Contribution, Expertise, Inclusivity, Leadership, Mentorship, and Responsiveness. Please join us in congratulating this year’s award winners.
Meet the winners below.
Award for Advocacy
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Carolina Ramirez (@carolinaramirez.es) and Shaun Bryant (@cadfmconsultants)
Carolina and Shaun are generous leaders in the community who tirelessly share their passion for Autodesk to help others. Carolina is active in the community as both an advocate and influencer by providing extensive support through numerous webinars, and BIM sector events. Shaun’s dedication to raising awareness and fostering collaboration has significantly contributed to positive change and advancement within the program. Long known for his work as an educator, this year Shaun brought the community together in new ways through his venture into podcasting.
“I am very honored to receive the Expert Elite Recognition Advocacy 2024 award! This award reflects the work, passion, and commitment to the BIM community. Thanks to everyone who has been part of this journey, you always inspire me. This recognition is for everyone because we make this community grow together.”
- Carolina Ramirez
“The EE program is very close to my heart, and all of those I deal with at Autodesk know that. It is my passion, and my fellow EEs all know how much I value and respect their expertise, camaraderie and friendship."
- Shaun Bryant
Award for Contribution
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İzzet Alşan (@izzetalsan) and Zhang Wenxiao (@张文潇|夜开荼蘼)
Izzet and Zhang consistently go above and beyond in their contributions to the community, volunteering their time and experience to answer questions, encourage, and guide others. Izzet participates in forums, conducts webinars, and shares training videos. He also voluntarily provides training at a state-supported educational institution. Zhang is the top solution provider in the Chinese AutoCAD Plant 3D forum. He has also contributed to two outstanding blog posts since the launch of Chinese blogs and spoke at a Community event.
“I am truly honored to receive this award! I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Autodesk for providing me with such a platform where I can interact with numerous users and have the opportunity to assist them in solving product-related problems. This award is not only a recognition of my past efforts but also a source of motivation for future.”
- Zhang Wenxiao
Award for Expertise
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John Bennett (@johnjmbennett) and Lucrecia Real (@Lucrereal)
John and Lucrecia have excelled this year in sharing their expertise across the community. Lucrecia is a renowned expert in the Spanish language community, participating in community webinars and at the Design and Make Summit in Mexico City. John is renowned for his deep technical expertise in Autodesk Advance Steel. His extensive knowledge of the software's capabilities, features, and applications has made him a go-to resource for users.
"What a totally unexpected surprise this is, and thank you to everyone, I am humbled to receive this."
- John Bennett
“I want to thank the Expert Elite team for granting me the "Recognition for Expertise 2024" award. ... It is an honor to receive this distinction and to continue being part of a group of passionate professionals who drive knowledge and growth within the Autodesk community.”
- Lucrecia Real
Award for Inclusivity
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Kristina Youngblut (@kristina.youngblut) and Shir Rustici (@shir_rustici)
Kristina and Shir have each made a significant impact in the community this year through their shared passion for representation in the AEC industry, from their respective classes at AU to Kristina’s contributions to the Autodesk Community Blog and AUGI and Shir’s AEC Tech Girl YouTube channel. Kristina leads by example, promoting inclusivity in every aspect of her work and interactions. Her efforts create a welcoming environment where everyone feels valued, setting a benchmark for others. Shir has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment within the Autodesk community. She actively champions initiatives that ensure all voices are heard and valued, creating a welcoming space for users.
"I am so grateful to all my amazing Autodesk Community colleagues for the Expert Elite Award that I received. I don’t do what I do for awards, recognition, or publicity. I do it because I love it and am honored for this recognition."
- Kristina Youngblut
“I am so grateful to have received the Expert Elite Award for Inclusivity this year! Thank you, Autodesk, for everything you have done for me over this past year and for this recognition. It is such an honor to be recognized for something I am so passionate about. I am thrilled and can’t wait to continue working together next year as part of the Expert Elite program.”
- Shir Rustici
Award for Leadership
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Jun Okoshi (@okoc) and Paul Aubin (@Paul_F_Aubin)
Mr. Okoshi is a member of the leader committee of a local Revit user group called RUG-jp, which consists of over 400 members. He leads one of four working groups and facilitates a monthly meeting among his working group to work on functional topics. Paul’s LinkedIn Learning content exemplifies his exceptional responsiveness to learners' needs. He continually updates and expands his courses, ensuring that users have access to the most current and relevant information. As long-serving members of the Expert Elite program, Jun and Paul exemplify the spirit of community through their leadership and efforts to connect, innovate, and support others.
“I’m very grateful to have received an Expert Elite award for Leadership in 2024. As a vice-president of RUG-JP (a Revit user group in Japan), I think this is a result achieved with the members. I will keep working hard to make the industry better.”
- Jun Okoshi
“What a most unexpected and wonderful [surprise] to receive on this last working day of the year! I am humbled and honored. Thank you so much!”
- Paul Aubin
Award for Mentorship
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Argelia Barcena (@Argelia_Barcena) and Dzan Ta (@dzanta)
Argelia and Dzan are exemplary community mentors who are making a difference in the community through sharing their knowledge, experience, and connections to inspire and support others. Argelia has demonstrated outstanding dedication to mentoring the next generation of Autodesk users. Her ability to connect, guidance, understanding of their learning needs, and support have been instrumental in shaping their skills and career. Dzan's commitment to sharing his expertise through mentorship and content has inspired countless professionals. His contributions not only reflect exceptional skill and dedication but also demonstrate a profound impact on shaping the future.
“Thank you to the Autodesk Community and all those who helped me to be able to provide mentorship and guidance to our Autodesk Community at large. It is always great to give back and help others grow in their knowledge and career. I am honoured to receive this award. I hope to continue giving back and inspiring others to do their best.”
- Dzan Ta
Award for Responsiveness
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Wang Chengzhi (@王承之pmhker) and Tadashi Adachi (@adachitech7)
Wang and Tadashi have been recognized for their outstanding efforts to support other users to solve problems and make progress across the community ecosystem. Wang is the top solution provider in the Chinese Inventor forum , contributed to the Chinese Community blogs, creates many video tutorials on the Bilibili channel, and leads an Inventor user group. Mr. Adachi is a Top Solution author on the Japanese forum. He is one of the Top 3 CGC Japanese contributors. Mr. Adachi also proactively moderates posts, actively participates in interview videos and 1:1 listening sessions.
“I really didn’t expect to win this award. Thanks to the Autodesk Community for supporting me! Every time I engage with others in the Community, I gain a lot. This award is not only a recognition for me, but also a recognition for the Community’s spirit of helping each other.”
- Wang Chengzhi
“I’m very honored to have received an Expert Elite Award for Responsiveness this year. ... I believe that Autodesk Community is not just a place for users to improve their skills but also to access collective knowledge from the community and grow together. I’ll continue to work hard next year. Thank you for the great award.”
- Tadashi Adachi