35th Annual ATHENA Awards Celebration
The ATHENA Awards Celebration honors those who embody, encourage and promote the inclusion of women. Join us for an afternoon of celebration, inspiration, networking, and announcing our ATHENA award recipients.
Nominations for our annual ATHENA Awards Celebration are now open! We’re looking to honor those who pave the way for a brighter future. Nominate now and be a part of the legacy.
About the Awards:
- The ATHENA Leadership Award is presented to an exceptional leader whose dedication to professional excellence, community service, and empowerment of women exemplifies the highest standards of leadership and mentorship.
- The ATHENA Young Professional Award is presented to a rising leader who demonstrates excellence, creativity, and initiative. They serve as a role model and improve the quality of life for others.
- The ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award recognizes a company that intentionally fosters an environment for women to thrive. This organization is outstanding in their pursuit of supporting, developing, and honoring women leaders in every stage of their life and career.
NOMINATE NOW ›
ATHENA Leadership Forum
Create Great Community: ATHENA Leadership Forum
Become the Fire Through Courageous Defiance
Surround yourself with inspiring women in the community, while learning from fierce and unapologetic business entrepreneur, Meg Goebel. Throughout her career, Meg has successfully led in unconventional ways: defying expected corporate norms, opening doors, and positively impacting the ecosystem for many women in business around her.
Join us Tuesday, February 7 for this uplifting and exciting forum that will help you become the fire through courageous defiance.
THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT
Please visit our events calendar to find other ATHENA events!
Ignite Your Light: Meet the Finalists of the 33rd Annual ATHENA Awards
The Grand Rapids Chamber is excited to celebrate the amazing work that our community leaders are doing to empower and encourage the inclusion of women. This year, our 33rd Annual ATHENA Awards Celebration highlights ten amazing individuals and three impactful organizations that are making a difference each day.
Join us in congratulating these amazing leaders and don’t forget to save your spot for the 33rd Annual ATHENA Awards Celebration on Wednesday, September 28, where the recipients of these prestigious awards will be revealed!
Meet our 2022 ATHENA Leadership Award Finalists
Andrea Inostroza Castro
Co-Founder & Executive Director, Puertas Abiertas Inc
What ignites your light?
I believe Latina women deserve to live a self-sufficient, safe and authentic life, so I strive to provide empowering opportunities and tools for achieving these vital goals. “Every woman deserves to be respected, valued, and appreciated”.
Meg Goebel
President, Acrisure LLC d/b/a Paul Goebel Group
What ignites your light?
I’m passionate about what I do on a professional and personal level. This passion transcends to community work as a way to enhance your life experience and get involved with organizations that excite & challenge you. Community involvement makes a well-rounded leader.
Dr. Lisa M. Lowery
Section Chief of Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine, Spectrum Health
Assistant Dean for Diversity and Cultural Initiatives, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine
What ignites your light?
I believe that you give back to a community that has given so much to you and try to make the space you occupy better for those that come after. I have a servant leadership style, a passion for clinical medial education, and truly enjoy connecting people with their passions.
Tara McCrackin
President, Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University
What ignites your light?
Mentorship ignites me as learning happens for all involved. Seeking opportunities to make change designed to better our community lights my fire. Amplifying, advocating, and advancing young creatives in our community (and beyond) has me shining bright!
Dr. Sandra Upton
Founder & Chief DEI Strategist, Upton Consulting Group
What ignites your light?
Providing individuals and organizations practical and sustainable strategies for creating more diverse, inclusive and equitable organizations and communities ignites my light. And seeing the impact of their efforts is even more rewarding.
ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award Finalists
Ciarra C. Adkins, JD
Founder & President, AQUME Foundation
What ignites your light?
My light is most ignited when I encounter women leaders coming together to support other women leaders. Often times in the professional spaces I most navigate, I’m the only person of color, the youngest, and the only woman. It can be exhausting. Yet, my spirit is encouraged when I see women leaders in my community doing truly amazing things in their professions AND also lifting up other women along the way. It energizes me – I strive to embody that shining example of womanhood.
Kayla Benda
Owner, Oh, Hello Companies
What ignites your light?
Empowering others to do what’s worth doing through sharing stories.
Elise Kutt
President, Mod-Bettie Portrait Boutique
What ignites your light?
Traveling with strangers! Hosting retreats all over the world, I’ve loved watching women try new things and connect with each other over shared experiences. The magic that happens in small groups in places you’ve never been before is electric!
Alexis Reame
Client & Community Relations Assistant Director, PNC Bank
What ignites your light?
I love bringing excitement, laughter, and energy to the organizations that I am involved with. I’m fortunate that my job allows me to engage with variety of organizations, missions, and meaningful causes throughout Western Michigan that help shape and honor our community. If there’s an opportunity to connect people’s passions with community needs in way that helps both reach their full potential, I’m all in.
Ellie Wilcox
Regional Managing Director
Make-A-Wish Michigan
What ignites your light?
I enjoy helping others and seeing others happy and thriving. Seeing and inspiring my two daughters to grow up to be fierce women. When the fruits of my labor and hard work make wishes become a reality for other people who are experiencing critical illnesses.
ATHENA Organizational Award Finalists
What ignites your light?
At MillerKnoll, our collective of brands is pushing design forward to build a brighter future for everyone. Throughout our 100 years of history, embracing diverse perspectives has shaped us into the innovative company we are today. We know that creating space to include more voices and more perspectives leads to greater access and better outcomes. We’re working to create a company, industry, and communities around the world that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion so all people can thrive.
What ignites your light?
Teamwork, seeing each other thrive and inspiring other creatives from the community to use their talents.
What ignites your light?
At Warner, we genuinely and sincerely care about our clients and the work we do for them. We work on their behalf to make connections, bring business opportunities and do all that we can to help them succeed. We tailor our services to exactly what a client wants and needs and ensure access to the right person, or team, at the right moment.
Don’t forget to save your spot for the 33rd Annual ATHENA Awards Celebration on Wednesday, September 28, as we celebrate all of our finalists and the recipients of these prestigious awards will be revealed!
Guest Blog: Fierce Advocacy at the ATHENA Leadership Forum
Guest Blog Post Authored by Jaime Counterman, Foundation Director, University of Michigan Health-West
Advocacy is often perceived as a macro-level action… evoking efforts such as the civil rights movement, LGBTQ marriage equality, Black Lives Matter, gender equality, fair housing and mental health. These issues are so globally encompassing that it can be challenging to think about what advocacy looks like in our day-to-day lives, particularly the concept of SELF-advocacy, and particularly for women.
As professional experts in diversity, equity and inclusion, Shaquanda Gordon and Ana Ramirez Saenz offered attendees actionable steps to advocate for ourselves as individuals, promote inclusion and elevation for our fellow sisters in professional spaces, and fight fair with one-another in the doing.
Shaquanda advised on what she calls the Girl Code for Grown Women with some poignant suggestions:
Avoid Queen Bee Syndrome.
In a world where 8% of Fortune 500 CEO’s are women, it does not serve us to compete with one another for power. That abysmal percentage proves that, now more than ever, women need to support and advocate for one another to bring MORE women to leadership positions.
Be Present & Be Proud.
So often, we let our insecurities and imposter-syndrome fears stop us from even asking to sit at a table. Gender perceptions can also cloud our attempts at stepping forward. Women don’t want to appear too_____ fill in the blank. Pushy. Controlling. Proud. Bragg-ish. Bitchy. The list goes on. It is on us to insert ourselves into the spaces we decide we belong… both for us and for the women who will follow in our footsteps.
Find Your Own Code.
Take inventory of your life and edit as appropriate. Remove yourself from circles you outgrow. Phone a friend when needed to vent or strategize. Be that trusted friend when another princess warrior needs your guidance. Stand up for yourself and others. Do not tolerate or accept disrespect.
Shaquanda’s final reminder was powerful: Your name will go places your face may never see, so cultivate it with intention.
As an organizational consultant in the DEI space, Ana asks powerful (and often uncomfortable) questions of leadership groups that we can use to encourage healthy dialogue within our own organizations.
Why do you want to do diversity work?
This question is often followed by awkward silence… and sitting in that silence so leaders can arrive at an answer is critical. Asking what work our organization is doing to promote and/or commit to DEI efforts can be scary and uncomfortable, but the response can tell us a lot about the intentions behind the efforts.
How do you advocate for gender equity?
Here, Ana reminds us that what gets measured gets done. What is the ratio of females in the workforce vs females in leadership roles? How is governance written to support DEI across the organization? What communication channels exist to encourage critical dialogue? For those who serve in a leadership position, encourage your organization to measure, measure, measure.
Lastly, Ana offered some examples of what daily advocacy can look like. This includes behaviors such as: leaving an empty chair in your mind for the voices that can’t be present; leaving an empty chair physically to welcome others to the table; asking questions that lead to conversations about equity; and take a daily inventory of advocacy opportunities to see how you could’ve shown up for yourself and for others.
Ultimately, know that SHE is not your competition, she is your ally, and all boats rise.
Have an idea for an ATHENA Leadership Forum in 2022?
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ATHENA Leadership Forum: Imposter Syndrome & Confidence in the Workplace
Learn more about the February ATHENA Leadership Forum from ATHENA Council Member Krashawn Martin, Recreation Supervisor for the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation.
Do I belong here? Am I good enough? Am I going to be found out? For myself, and many other professionals attending the most recent Grand Rapids Chamber ATHENA Leadership Forum, these questions resonated deeply and helped us understand that we may be experiencing imposter syndrome.
Imposter syndrome, or the imposter phenomenon, can be defined as a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success. ‘Imposters’ suffer from chronic self-doubt and a sense of intellectual fraudulence that override any feelings of success or external proof of their competence.
We kicked off this year with a discussion around Imposter Syndrome, led by Latesha Lipscomb, JD, Director of Engagement for Amplify GR, who shared personal experiences in which she has felt like an imposter, and how she works to break through it.
Missed the ATHENA Leadership Forum? Here are my top 3 takeaways from Latesha’s presentation:
1. Imposter syndrome is a passionate tango between assumption and reality. Despite evidence that we are succeeding (landing the job, completing the project, etc.), many still internally question and constantly feel the need to prove themselves. We often feel that we’ll be ‘found out’ and others will see evidence that we aren’t worthy.
This point felt like a gut punch for me. As a high achiever, I find myself placing pressure and expectations on myself that are not there in reality. I go to great lengths to prove that I am not just good enough but that I exceed expectations. And I’m sure that if I asked my superiors if my working late or on weekends was truly their expectation, they would say no.
2. Be careful – our authentic selves can become distorted when we see ourselves as imposters. Your authentic self is so valuable! We all bring something magical to the table. Own your magic and don’t compare yourself to others.
Whew! Another punch! So, if nothing changes and I spend years working like crazy, sacrificing time with family and friends, and neglecting my self-care, will it be worth it? How much of my true self will I have sacrificed because I chose to play the part of a work horse for my organization?
3. Give yourself grace and find the joy. Take care and be kind to yourself. Find or create a community of support when the pressure is high. Get a good night’s sleep, exercise, love on your pets, take a dance break!
There is hope. Start making small changes where you can. Keep track of your wins and reflect on them when you need to remind yourself of how great you truly are. Take a break when the pressure is high and be curious about how you are feeling. Also, acknowledge that there are societal impacts that are influencing our feelings.
“The greatest act of courage is to be and to own all of who you are — without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth of who you are.”
― Debbie Ford, Courage: Overcoming Fear and Igniting Self-Confidence
Want to learn more about Imposter Syndrome? Check out NPR Life Kit Podcast, 5 Steps to Shake the Feeling that you’re an Imposter.
One of the ATHENA Principals is Living Authentically – ATHENA Leaders know their values. The ATHENA community is a safe space to bring your whole self. So, tap in. Bring your magic and join us at the next ATHENA Forum in April!
Tuesday, April 13
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Register Here
Grand Rapids Chamber Announces Tasha Blackmon, President & CEO of Cherry Health, as 2020 ATHENA Leadership Award Recipient
Grand Rapids, Michigan / August 25, 2020 — The Grand Rapids Chamber today announced Tasha Blackmon, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cherry Health, as the 2020 recipient of the ATHENA Leadership Award. The award will be presented at the 31st Annual ATHENA Awards Celebration to be held virtually on Thursday, September 24 at 4:00 p.m. Blackmon joins three decades of recipients recognized for their efforts supporting, developing, and honoring local women leaders.
“I am thrilled to be recognized alongside four outstanding finalists and included among a growing list of leaders paving the way for women in our community,” said Blackmon. “Together as women leaders, we have the ability to change systems for generations to come.”
The ATHENA Awards program began in Grand Rapids in 1989 to honor women and men for professional excellence, community service and active assistance of women in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills. Recognition is awarded in three categories: ATHENA Leadership Award; ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award; and ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award. This year’s finalists and recipients were chosen by the ATHENA Council following an open nomination process. A complete list of finalists can be found by category below.
“We have seen tremendous growth in our ATHENA program this year in spite of the pandemic,” explained Mel Trombley, Director of Leadership Programs for the Grand Rapids Chamber. “While gathering in-person is not a possibility, we are thrilled to debut a virtual celebration experience that combines the rich history of ATHENA tradition with new creative elements that embrace a spirit of forward progression.”
Registration for the 31st Annual ATHENA Awards Celebration is currently open at grandrapids.org. In addition to event access, all attendees will receive a gift box curated by Pack Elephant that features goods from local, women-owned business.
ATHENA Leadership Award Finalists
- Tasha Blackmon, President & Chief Executive Officer, Cherry Health
- Candace Matthews, Chief Reputation Officer, Amway
- Bonnie Nawara, Chief Executive Officer, Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women
- Ana Ramirez-Saenz, President, La Fuente Consulting LLC
- Misti Stanton, Assistant Vice President and Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Mercantile Bank of Michigan
ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award Finalists
- Brandy Arnold, Program Manager, West Michigan Center for Arts + Technology
- Elise Kutt, Founder & Photographer, Mod Bettie Portrait Boutique
- Ashley René Lee, Vice President of Strategic Communications, Grand Rapids Community Foundation
- Ashley Ward, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Hire for Hope
- Shannon Wilson, Director of Medicaid Outreach & Quality, Priority Health
ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award Finalists
- Kids’ Food Basket
- Lindo Mexico Restaurante Mexicano
- Metric Structures
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About the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce
The Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce leads the business community in creating a dynamic, top-of-mind West Michigan region. Together with over 2,500 member businesses, we work to expand the influence, access, and information required to actively encourage entrepreneurial growth and community leadership. We offer the connections, resources, and insights needed to develop strong leaders, engage a diverse workforce, foster an inclusive and welcoming community, and advance a vibrant business environment that nurtures economic prosperity for all. Learn more at www.grandrapids.org.
31st Annual ATHENA Awards Celebration: Meet the Finalists
Every year at the ATHENA Awards Celebration, we gather to CELEBRATE those who embody, encourage and promote the inclusion of women. The ATHENA Leadership Award is presented to an outstanding leader who is honored for professional excellence, community service and for actively assisting women in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills.
This year’s event, Beyond the Bios, will focus on the stories and experiences that have made the ATHENA finalists the incredible leaders they are today. Join us to engage and connect as we celebrate ATHENA and continue to push the needle forward for women in our community.
We will be presenting this year’s celebration in a virtual format. Eliminating in-person attendance will enable us to provide the experience our members, community and partners deserve in a safe environment.
Meet the finalists for the 31st Annual ATHENA Awards Celebration below:
ATHENA Leadership Award Finalists
The ATHENA Leadership Award Recipient: is an established leader and mentor who assists women in reaching their full potential; Demonstrates excellence, creativity, and initiative in their business or profession; Provides valuable service by devoting time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community
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Tasha Blackmon, President & Chief Executive Officer, Cherry Health
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Candace Matthews, Chief Reputation Officer, Amway Global
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Bonnie Nawara, Chief Executive Officer, GROW
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Ana Ramirez-Saenz, President, La Fuente Consulting
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Misti Stanton, Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Mercantile Bank
ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award
The ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award Recipient: is an emerging leader who demonstrates excellence, creativity and initiative in their business or profession; Serves as a role model for young women personally and professionally; Is 40 years old or younger as of September 2020, and has a minimum of five (5) years professional experience; Provides valuable service to improve the quality of life for others in the community
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Brandy Arnold, Program Manager, WMCAT
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Elise Kutt, Owner/Photographer, Mod Bettie
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Ashley René Lee, Vice President of Strategic Communications, Grand Rapids Community Foundation
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Ashley Ward, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Hire for Hope
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Shannon Wilson, Medicaid Outreach & Quality Director, Priority Health
ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award Finalists
The ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award Recipient: Recognizes businesses and organizations that support, develop and honor women leaders; 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/or supporting leadership development opportunities and initiatives
The ATHENA Awards program began in Grand Rapids in 1989 and exists to honor women and men for professional excellence, community service and for actively assisting women in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills. More than thirty amazing individuals have received the prestigious ATHENA Award in Grand Rapids. We are also excited to continue the ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award, which began in 2019, to recognize businesses and organizations that support, develop and honor women leaders.
ATHENA Leadership Forum Goes Virtual with Candace Matthews
Thank you to all who attended our first Virtual ATHENA Leadership Forum! Our guest speaker, Candace Matthews, gave powerful insight on giving back to yourself and others. “Don’t just give until it hurts, give until it feels good.”
Growing up Candace was given a lot, and through her faith and education, she had an understanding from an early age that “when you are blessed, you have to bless other people.” Instilling this mantra throughout her everyday life has led her to pass on her knowledge to many others. With a focus on two areas, she shared perspective on giving back, both on an individual and broader level.
Giving Back on an Individual Level:
The first portion of Candace’s talk discussed the importance of having and being a mentor, advisor and sponsor.
- Mentor: Someone who tells you what you need to hear and will give constructive criticism. This mentor is someone you should be vulnerable around and challenge you to leverage your strength to push yourself forward.
- Advisor: Someone who inspires you and is an expert in your field. This person doesn’t have to be at your company and doesn’t have to be a person you talk to regularly; think of them as a guiding light who can help you in one-off situations.
- Sponsor: A critical person, ideally within your company, who tells the room your story and highlights your accomplishments. This person must know about you and your aspirations and tells it to others. This person is always in your corner.
Serving as a mentor, advisor or sponsor to others is a rewarding way to give back on an individual level.
Giving Back on a Broader Level:
Candace encouraged attendees to follow and lead in their passions. She challenged people to be uncomfortable and push through the tension, to give until it feels good.
In light of the conversations being had around the world about racial injustices towards the black community, Candace shared her experiences being a mother to a black son, who she has had to have “the talk” with. This refers to a conversation that many, if not all, black parents have had with their children about navigating the world while being Black in America. This unfair but necessary conversation is to keep her son safe, something that all mothers will resonate with. Candace called us all on an individual and societal level to be better.
Candace emphasized that we must hold each other accountable. If you want to know what you can do, just CALL:
- Challenge racism and injustice every time you see it. Being silent is no longer an option.
- Actively listen to others and be part of the solution. Paying lip service isn’t enough.
- Learn about someone unlike yourself, their lives and experiences. Only then can you begin to understand what it feels like to be in their
- Love and value every life. Yes, Black Lives do Matter.
Candace’s leadership, authenticity and wisdom created a space for breakout groups to connect and discuss giving back on both individual and community platforms. It was a powerful time for our ATHENA Community to unite and push each other to give back.
On behalf of ATHENA Grand Rapids, we’d like to thank Candace Matthews, our breakout discussion hosts, the ATHENA Council and our generous sponsors for creating an exceptional first virtual forum.
Gifts purchased for giveaways from:
DEI Resources:
- Many persons of color are finding it hard to articulate how to discuss issues of racism, injustice, discrimination and privilege, we’d like to encourage you to take some time to learn and listen.
- The Daily Show with Trevor Noah: About the dominos of racial injustice and police brutality, and how the contract between society and black Americans has been broken time and time again.
- Podcast on Spotify | Brené Brown with Ibram X. Kendi on How to Be an Antiracist
- Information on Pride month celebrated in June
ATHENA Updates
