KnowBe4 Announces 2026 Sharky Award Winners to Reel In the Best Protectors of Security Culture

Winners celebrated for demonstrating excellence in all facets of digital workforce security

KnowBe4, the leader in digital workforce security, securing both AI agents and humans, today announced the winners of its ninth annual Sharky Awards.

The KnowBe4 Sharky Awards recognize organizations and individuals that are securing the digital workforce while creating a proactive security culture. Here are the esteemed winners of the 2026 KnowBe4 Sharky Awards:

• Top Product Advocate - Tim Dippel - Fayetteville Public Works Commission

• KnowBe4 Community Champion - Aaron Franklin - City of Bryan, Texas
  

• Best Use of AI Agents - Janelle Maurer - PA Turnpike Commission

• Ultimate Phishing Campaign - Ted Gosda - Werner Enterprises Inc.

• Best Security Awareness Program - Anthony Albano & Morgan Tickner - BNBuilders

• Best Compliance Training - Sanket Sarfare - Staycity Ltd

"Our Sharky Awards recognize the best and brightest people leading cybersecurity and protecting the digital workforce," said Bryan Palma, CEO of KnowBe4. "This year, we saw some incredible entries. We also learned about the outstanding work being done by top security professionals; it was a genuine highlight of the judging process. Every submission was a reminder of just how much care and creativity these KnowBe4 customers put into protecting their organizations every day, and we are proud to recognize them."

Winners of the Sharky Awards appreciate their partnership with KnowBe4 to help make their businesses more secure: "We've poured heart and soul into this program because we believed in it from the beginning," said Anthony Albano, BNBuilders. "We truly value our partnership with KnowBe4 and the success it's brought our organization over the years."

KnowBe4 customers can learn more about the Sharky Awards by signing up to be a part of the KnowBe4 Community.

FAQs:

Q: What are the Sharky Awards?

The Sharky Awards are recognition given by KnowBe4 in six categories to customers and their organizations that excel at securing and protecting the digital workforce.

Q: Who are the 2026 Sharky Award Winners?

Top Product Advocate - Tim Dippel, Fayetteville Public Works Commission
KnowBe4 Community Champion - Aaron Franklin, City of Bryan, Texas
Best Use of AI Agents - Janelle Maurer, PA Turnpike Commission
Ultimate Phishing Campaign - Ted Gosda, Werner Enterprises Inc.
Best Security Awareness Program - Anthony Albano & Morgan Tickner, BNBuilders
Best Compliance Training - Sanket Sarfare, Staycity Ltd

Q: What is the prize for winning a Sharky Award?

Every winner takes home a $400 Amazon gift card, a swag box, a permanent Sharky Award winner badge on their community profile.

Q: Is this the first time KnowBe4 has done the Sharky Awards?

No, the Sharky Awards have been running since 2018, making this the ninth annual Sharky Awards. To qualify, nominees must be at least 18 and legal residents of the U.S., Canada (excluding Quebec), UK, Ireland, or select countries across the EU, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand.

Q: What is KnowBe4 and who is it for?

KnowBe4 is a cybersecurity company focused on securing the digital workforce, securing both humans and AI agents through a single platform spanning attack simulation and training, collaboration security, and agent security, all powered by AIDA (Artificial Intelligence Defense Agents) and a proprietary Risk Score built from 316 unique indicators. Founded in 2010, KnowBe4 has been delivering AI-powered security since 2016, backed by 50+ patents, 70+ deep integrations, and 15+ years of behavioral data, and is trusted by more than 70,000 organizations worldwide, having trained over 100 million people, which includes 1 in 3 full-time workers in the U.S. The company is for CISOs and Compliance leaders who need visibility, automation, and metrics that speak to the board, SOC teams needing automation that cuts through alert noise, and security awareness admins who need to measure and change behavior.