ATHENA Leadership Awards

Founded more than 30 years ago, ATHENA International is a women's leadership organization that supports, develops and honors women leaders through its programs.  ATHENA's flagship program, the ATHENA Leadership Award Program, has honored more than 7,000 women leaders from hundreds of cities and eight countries since its inception in 1982. 

The ATHENA Leadership Awards recognize professional excellence,  service to community and assistance to women in attaining professional excellence and leadership skills. The ATHENA Awards highlight what Recipients have accomplished in addition to paving a path for future successes. The ATHENA Award Program inspires others to achieve excellence by honoring exceptional leaders. 

ATHENA Leadership Award 
Award Nominees must meet each of the following three criteria:

• Demonstrates excellence, creativity and initiative in their business or profession 
• Provides valuable service to improve the quality of life for others in their community
• Actively assists women in achieving their full leadership potential 

      Past Recipients Include: 

• 2019 - Ana Wood
• 2020 - Angela Falconetti, Ed.D. 
• 2021 - Stacy Campbell-Domineck 
• 2022 - Martha Santiago, Ed.D.
• 2023 - Libby Chappell

ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award
Young Professional Leadership Nominees are emerging women leaders between 21 and 42 who meet each of the following criteria: 

• Demonstrates excellence, creativity and initiative in her business or profession
• Provides valuable service to improve the quality of life for others in her community 
• Clearly serves as a role model for young women both personally and professionally 

      Past Recipients Include: 

• 2019 - Laura Lear
• 2020 - Brenda Ramirez, Esq. 
• 2021 - Lauren Albaum, Ph.D. 
• 2022 - Ashley Bell Barnett 
• 2023 - Michelle Netwal

ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award
Recognizes businesses and organizations that support, develop and honor women leaders. Nominees are businesses or organizations that meet the following criteria:

• Creates an organizational culture that encourages women employees to achieve their full leadership potential
• Gives back to the larger community of women and girls by providing and supporting leadership development opportunities and initiatives

      Past Recipients Include:

• 2019 - Top Buttons
• 2020 - The Lunz Group
• 2021 - Junior League of Greater Lakeland
• 2022 - Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine 
• 2023 - Lakeland Regional Health

2024 ATHENA Awards

Event Registration

Tuesday September 10, 2024
​Haus 820
​12:00 p.m.

​The ATHENA Awards event recognizes Lakeland women who embody the ATHENA International mission of authenticity, continuous learning, relationship-building, collaboration, courage, advocacy, and community contribution. The program honors nominees and recipients of the ATHENA Leadership Award, ATHENA Young Professional Award, and ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award, celebrating outstanding leadership in business, professional excellence, community service, and support for women's leadership potential.

2024 ATHENA Leadership Award Finalists:
Michelle Ledford, MADE LKLD
Teresa Martinez, Polk State College
Tracey Tedder, Florida Southern College
 
2024 ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award Finalists:
Kassia Alamm, EMERGE Lakeland & Straughn Trout Architects
Rachael Savinon, CPS Investment Advisors
Emily Shiver, New Life Veterinary Hospital
 
2024 ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award Recipient
Marriott Vacations Worldwide

Keynote Speaker Vera Jones

Vera Jones, “The Empathy Coach,” is an inspiring, funny, and relatable Motivational Speaker, Author, Life & Leadership Coach. She offers resilience, empathic leadership, communication, public speaking, DEIB, wellness, and conflict resolution keynote speaking and training. A Syracuse University Hall of Fame scholar-athlete with a master’s from the Newhouse School of Public Communications, and an MTI Certification in Mediation and Conflict Resolution, Vera is also a former ESPN, Fox Sports, MSG, WNBA, and Big Ten Network Basketball Analyst. She has coached college basketball, performed on stage as an actress with the Paul Robeson Performing Arts Company, and entertained as a stand-up comedian. Vera is known as “Professor Jones” at the University of North Florida, and she is also the founder of the Perseverance Speakers Academy. Thus, her “spare time” is often dedicated to helping professionals confidently polish their public speaking skills. In all her endeavors, her faith-based mission is to promote the power of empathy to inspire, educate, uplift, and unite.

Event Registration