Introducing the Compass Award: Recognizing Those Who Live DTJ’s Values

This year, DTJ introduced a new internal honor designed to do something simple but essential: recognize and celebrate employees who consistently live out our core values in meaningful, everyday ways.

We call it the Compass Award.

What Is the Compass Award?

The Compass Award is an annual company-wide recognition presented to one employee who exemplifies DTJ’s core values across design, collaboration, and culture.

This award isn’t tied to utilization or title. It’s about mindset, integrity, trust, creativity, and leadership at every level of the firm.

The Compass Award honors individuals who reflect our core values. They:

• Prioritize DTJ
• Treat people with respect
• Thrive in collaboration
• Value creativity
• Encourage growth

Why the Compass Award Matters

DTJ’s core values guide how we design, collaborate, and make decisions, especially when the path forward isn’t always clear cut. They shape how we prioritize people, projects, and partnerships, and they reflect what we expect from one another as teammates and leaders.

The Compass Award was created to ensure those values are more than words. It recognizes individuals who embody them through action: how they show up, collaborate, and elevate the work and the people around them.

2026 Compass Award Recipient: Rose Tashjian

DTJ’s first Compass Award recipient is Rose Tashjian—a member of our landscape architecture studio.

Rose exemplifies DTJ’s core values every day. She brings people together across teams, approaches work with curiosity and generosity, and elevates both the process and the outcomes through collaboration, trust, and thoughtful leadership. Whether she’s pushing design ideas forward, mentoring others, or strengthening studio culture, Rose consistently leads with intention and care.

Reflecting on the recognition, Rose shared:

“I’m honored to have received DTJ’s Core Value Compass Award. It means a lot to be recognized not just for the work itself, but for how that work is approached through collaboration, curiosity, and a shared commitment to creating meaningful places. The best outcomes come from that collective spirit, where ideas are pushed, refined, and elevated together. Just as important is the studio culture, working alongside people who are generous with their knowledge, invested in each other’s growth, and genuinely enjoy the process. That sense of community and shared learning is what continues to elevate both the work and the team. I’m grateful to be part of a group that consistently pushes for thoughtful, impactful design, grounded in a culture that values connection, learning, and actually enjoying the work along the way.”

And if Rose could give herself a title?

Cruise Director.

She puts it best: “I like bringing people together, keeping energy high, and making sure the experience, whether it’s a project or a process, feels engaging, collaborative, and worth being part of.”

It’s a role she plays effortlessly, and one that reflects the heart of the Compass Award.