ATHENA® Award, presented by Wells Fargo

• • • ATHENA® nominees may represent the non-profit or for-profit sectors.
    • Previous recipients are not eligible for nomination, but past nominees may be nominated again.
    • There is no minimum or maximum age qualification.

YPL ATHENA® Award

• • • YPL ATHENA® nominees must be 40 years of age or younger.
    • Nominees can represent either the non-profit or for-profit sectors.
    • Previous recipients are not eligible for nomination, but past nominees may be nominated again.

• • • Tell the nominee you plan to nominate her and solicit input from other people who know her.
    • Focus on anecdotes and examples, less on adjectives.
    • Focus on results, not superlatives.
    • Do not exceed the character limits in the nomination forms.

The annual ATHENA® Leadership Program Awards are presented by chambers of commerce, women’s organizations, and universities worldwide. Almost 8,000 leaders — including a Supreme Court Justice, Olympic medalist, Secretary of State, NASA astronaut, social justice advocates, and CEOs of major corporations — have been recognized with the ATHENA® Leadership award in more than 500 regions representing 48 states and 11 countries.

The Dallas Regional Chamber proudly hosts Dallas’ ATHENA® program in conjunction with its annual Women’s Business Conference.

• • • 2024 – Merrilee Kick, CEO and Founder, BuzzBallz / Southern Champion; Raquel Alvarenga, Partner, Haynes Boone
    • 2023 – Dr. Candice Lucas-Bledsoe, Founder & Global Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Action Research Cernter and Research Professor, Southern Methodist University (ATHENA®); Ashlee Davidson, Vice President of Communications for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control (YPL ATHENA®) 
    • 2022 – Alfreda B. Norman, Senior Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas (ATHENA®); Alexis A. Clark, Anchor Business Unit Manager, Hilti (YPL ATHENA®)
    • 2020 – Debbie Dennis, Chief Customer Officer and SVP Human Resources & Corporate Affairs, Oncor (ATHENA®); Ana I. Rodriguez, Managing Director of the Latino Leadership Initiative, SMU Cox School of Business (YPL ATHENA®) 
    • 2018 – Roslyn Dawson Thompson, President and CEO, Texas Women’s Foundation (ATHENA®); Amber Venz-Box, President and Co-Founder, rewardStyle (YPL ATHENA®) 
    • 2017 – Cynthia Marshall, Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Diversity Officer, AT&T Inc. (ATHENA®); Lacy Durham, Tax Manager, Deloitte Tax, LLP (ATHENA® YPL) 
    • 2015 – Maribess Miller, Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (ATHENA®); Lauren Mutti, Jackson Walker LLP (ATHENA® YPL) 
    • 2014 – Kathleen LaValle, Dallas CASA (ATHENA®); Suzanne Smith, Social Impact Architects and Flywheel (ATHENA® YPL) 
    • 2013 – Hattie Hill, Women’s Foodservice Forum   (ATHENA®); Sara Duran, Sidley Austin LLP (ATHENA® YPL) 
    • 2012 – Judge Barbara Lynn, United States District Judge for the Northern District of Texas (ATHENA®); Amanda L. Bush, Jackson Walker LLP (ATHENA® YPL) 
    • 2011 – Anne Motsenbocker, Chase (ATHENA®); Jasmin Brand, Brandpointe (ATHENA® YPL) 
    • 2010 – Carol Roehrig, bkm Total Office of Texas 
    • 2009 – Catherine Rodewald, Prudential Asset Resources and Prudential Mortgage Capital Company 
    • 2008 – Suzanne Charriere, Corgan Associates   
    • 2007 – Wanda Brice, The Women’s Museum   
    • 2006 – Wendy Lopez, LOPEZGARCIA GROUP   
    • 2005 – Becky Sykes, Dallas Women’s Foundation   
    • 2004 – Camille Keith, Southwest Airlines   
    • 2003 – Retta Miller, Jackson Walker LLP 
    • 2002 – Valerie Freeman, Imprimis Group 
    • 2001 – Liz Minyard, Minyard Food Stores   
    • 2000 – Grace McDermott, U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce 
    • 1999 – Brenda Jackson, TXU Electric Delivery   
    • 1998 – Gale Duff-Bloom, JCPenney Company, Inc.   
    • 1997 – Norma Lea Beasley, SAFECO Texas 
    • 1996 – Jinger Heath, BeautiControl Cosmetics   
    • 1995 – Tegwin Pulley, Texas Instruments