ODA Change-maker Award 2026 Finalists

About the ODA Change‑maker Award

The ODA Change‑maker Award honors an individual who leads change from within, often without formal authority or recognition. This award celebrates people who inspire others through everyday actions, courage, and a strong commitment to inclusion. By creating trust, making space for others, and leading by example, they turn shared values into real and lasting progress.

The winner will be announced at ODA Inspiration Day 2026.

The finalists are:

Candidate 1: Lara Wasowski

Lara Wasowski is a Salesforce Solution Architect at Capgemini Norway and a highly trusted colleague who leads change through action rather than title. She is known for her clear and confident communication, and for challenging ideas in a constructive way while remaining open to being challenged herself. Through this approach, she helps build a culture of trust, learning, and continuous improvement.

Lara is often ahead of change and makes sure others come with her. She supports colleagues across teams by helping them structure complex problems, clarify decisions, and move from uncertainty to execution. Through mentoring, informal guidance, and her role in the Nordic Center of Excellence, she has strengthened collaboration, raised competence, and increased confidence across Salesforce initiatives. Her impact is felt in everyday work and in how teams deliver better results together.

Candidate 2: Marte Tårnes

Marte Tårnes is a developer at NAV and a clear example of how change can be led through care, presence, and courage. She creates a safe and inclusive working environment by seeing people, listening, and taking time for others, even during busy and demanding periods. Through her calm and supportive approach, she helps colleagues feel valued and supported.

Marte has worked for several years on complex systems related to sickness benefits at NAV, often during periods of public scrutiny and internal challenges. Throughout this time, she has consistently been there for her colleagues, offering stability and support. By leading through action and compassion, she inspires others to believe that difficult challenges can be handled, and that meaningful change is possible.

Candidate 3: Roar Skjønberg

Roar Skjønberg is a Section Manager at Tieto Banktech who leads change by creating clarity, trust, and psychological safety in complex environments. He empowers people across roles and backgrounds to contribute and take ownership through calm, structured, and inclusive leadership.

He has delivered measurable impact by establishing clearer processes for releases and incident handling, reducing resolution time, workload, and stress while improving predictability and quality. He has also been instrumental in integrating Ukraine refugee talent into high‑performing teams, enabling individuals to grow into visible contributors and role models. Beyond his role, Roar is co‑founder of InTechGrate and part of the program committee for TDC.