2022 Greater Rochester ATHENA International Awards Magazine by Greater Rochester Chamber

ATHENA 2022

INTERNATIONAL AWARDS

JANUARY 20, 2022 SUPPORT • DEVELOP • HONOR

SUPPORT • DEVELOP • HONOR

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Leadership Legacy:

2022 ATHENA Award Finalists

2022 ATHENA Young Professional

2022 ATHENA Organizational

2021 ATHENA Award Recipients

Award Finalists

CELEBRATING LEADING WOMEN OF ROCHESTER Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce and its Women’s Council affiliate are pleased to present the finalists for the 36th Annual Greater Rochester ATHENA International Award, ATHENA Young Professional Award, and ATHENA Organizational Award. The awards are designed to recognize outstanding leadership and organizations in the Greater Rochester region, as well as empower the next generation of women leaders. Each finalist represents the ATHENA leadership model at its best, and our community benefits greatly from their excellence, service, and vision. The internationally recognized ATHENA Awards program was founded in 1982 in Lansing, Michigan by Martha Mertz to honor the achievements of exceptional women leaders and inspire others to achieve excellence in their professional lives. Since 1982, more than 8,000 top leaders in over 500 communities around the world have received the prestigious ATHENA International Award. The program was introduced to the Greater Rochester community in 1987 by Greater Rochester Chamber and its affiliate, the Women’s Council. The ATHENA International Awards program is a tribute to all who participate, including our outstanding finalists and their nominators. As the only international awards program in Greater Rochester dedicated solely to recognizing outstanding female leadership and organizations, we thank the community for its continued support and participation. In addition, we appreciate the tremendous generosity of our sponsors whose contributions, especially during these difficult times, allow us to continue to present the ATHENA International Awards program each year. The women and organizations profiled in this special ATHENA International Awards publication represent nearly every sector of our business community including corporate, entrepreneurial, education, legal, construction, financial, health care, and not-for-profit organizations. Their work in our community as leaders and individuals who recognize and embrace the importance of assisting other women in their personal and professional development cannot be overstated. As you read and learn more about the ATHENA International Awards finalists, we know you will agree that they are outstanding examples of achievement and leadership. Congratulations to all our ATHENA International Award finalists! May you continue to inspire our community and the next generation of trailblazing women.

BOB DUFFY

President and CEO Greater Rochester Chamber

KATE PELLETT

President Women’s Council

Greater Rochester Chamber and its Women’s Council affiliate are pleased to bring the 36th Annual ATHENA International Awards program to our region. We gratefully acknowledge the generosity of the ATHENA International Awards program sponsors.

PARTNERS

ATHENA YOUNG PROFESSIONAL SPONSOR

Nocon & Associates A private wealth advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

CORPORATE SPONSORS • Coordinated Care Services, Inc. • Dale Carnegie of Western NY • Excellus BlueCross BlueShield • KJT Group

• National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House • Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women

SUPPORTING SPONSORS •A dams Leclair LLP

• Nixon Peabody LLP

• Selby Marketing, LLC

•B ond Schoeneck & King

• Paychex, Inc.

• Thorley Wealth Management

•B rockport Research Institute

• Rochester Area Community Foundation

• WXXI

• Rochester Regional Health

• Zweigle’s Inc.

•B utler/Till •D ress for Success Rochester •L aunch Team, Inc. •M onroe Community College

• Saunders College of Business, Rochester Institute of Technology

• Woods Oviatt Gillman LLP

Greater Rochester Chamber gratefully acknowledges the generous support for this event from its partners and sponsors. To sponsor this event next year, contact Susan George at Susan.George@GreaterRochesterChamber.com

PAST ATHENA AWARD RECIPIENTS Since 1987 • Rochester, NY

2021 Lauren Dixon

2003 Ursula M. Burns

2020 Dr. Heidi Macpherson

2002 Sandra A. Parker

2019 Hilda Rosario-Escher

2001 Dr. Katherine Keough

2018 Sharon Napier

2000 Sue S. Stewart

2017 Nannette Nocon

1999 Betsy Harrison

2016 Elaine Spaull

1998 Susan McLaughlin

2015 Amy Tait

1997 Linda S. Becker

2014 Dr. Lynn Maquat

1996 Kathleen Whelehan

2013 Dr. Anne Kress

1995 Bernice Skirboll

2012 Dr. Judith F. Baumhauer

1994 Barbara M. Kelley

2011 Kitty Van Bortel

1993 Karen Noble Hanson

2010 Jennifer Leonard

1992 Katherine Hudson

2009 Holly Hillberg

1991 Mary-Frances Winters

2008 Dr. Ruth Lawrence

1990 Louis Woerner

2007 Patricia Malgieri

1989 Chris Pulleyn

2006 G. Jean, Howard

1988 Rose Marie Beston

2005 Carolyn A. Portanova

1987 (Inaugural Year) Dr. Judith Schwan

2004 Dr. Elizabeth R. McAnarney

Past ATHENA Young Professional Award Recipients Since 2015

2021 Cicely Strickland-Ruiz 2020 Julie Camardo 2019 Shaquana Divers 2018 Kim Allen 2017 Melisza Campos 2016 Melanie Wolk 2015 (Inaugural Year) Claudia Burcke

Past ATHENA Organizational Award Recipients Since 2018

2021 Brockport Research Institute 2020 Butler/Till 2019 HCR Home Care 2018 (Inaugural Year) Dixon Schwabl

DEVELOP SUPPORT HONOR 9

MISSION & VISION Our non-profit mission is to develop, support and honor women leaders through programs we administer in partnership with host organizations from local communities. Our programs inspire women to reach their full potential as we strive to achieve our vision: to create balance in the voices of leadership worldwide.

ATHENA Leadership Model

The 8 Principles of Enlightened Leadership The ATHENA Leadership Model, developed through a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, identifies eight distinct attributes that are reflective of women’s contributions to leadership: living authentically, learning constantly, advocating fiercely, acting courageously, fostering collaboration, building relationships, giving back and celebrating. These personal traits that are more intuitive to women, and combined with the strongest aspects of traditional leadership - taking risks, assertiveness, hard work - prepare women to be successful leaders in the 21st century. Under the ATHENA Leadership Model, distinctive education and mentoring programs have been created to honor and foster women in leadership: The ATHENA Leadership Award Program ATHENA International Women’s Leadership Day Program Becoming ATHENA for emerging, evolving and established leaders We know the value of emerging and transformative styles of leadership that are closely tied to the intuitive strengths that women bring to leadership. The ATHENA Leadership Model captures these principles for use in contemporary settings, while acknowledging that they have been handed down from women across the world and over generations. In short, the ATHENA Leadership Model meets the needs of emerging leaders and speaks convincingly to women leaders who will head the organizations of the future.

101 ATHENA FOUNDING LIFETIME MEMBERS

8 ATHENA Licensed growing

48 States

ATHENA Awards: more than 7,200 since inception in 1982

Congratulations

Nikisha Ridgeway, M.A. on your nomination for the ATHENA International Award! We are grateful for your leadership, commitment to excellence,

www.starbridgeinc.org

community service, and your dedication to lifting one another and making space for voices too often unheard.

Congratulations Alyssa and Natalie! Dress for Success Rochester is grateful for your leadership, vision and commitment to MOVING WOMEN FORWARD FOUNDER, ALYSSA WHITFIELD 2022 ATHENA AWARD FINALIST

BOARDMEMBER, NATALIE GRIGG 2022 ATHENA YOUNG PROFESSIONAL AWARD FINALIST

Colleen Davis, MD, MPH

Chief, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, URMC Golisano Children’s Hospital

Congratulations for being named a 2022 ATHENA International Award Finalist! Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women salutes Dr. Davis’ distinguished service and leadership at our school and in the Rochester community. Her impact as a Board member, COVID-19 Task Force member, and past parent is deeply felt and appreciated. On behalf of the Board, faculty and staff, students, and families at Mercy, we congratulate and thank Dr. Davis for her service!

Grades 6-12

1437 Blossom Road Rochester, NY 14610 585-288-7120 mercyhs.com

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield congratulates Mona Chitre for being named a 2022 Athena International Award finalist.

LEADERSHIP LEGACY

2021 ATHENA INTERNATIONAL AWARD RECIPIENTS • ROCHESTER, NY

LAUREN DIXON 2021 ATHENA AWARD RECIPIENT

What has been your journey since receiving the 2021 ATHENA Award? As I’ve transitioned my role at Dixon Schwabl + Company from CEO to Board Chair, I’ve been mentoring our new CEO Kim Allen and new President Jessica Savage. I continue to champion the culture we’ve built over the years and am helping other companies create a great place to work. In addition, I continue to serve on ten community boards such as United Way, Monroe Community College Foundation, Thompson Health, CMAC, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce and others. Certainly, one of my most favorite roles is being “Mimi” to five beautiful grandchildren and spending more time with them!

What’s your advice to those aspiring to be an ATHENA Award Recipient? Live the tenets of ATHENA each and every day. Mentor women and empower them to take calculated risks and not fear failure. Because if you haven’t failed you aren’t trying enough new and different things. Be positive and lift everyone up – women and men. Finally, be selfless and do at least one spectacular thing each day to help someone and make them smile.

What does the future look like for you and your organization? We are creating the future of our business right now because of the pandemic. What I do know is that it will be significantly different than what our business looked like before. There is an amazing excitement within our company because of all of the many positive things that actually came out of COVID – working partially from home, more family time, more reflection and even a better work life balance than we had before. The creativity, big thinking and reimagining of our business is something that is empowering for everyone in our company.

CICELY STRICKLAND-RUIZ

SARA SILVERSTONE

2021 ATHENA YOUNG PROFESSIONAL AWARD RECIPIENT

2021 ATHENA ORGANIZATIONAL AWARD RECIPIENT

What has been your journey since receiving the 2021 ATHENA Young Professional Award?

What has been your journey since receiving the 2021 ATHENA Organizational Award?

I am humbled and grateful for the overwhelming outpouring of support following the 2021 ATHENA Young Professional Award. I continue to have the pleasure and privilege of working with an incredible group of people who come to work to make a difference each day.

2021 saw record growth and we brought on some fantastic new employees. In fact, we outgrew our office and opened another office to house our Operations department. While I had always mentored and provided leadership opportunities for young women, the ATHENA Award reminded me that these things should be done more intentionally. I started holding monthly leadership meetings in which we regularly revisit our strategic mission and goals. I think having to describe what makes BRI unique and receiving recognition for our approach made me think more consciously and deliberately about strategic planning and philosophy.

The pandemic has caused us to slow down and speed up at the same time. It has encouraged us to reevaluate our dayto-day lives, to be deliberate about focusing on what is most important, and to find innovative ways to collaborate despite being separated by distance.

What is your advice to those aspiring to be an ATHENA Young Professional Award Recipient? 1.) Each day do something to expand your comfort zone. Seek out opportunities to learn and try new things, approach every challenge as a learning opportunity. 2.) Create a supportive network by surrounding yourself with positive people. I have been so fortunate to have wonderful mentors and champions who have invested their time to support my growth and development and I do my best pay it forward where I can. 3.) Decide what you are most passion about and do it on purpose. Have courage, do your best and be kind to yourself in your pursuits – we are often our own harshest critics. Try to channel your best friend when you talk to yourself.

What does the future look like for you and your organization? At the heart of United Way‘s mission is connection, service and a belief that it truly takes a village to ensure that those around us are able to thrive. My hope for the future is that I will continue to be a contributing member of the village; that I will seek out ways to use my gifts to connect people, resources and opportunities.

What is your advice to those aspiring to be an ATHENA Organizational Award Recipient? Talk to as many people in your professional network as possible. So often, we never consider that there might something unique or noteworthy about our approach. As women, we are taught to be humble and not advocate for ourselves, as it might be seen as unattractive. I was fortunate to have a mentor who recommended that a coworker nominate Brockport Research Institute for an ATHENA Award. I think if I was aspiring to be nominated, I’d probably share that with someone I trust and ask if they might consider either nominating me themselves or encourage someone else to do so.

What does the future look like for you and/or your organization? BRI continues to expand our capacity in terms of the number and the scope of projects we manage. We started out focusing on projects in my own personal area of expertise. But as we have grown, we have taken on projects in a wide range of subjects. Given the diversity of content experts in our region, there is no limit to the different subjects we can tackle. We continue to grow geographically, as well. With the ease of electronic communication, we are not bound by geographic limits and our footprint continues to grow nationwide. The future is wide open!

2022

ATHENA AWARD INTERNATIONAL FINALISTS

ROCHESTER, NY

Mona Chitre

Denise Reed Lamoreaux

Chief Pharmacy Officer & VP Integrated Clinical Strategy Excellus BlueCross BlueShield

Worldwide Learning Director of Customer Success for Accessible Accommodations (Rochester-based) Microsoft Corp.

Colleen Davis, MD, MPH Chief, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Golisano Children’s Hospital University of Rochester Medical Center

Nikisha Ridgeway

Deborah Hughes

Elizabeth Thorley

President & CEO National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House

President/CEO Thorley Wealth Management

Tiffany Lee

Alyssa Whitfield

Chief, Appellate Division United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York

Founder, Dress for Success Rochester/ Manager Stakeholder Engagement-DEI, Constellation Brands

Nancy Neumann

Anne Wilder

Vice President of UX Design ITX Corp.

President Coordinated Care Services, Inc. (CCSI)

Chief Operating Officer Starbridge

MONA CHITRE

CHIEF PHARMACY OFFICER & VP INTEGRATED CLINICAL STRATEGY EXCELLUS BLUECROSS BLUESHIELD As Chief Pharmacy Officer and VP of Integrated Clinical Strategy, Dr. Mona Chitre leads Excellus BlueCross BlueShield’s pharmacy, payment integrity, and clinical policy teams. She is responsible for driving affordability, innovation, and appropriateness of care for Excellus BCBS’s 1.5 million upstate New York members. Mona serves on boards that guide cutting edge programs and education within the pharmacy industry including the Outpatient Subsidiary Board of Civica and the Board of Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy Foundation. She is also a member of the National Council of Physician and Pharmacy Executives, and serves on the editorial board of the Magellan Rx report. Locally, Mona is involved in her community, currently serving on the Board of the United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes, and has held Board positions at Ronald McDonald House, Seniors First Communities and Services, and Uprising. She considers herself fortunate to have received direction from mentors in her early days at Excellus BCBS. Having experienced first-hand the significant impact that had on her career, Mona now regularly mentors other young women. An advocate for women in leadership roles, especially women from diverse backgrounds, she is on the Women’s Leadership Council at Excellus BCBS and United Way. In 2013, the Rochester Business Journal recognized her as a “40 Under 40” honoree. She was also recognized as a “Woman to Watch” by the Diversity Journal in 2014, and as a “Woman of Excellence” by the Rochester Business Journal in 2020. Mona completed her undergraduate and graduate training at Rutgers University and her post-doctoral primary care residency at the VA Hospital in Buffalo, NY.

COLLEEN DAVIS, MD, MPH

CHIEF, PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, GOLISANO CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER MEDICAL CENTER Healthcare and education are the cornerstones of Dr. Davis’ career. After graduating from Upstate Medical School she moved to Rochester for residency training at URMC where she also earned a Masters in Public Health. For 31 years, she has worked at URMC/Golisano Children’s Hospital providing emergency care to children in the greater Rochester community. The patients Dr. Davis cares for vary greatly from children with common illnesses such as: fever, asthma and broken bones to those with life threatening conditions including meningitis and major trauma. Since 2007, she has served as Chief of the Pediatric Emergency Department. This role requires operational and administrative leadership on a 24/7 basis. She has published several medical articles and presented her work nationally. Teaching the next generation of physicians has been central to Dr. Davis’ work. Along with fellow faculty members, she has trained numerous residents and Pediatric Emergency sub-specialists. She is very proud of her trainees - many of whom now lead emergency departments throughout the country. In addition to her work in the medical center, Dr Davis is active in the entire University as a member of the Faculty Senate, Commission on Women and Gender Equity and a number of Presidential advisory committees. Dr. Davis has actively supported Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women for 16 years. She is the parent of three ‘Mercy’ graduates: ‘12, ‘15, ‘18 and is a current member of the OLM Board of Trustees, Academic-Student Affairs and Covid Advisory Committees. Family is Dr. Davis’ greatest blessing. Dr. Davis, her three daughters, son-in-law and extended family are thrilled that the first grand baby is on the way!

DEBORAH HUGHES PRESIDENT & CEO NATIONAL SUSAN B. ANTHONY MUSEUM & HOUSE As the President & CEO of the National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House since 2007, Deborah L. Hughes is often asked to reflect on Anthony’s leadership model. “Susan B. Anthony was an expert organizer and built a network of people with shared vision. In a similar way, I see collaboration as the most meaningful, challenging, and rewarding work to undertake,” says Hughes. With Deborah’s leadership, the Anthony Museum has grown and expanded its programs and reach, while at the same time staying true to its mission. Currently, Deborah and the Museum Board and Staff are collaborating with Anthony scholars and museum professionals to create a new visitor space in Rochester that interprets the significant impact of Susan B. Anthony’s life and work through meaningful, immersive experiences and exhibits that inspire people to work for change. When not at the helm of the Anthony Museum, and when Rochester weather permits, Deborah enjoys sailing on Lake Ontario. An ordained minister, Deborah served on the pastoral staff of three urban churches in Michigan and New York. She holds a Bachelor of Science in world religion from the University of Oregon and a Masters of Divinity from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, with a focus on the Bible and Ancient Languages. For Deborah, each day is an opportunity inspire others to take up Anthony’s challenge to find their way to make the world a better place with, of, by, and for all.

TIFFANY LEE

CHIEF, APPELLATE DIVISION UNITED STATES ATTORNEY’S OFFICE FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK Tiffany Lee is the Chief of the Appellate Division, for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York, and an award-winning prosecutor. She has prosecuted hundreds of cases, including cases involving child pornography and human trafficking. She has received special recognition for her work in cases involving exploited children.

Tiffany has an unwavering commitment to mentoring women in the legal profession. Tiffany is extremely proud of her work with the Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys (GRAWA) and the Monroe County Bar Association. As past-President of GRAWA, Tiffany promoted initiatives focusing on the advancement and recognition of women attorneys and issues of diversity, representation and inclusion. GRAWA recently awarded her its Crennel-Branch award for her “untiring and exemplary dedication” to the organization. The Daily Record has also recognized Tiffany for her contributions to the legal profession, including as a Top Woman in Law. In 2020, the New York State Bar Association honored Tiffany with its Kay Crawford Murray award, for her recognition of the value of diversity in the legal profession and her dedication to furthering the professional development of women. Tiffany lives in Livingston County with her husband, Eric Schiener, and their daughter and two sons.

DENISE REED LAMOREAUX WORLDWIDE LEARNING DIRECTOR OF CUSTOMER SUCCESS FOR ACCESSIBLE ACCOMMODATIONS (ROCHESTERBASED), MICROSOFT CORP. Denise Reed Lamoreaux brings 30+ years of experience in Learning and Development, Marketing and Communications, Diversity and Inclusion, and Mentoring and Coaching. A leader with gravitas and relationship building skills who can comfortably interact, form partnerships and gain buy in from the entire range of stakeholders, Denise was instrumental in establishing consultant relationships with external entities including Valuable 500; parity.org; The United Nations; L’Autre Cercle; Stonewall, AARP; The Hispanic Promise; Textio; and The International Olympic and Paralympic Committees. Awards she has won include: • Women in IT Employer of the Year 2021 • Top 50 Diversity Stars: US 2020 and 2021 • National Diversity Council Top 50 Diversity Professionals 2020 and 2021 • Inspiring Leader 2021 via Inspiring Workplaces • Rochester Women’s Network “W” Award • Employee Engagement Award: Diversity & Inclusion Programming • Women In IT Award: Diversity Initiative Of The Year 2 years in a row • Brandon Hall Bronze for Diversity & Inclusion Programming 2 years in a row

• Keynote speaker, SUNY Geneseo Women in Leadership Conference: Taking A Seat At The Table • TEDx Speaker: The 511 On The Generations • Brandon Hall Silver Award Winner for Blended Learning Approach • Corp U Award winner for Idea Garage Program (innovation pipeline) • HP Winners Spirit Award for executive coaching initiatives • HP HR Heroes Winners Circle Award • HP’s Top Ten Happenings

• Atos HR Honors Award for Diversity & Inclusion Programs

• HP Employee Resource Groups Winners Spirit of Excellence Award

• Atos Bronze Award for Superior Performance

• Her Rochester Woman to Watch

• President, SUNY Geneseo Alumni Association

• Rochester Up and Coming Businesswoman of the Year Award

NANCY NEUMANN

VICE PRESIDENT OF UX DESIGN ITX CORP. Nancy Neumann has been part of the technology industry for over 25 years. Her technical background includes coding, design, strategy, and management. The multitude of digital products she has helped shape include custom e-commerce systems, financial software, digital products for health care, and administrative software for higher education and eLearning. As the Vice President of User Experience at ITX Corp., Nancy leads an ever advancing, fully functional UX powerhouse. As technology continues to evolve, and with the belief that building inclusive products makes not only good business sense but is simply the right thing to do, Nancy grows herself and her team to adapt to the needs of end users, clients, and the market. Under Nancy’s leadership at ITX, the UX team has spearheaded initiatives to design and develop diverse, accessible, and inclusive digital products. Nancy also celebrates her team’s consistent expansion in terms of growth, revenue impact and employee longevity. The UX team has grown to include specialized content services and has significantly increased in size in the last two years with 27 designers and 7 content specialists. It is worth noting that in the male dominated technology field, half of the ITX UX team is women, including leadership positions. The UX team has become a key source of differentiation, thought leadership, and customer value creation at ITX. Nancy has been with ITX for 13 years after the company’s acquisition of an Ithaca-based company where she was a partner leading the direction and production of web-based applications and custom content management systems.

NIKISHA RIDGEWAY CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER STARBRIDGE Nikisha Ridgeway is Chief Operating Officer at Starbridge. For more than 20 years, she has served in the nonprofit sector, supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the Buffalo and Rochester region. Nikisha started her career as a residential, direct support professional and immediately knew she was called to do this work. Nikisha cultivates a culture of innovation with each of her teams, developing or improving programs to ensure people with disabilities have opportunities to grow and live the lives they choose. In the Rochester region, Nikisha has been instrumental in the growth of Self-Directed Services, which supports individuals to have more choices about how they live, where they live, the services they receive, and who they hire. Nikisha serves as a member of the Developmental Disabilities Giving Circle through the Rochester Area Community Foundation. She is a Co-Chair for the Wilmot Cancer Institute’s Community Cancer Action Council. Together with Wilmot’s Community Outreach and Engagement team, the Council is focused on working with underserved and rural communities to lessen the impact of cancer. Nikisha holds a MA, in Human Services & Executive Leadership from Liberty University and a BA in Psychology from Buffalo State College. Nikisha believes in empowering women to be their authentic selves and encourages the practice of leaders building leaders.

ELIZABETH THORLEY

PRESIDENT/CEO THORLEY WEALTH MANAGEMENT Coming from a farm family in Ohio, Elizabeth Thorley believes those rural roots helped instill in her a certain value system, which explains why the greatest satisfaction she gets as Founder and CEO of her financial planning firm is helping others reach lifetime goals.

In 2012, with more than 25 years of financial planning experience behind her, Elizabeth started Thorley Wealth Management in Pittsford and has guided its growth and success for a decade. She has assembled an all-female staff that she believes is particularly adept at communications, listening carefully to clients’ needs and understanding what is most important to them before helping them develop a plan for success. In the past three years, alone, Elizabeth’s professional honors include twice being named to the lists of both Forbes Best-in-State Advisors and Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors, receiving Investment News’ Best Practices Award, cited as a Rochester Business Journal Financial Leader and Woman of Excellence, and included among RBJ’s Power 30 in Banking and Finance. Elizabeth’s passion for helping others extends to the community, including serving on the boards of the Rochester Area Community Foundation (past board chair), the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Rochester, the Estate Planning Council of Rochester (2022 president), the Fairport Baptist Homes Foundation Board, and the Southeast YMCA Advisory Board.

ALYSSA WHITFIELD FOUNDER, DRESS FOR SUCCESS ROCHESTER/ MANAGER STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT-DEI, CONSTELLATION BRANDS Passion. Compassion. Style. Three words that best describe how Alyssa Whitfield takes on the world. In 2015, she founded Dress for Success Rochester, combining her passion for community engagement and fashion, building it into the area’s premier employment resource for women. For the past 7 years, Alyssa has been the driving force and face behind the organization, however, she’s been lifting up women in our community as a mentor, advocate and cheerleader for years. In 2006, Alyssa was recognized by Essence Magazine and Maybelline New York, winning the $10,000 ‘Empowerment through Education’ Award. Alyssa’s rah-rah spirit can also be felt as she champions other causes; currently volunteering as Board President for You Can’t Fail,Inc. and the Miss New York Scholarship Organization; board member of The Council of Agency Executives; Rochester Broadway Theatre League; E3 Rochester and The Rochester (NY) Chapter of The Links, Inc. Not only recognized for her community involvement, Alyssa was named by Rochester Magazine as one of the most stylish Rochesterians, and never misses a chance to strut the city’s sidewalks as her own personal runway. As the last of her 4 children graduates from college this spring, Alyssa is looking forward to life as an empty nester with her husband Michael.

ANNE WILDER

PRESIDENT COORDINATED CARE SERVICES, INC. (CCSI) Anne is President of CCSI, a not-for-profit celebrating 30 years of partnering with local governments and providers in Rochester and across Upstate NY to deliver behavioral health and human services. Anne joined CCSI in 2000 as Director of Data Analysis and Project Management as its 19th employee and assumed the role of President in 2006. Today, CCSI has a team of over 450 talented staff working in communities across NYS. Anne came to CCSI because of the culture of collaboration, innovation, and a passion for its mission, a culture she has continued to cultivate. CCSI has long understood that its workforce is its most precious resource and works hard to create an environment that supports all staff in doing their best work, including award winning employee wellness programs, a strong focus on DEI, and a commitment to anti-racist practice. A lifelong resident of the Rochester area, Anne believes in the unique beauty and potential of our region. She is proud to serve on the boards of several organizations, including Bivona Child Advocacy Center, Leadership Rochester, the behavioral health subcommittee of Rochester Regional Health’s advisory board, and the Healthcare Business Academy. Anne was recently recognized as an RBJ Women of Excellence.

2022

HEADLINE

ATHENA SUBHEAD

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL AWARD copy INTERNATIONAL FINALISTS

ROCHESTER, NY

Tanvi Asher

Katherine McClung

Owner Shop Peppermint

Member Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC

Lauren Gallina Payne

Stephanie Paredes

Marketing Director Gallina Development Corporation

Assistant Director, Multicultural Programs Rochester Institute of Technology

Natalie Grigg

Tashanda Thomas

Supervising Partner/Default Services Department Woods Oviatt Gilman

Chief Human Resources Officer WXXI Public Media

Flossie Hall Director of Business Development & Marketing Generation Capital Management

Christina Halladay UX Director ITX Corp.

Michele Liddle Founder/CEO The Perfect Granola

Stacey Trien Partner Adams Leclair, LLP

Tomicka Wagstaff Assistant Vice President for Academic Access and Success Rochester Institute of Technology

Rema Yaskulski Managing Director-Hospital Partnerships Rochester Regional Health

TANVI ASHER OWNER SHOP PEPPERMINT

Tanvi Asher is the founder and owner of Shop Peppermint at the Culver Road Armory and Salty Boutique on Park Avenue. These ventures seek to offer an array of fresh apparel, locally-themed gifts and home goods to women in Rochester. Tanvi has leveraged the momentum of Peppermint’s events, fashion shows and store promotions to support Gilda’s Club, the Rochester Women’s Foundation, Girls Rock! Rochester, and many more organizations. She is proud to serve as a mentor to the women in her organization and as a positive influence on local students who complete class projects in her stores. During the difficult COVID lockdown period, Tanvi created an opportunity to support local artisans. Working within public health guidelines, she launched THEMATA, a series of summer craft shows that gave makers a much-needed venue for sales to the public. The Community Design Center of Rochester recognized THEMATA as a finalist in its 2020 Award for Design. Tanvi Asher was born in Mumbai, India and was raised in the Middle East as an expatriate at the intersection of three languages. She came to the U.S. in 2001 to study architecture. After graduating from RIT’s industrial design program, she launched Peppermint in 2011. She is proud to call Rochester home.

LAUREN GALLINA PAYNE MARKETING DIRECTOR GALLINA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION After a few years of working in the advertising industry after college, Lauren found herself drawn back to work in the family real estate business. Now the Marketing Director for Gallina Development, Lauren takes great pride in her work with her family and feels fortunate to spend every day with them. Lauren oversees marketing and public relations for the entire Gallina Development portfolio, including downtown properties, The Metropolitan and Innovation Square. At a young age, Lauren was taught that spending time helping others was an important part of belonging to a community. Because of this, Lauren spends much of her free time volunteering with several not-for-profit organizations, including the United Way, Landmark Society, Center for Teen Empowerment, Leadership Rochester and The Center for Youth. Lauren, along with her parents and brothers, were the first family of campaign chairs for the United Way’s Annual Campaign in 2019. Lauren completed her Executive MBA at Simon Business School in 2017, Leadership Rochester in the Class of 2015, was named a Rochester Business Journal Forty Under Forty recipient in 2016, was featured in the Rochester Business Journal’s Fast Start, was a Women’s Council ATHENA Young Professional Award Finalist in 2016 and was named a Woman to Watch from the Democrat & Chronicle in 2015. Lauren lives in the Park Avenue neighborhood with her husband Dave and dog Charlie. She enjoys time with friends and family, loves traveling, and enjoys working out and creating pottery.

NATALIE GRIGG

FLOSSIE HALL

SUPERVISING PARTNER/DEFAULT SERVICES DEPARTMENT WOODS OVIATT GILMAN

DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING GENERATION CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

Natalie A. Grigg is a Partner and Department Chair of the Default Services Department at Woods Oviatt Gilman, LLP. In this role, Natalie manages all aspects of the Department including budgeting, recruiting, business development, attorney and staff oversight, compliance, and technology. In the ten years that she has been practicing in Rochester, Natalie has grown the Department both in client-base as well as the number of staff and attorneys under her supervision. She prides herself in building a collaborative work environment that promotes a culture of teamwork, respect, commitment to excellence, and integrity. Natalie is an experienced litigator, representing lenders, investors, and servicers in state and federal court actions throughout New York State. She advises clients on federal and state compliance matters, risk management, and litigation strategies, among other issues.

As an active-duty military spouse and mother of four, Flossie recognized a need for healthy affordable meals while stationed in San Diego. She launched her first venture, Healthy Momma, which sold over 500K meals and employed over 100 military spouses. She became an advocate for women in business and military spouse employment/ entrepreneurship by building global programs, education and accelerators.

Natalie is an active community volunteer, and has sat on the Board of Directors for Dress for Success Rochester since its inception. She also is a member of the Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys (“GRAWA”) and Monroe County Bar Association, where she volunteers teaching yoga as part of the Health and Wellness Committee. At a national level, Natalie has served as a Board Member of the American Legal and Financial Network (ALFN) since 2016. In 2015, she was one of the founding leaders of the ALFN’s Women in Legal Leadership (WILL) Committee. Natalie is a frequent writer and speaker for these and other organizations about numerous topics ranging from complex legal issues to professional development, stress management, and work-life balance.

In 2019 Flossie launched the Association of Military Spouse Entrepreneurs which has since helped over 2000 military spouses start, scale, and sustain businesses worldwide. Flossie has been featured in Forbes, Inc., Entrepreneur, and on the Nasdaq Tower in Times Square. She has been invited to the White House twice in recognition of her advocacy efforts and works closely with Center for American Entrepreneurship on legislative change on behalf of military spouses. She sits on several boards and speaks often on the topics of DEI and Underserved Communities.

Natalie holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and Legal Studies from SUNY Buffalo, and graduated from the University of Buffalo Law School. In her free time, Natalie, her husband, Justin, and 14 year-old daughter Charlotte reside in Chili, NY.

Since returning to Rochester, Flossie has brought her skills and expertise to the team at Generation Capital Management as the Director of Business Development and Marketing. At GCM she is working to bring financial literacy, education, and services to underserved communities, women and service members nationally while helping the company expand its audience.

CHRISTINA HALLADAY

MICHELE LIDDLE

UX DIRECTOR ITX CORP.

FOUNDER/CEO THE PERFECT GRANOLA

Christina Halladay is a User Experience (UX) Designer with an educational background in Psychology and a passion for ‘people’ problems. She’s driven to understand how things work and how they impact the people that interact with them. At ITX, she is a Director of UX where she works with distributed cross-functional teams to build impactful, human-centered digital products. She co-founded and organized a UX conference series called ITXUX, which brings world-renowned speakers to various cities to educate and inspire the tech community. When she’s not designing digital products, she can usually be found somewhere outside with her husband, son and two dogs, being amazed by the design of the natural world.

Michele Liddle is the Founder and CEO of The Perfect Granola, a mission-based granola and granola bar company that shares profits and food with homeless shelters, outreach centers and food banks. Since its beginning, The Perfect Granola has donated thousands of pounds of food to food banks and now distributes their products to hungry children living in food deserts throughout the country through a partnership with PepsiCo’s Food for Good program. Michele is an active member of the Advisory Board for Greyston Bakery and their Open Hire initiative in Rochester, the Advisory Board for Humans 4 Education, a mentor for the CLIMB Program, a member of the board of directors for the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce, and a membership board member for the Victor Chamber of Commerce. She is the Head Coach of both the Majors and Olympic Little League Softball teams in Victor as well as an Assistant Coach for the Vipers Travel Softball Team. In 2019, Michele was a finalist in the Stacy’s Rise Project, RCN’s Entrepreneur of the Year, and The Perfect Granola won the GrowNY Competition. In 2018 Michele was awarded the Women Business Owner of the Year Award as well as The Perfect Granola was awarded WomenOwned Business of the Year by the Victor Chamber of Commerce. That year, as well as in 2019, The Perfect Granola was awarded the NAPPA Award for Best in Family Products. In 2017, Michele was awarded the Women of Excellence Award by the Town of Victor for the creation of The Perfect Granola and its positive impact on the community. She is very focused on health and wellbeing and is a certified fitness instructor and promotes health and wellness to the students she currently coaches. She is constantly working on increasing her knowledge of business and volunteers at The House of Mercy and various outreach centers throughout the area.

KATHERINE MCCLUNG MEMBER BOND, SCHOENECK & KING PLLC Kate McClung is an employment attorney, who counsels employers on various employment issues, conducts internal investigations, and handles employment litigation, including discrimination and harassments lawsuits and compensation disputes. She is a Member of Bond Schoeneck & King PLLC and previously worked at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in New York City. In 2020, Kate was one of 25 attorneys selected nationwide for the Employment Law Trailblazer Award by the National Law Journal. She has also received the Women of Excellence Award from the Rochester Business Journal, the Top Women in Law Award from The Daily Record, the Skadden Distinguished Pro Bono Publico Award, and the Forty Under 40 Award from the Rochester Business Journal. Kate serves as a Director for the American Red Cross Greater Rochester Chapter and is the Chair of the Sound the Alarm Committee. She is the Legal Advisor to the National Human Resources Association Board of Directors and is a member of the Crisis Communication Committee for the ARC of Wayne. She is the coach for her daughter’s Odyssey of the Mind team. In her free time, Kate enjoys baking entremets and making truffles for her husband, Jeremy, and her twins, Jackson and Zoe.

STEPHANIE PAREDES ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, MULTICULTURAL PROGRAMS ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Stephanie Paredes is a passionate and multi-talented AfroLatina powerhouse. She is the owner of Empanadas by Stephanie, co-owner of Beyond Boundaries Consulting, and co-founder of the Rochester Latino Theatre Company. She enjoys sharing her love and passion for creativity, inclusion and diversity through food, theatre, community engagement, and education. She is committed to building bridges for others to learn about the importance of inclusion, diversity and equity in the theatre community, higher education and the Rochester community. She enjoys getting into “good trouble” to disrupt the status quo and encourage others to step out of their comfort and into the growth zone. She is one of the founders of the Women of Color Honor and Ambition leadership development program - a program at RIT that fosters transformational change in young women of color through five pillars. She has served on several boards and committees in the Rochester area including the United Way, Latino Leadership Development Program, Geva Theatre Artistic Council, and Latinas Promoviendo Comunidad/Lambda Pi Chi Sorority, Inc. just to name a few. She currently serves as the Assistant Director of Multicultural Programming in the Division for Diversity & Inclusion at RIT. She received her Bachelors of Arts at SUNY Brockport and is currently pursuing her Master of Science in Integrative Design at RIT. She will be pursuing her doctorate in the future. In her spare time, she loves traveling and exploring Rochester with her incredible son Alejandro. She has been able to dream big, reach her goals and challenge herself to new heights because of her support system of her family, Hermanas, and friends. For that, she is deeply thankful and humbled.

TASHANDA THOMAS

STACEY TRIEN

CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER WXXI PUBLIC MEDIA

PARTNER ADAMS LECLAIR, LLP

Tashanda Thomas is the Chief Human Resources Officer at WXXI Public Media, which includes The Little Theatre and CITY News.

Stacey Trien has practiced law for nearly 20 years. She is a partner with Adams Leclair, LLP, where she represents businesses in employment law and commercial litigation matters. She is an experienced litigator and focuses her practice on providing effective representation to achieve client goals. Stacey regularly presents and publishes articles on topics ranging from employment law to business disputes. During the pandemic, Stacey has led numerous webinars to help attorneys and businesses navigate Covid-related employment laws and directives.

Tashanda has been in the Human Resources profession for several years. She has worked in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors, building relationships with employees and managers at all levels to support the business strategy, resolve communication issues, and motivate individuals for optimal performance. Tashanda is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion for all people and cares deeply about the needs of others. Tashanda’s desire to impact the lives of citizens of the Rochester community is exhibited in her past and current volunteer work and service. Currently, she sits on the Willow Domestic Violence Center’s Board, Governance Committee and HR Task Force. Tashanda is a St. John Fisher College Alumni Board member and YMCA HR Committee member. Tashanda has received recognition for her professional work and her community outreach. She is the 2020-21 NHRA “Making an Impact Award Winner;” a 2020 St. John Fisher College “Ten Under 10” Honoree; a 2019 Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce IGNITE Future Leaders Award Finalist, and a 2018 Rochester Business Journal “Forty under 40 Honoree.” Tashanda holds an Associate Degree from Monroe Community College and a Bachelor’s Degree from St. John Fisher College. Tashanda has both her PHR and SHRM-CP certifications and is a wife and mom.

Stacey is very active in both the legal community and the greater Rochester community. She currently serves as President of the Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys (“GRAWA”). She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Levy Family Foundation, a foundation focusing on children and families. She previously served on the Board of Directors for the Foundation of the Monroe County Bar Association, the charitable arm of the Monroe County Bar Association. She also served on the Board of Directors for the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester, where she co-chaired the Women’s Business and Professional Committee. Stacey grew up in Brighton. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Rochester, cum laude, and received her Juris Doctor degree from The George Washington University School of Law. Stacey has been recognized for her legal acumen and community service by the Daily Record, New York State Bar Association, and GRAWA.

TOMICKA WAGSTAFF

REMA YASKULSKI

ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC ACCESS AND SUCCESS ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

MANAGING DIRECTOR-HOSPITAL PARTNERSHIPS ROCHESTER REGIONAL HEALTH

Tomicka Wagstaff is the Assistant Vice President for Student Access and Success in the Division of Diversity and Inclusion at Rochester Institute of Technology. She received her Bachelors (Sociology) and Masters (Higher Education) degree from Buffalo State College and eventually earned her Ed.D in Higher Education Administration from the University of Rochester. Dr. Wagstaff has been in the Higher Ed field for 18 years working in areas such as Multicultural Affairs, Residential Life, Conduct, Grants, Orientation, Financial Aid and TRIO. She also has taught, as an adjunct in the Sociology department at RIT. Dr. Wagstaff is a co-founder and council co-chair for the Women of Color, Honor, and Ambition Leadership Development Program at RIT.

Rema was born and raised in McKenzie, Tennessee, but after relocating to Rochester in 2011 she quickly felt at home. Rema graduated from Middle Tennessee State University and began her career in Rochester in surgical sales before joining the Rochester Regional Health Foundations in 2019 as the Managing Director of Hospital Partnerships.

Dr. Wagstaff has been serving underrepresented, first generation, low-income and non-traditional students, faculty and staff throughput her career. She has extensive experience in the areas of recruitment, multicultural programming, career advisement, program planning, budget management, leadership, supervision and grant writing. She has been successful in bringing in over 2.5 million dollars in grants and foundation funds at her current institution. In the Rochester Community Tomicka is a graduate of the United Way African American Leadership Development Program and a mentor to many young women. Professionally she is a board member for the Association for Equality and Excellence in Education and Roswell Park Patient Advisory Board. She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Tomicka has received the Emerging Black Leader Award, Buffalo State College Distinguished Alumni Award, Honoree for the Women of Distinction and Style Award and has been inducted into the Principal Investigator Million Dollar Club.

In her current role, Rema has secured several multi-million dollar gifts for the Foundations including one $5 million gift to create the Di Francesco Urology Institute at Rochester Regional Health. The Institute will provide new treatments for urological issues including prostate cancer and kidney stones. Rema also works to secure gifts for various capital and programmatic needs across the 5 hospital system. As the daughter of a Jordanian immigrant, she was always taught to take pride and get involved in the community in which she lives, no matter where. Among Rema’s contributions to the Rochester community is serving as vice-chair and co-founder of the Star Legacy Foundation in Rochester, an organization dedicated to research and stillbirth prevention. She also serves on the board of The Healing Connection as well as avidly supporting LGBTQIA+ youth. Rema was named to the Rochester Business Journal’s 40 under 40 list in 2019. Rema lives in Greece with her husband Mike and two children Michael and Eden.

Congratulations!

Cheers to all 2022 ATHENA Award Finalists

Congratulations on your nominations

The Board of Trustees of the Anthony Museum congratulates all of this year’s exceptional finalists for the 2022 Athena Award and especially Deborah L. Hughes for her vision, leadership, and community service.

17 Madison Street | Rochester, NY 14608 585.279.7490

kjtgroup.com

susanb.org

Congrats to all honorees!

2022

ATHENA

ORGANIZATIONAL AWARD INTERNATIONAL FINALISTS

ROCHESTER, NY

•F amily Promise of Greater Rochester • KJT Group • Launch Team, Inc.

FAMILY PROMISE OF GREATER ROCHESTER Family Promise of Greater Rochester (FPGROC, formerly known as RAIHN) assists families at risk of or experiencing homelessness to achieve sustainable independence by providing personcentered, holistic services in collaboration with the greater community. Founded in 2004, Family Promise of Greater Rochester will have achieved success when affordable, decent, equitable housing is seen as a human right and every family has a place to call home.

KIM HUNT-UZELAC Executive Director

A small organization staffed by a diverse group of women and supported by over 1,800 volunteers from interfaith congregations, FPGROC assists families through three core programs: (1) Shelter, (2) Aftercare & Stabilization, and (3) Prevention, Diversion, & Rehousing. This year alone, 20 families have received shelter and case management, 96 families have been assisted with funding to prevent an eviction or diversion from shelter placement, and FPGROC has distributed $1.5 million to 292 households through the federally-funded Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP). While the pandemic continues to highlight housing inequity in Rochester, eviction, homelessness, and the racial inequities that perpetrate both existed before the pandemic and will continue in a post-pandemic world. FPGROC will work to dismantle systems that create homelessness and inequity, while providing holistic, compassionate care for families within the community.

Congratulations to our friend and colleague, Katherine McClung, 2022 ATHENA International Young Professional Award finalist.

350 Linden Oaks, Third Floor, Rochester, NY 14625 • 585.362.4700 • BSK.COM

Brockport Research Institute is pleased to congratulate all the Athena Award finalists. Thank you all for believing in yourselves, and in those you help to advance. Together, there is nothing we cannot do. Grant Writing • Project Evaluations • Professional Learning • Project Management www.brockportresearchinstitute.com • (585) 431-3416

KJT GROUP KJT Group is an evidence-based consulting firm focused on healthcare. They transform and empower business through evidence, insight, and collaboration. Founded in 2007, KJT employs staff across the United States and is 100% employee owned, with the majority of employeeowners being women.

MICHAELA GASCON President & CEO

KJT sets themselves apart with a holistic approach to market research vs. the siloed model used by many big firms. The hands-on experts at KJT manage projects from start-to-finish, building long lasting partnerships with their clients to capture the deepest, most actionable insights that enable innovative solutions to a wide variety of business needs. Their Insight by Design methodology places five core principles at the heart of all their partnerships, enabling transparency and driving alignment throughout the process. Their results benefit their clients by enhancing strategic and tactical decision-making and guiding them as they negotiate the increasingly complex healthcare industry. They are committed to enhancing the patient experience and ensuring that their needs are adequately represented. Whether it be identifying market opportunities, commercializing new products, or optimizing existing products within the competitive landscape, KJT has helped hundreds of clients in the health services, medical device, pharma and biotech industries to meet their growth goals, while improving patient outcomes.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Congratulations to the 2022 Athena International Awards finalists—women leaders making a positive impact on our community. Nixon Peabody LLP | 1300 Clinton Square, Rochester, NY nixonpeabody.com | @NixonPeabodyLLP

LAUNCH TEAM, INC. Woman-owned, women-led, and a certified Woman-Owned Business Enterprise, Launch Team is a 35-year-old marketing firm that helps STEM-based organizations around the world grow, change, and scale. As the 14-year president of Launch Team, Michele Nichols works tirelessly to develop women’s potential within her organization, establish STEM leadership positions, and support underserved women in the Rochester community. Launch Team’s 11 marketing professionals, currently 100% women, operate in a high-trust organizational culture built on flexibility, empathy, and action. The firm’s dedication to clients is evident by consistent growth, but Michele has curated a company culture based on freedom, integrity, action, mutual respect, and work as part of life.

MICHELE NICHOLS President

Michele is nationally recognized for her expertise in growing tech-based businesses at all stages. She has coached countless cohorts within Luminate - a $25 million startup accelerator in Rochester that helps optics, photonics, and imaging companies speed up innovation and shorten the time to market. Michele supports student’s leadership potential through her involvement with St. John Fisher College Dean’s Leadership Council, Alumni Board, and MBA mentoring program. Launch Team is passionate about giving back to the Rochester community’s underserved population. They donate the first five percent of proceeds to local nonprofits that support children, families and seniors experiencing food insecurity and conduct pro bono work on an annual basis.

A Well-Deserved Honor Congratulations to our board member, Elizabeth Thorley, for being a 2022 Athena Award finalist. 500 East Avenue  Rochester, NY  585.271.4100  www.racf.org

Are you a socially responsible investor?

Securities and advisory services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network® member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser. Fixed insurance products and services offered through CES Insurance Agency.

At Thorley Wealth Management, we encourage clients to seek to align their portfolios with companies or funds whose missions or corporate policies are favorable to the environment and/or who maintain high ethical standards on social and governance issues. 1478 Marsh Road | Pittsford, NY 14534 | (585) 512-8453

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www.thorleywm.com

12/3/21 9:13 AM

ATHENA INTERNATIONAL AWARDS SELECTION COMMITTEE Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce and its Women’s Council affiliate thank the independent panel of judges that determined the recipients of the ATHENA International, ATHENA Young Professional, and ATHENA Organizational Awards. These community leaders from diverse backgrounds and industries volunteered their time to assess the ATHENA nominations and choose the finalists based upon professional achievement, community service, and the support and mentoring of women. The internationally-recognized ATHENA Award Program was founded in 1982 in Langsin, Michigan by ATHENA International Founder Martha Mertz. The award was originally established to honor the

achievements of exceptional women leaders. And more importantly, it was established to inspire others to achieve excellence in their professional and business lives. The ATHENA Award recognizes women who: • Demonstrate excellence, creativity and initiative in their business or profession • Provide valuable service by contributing time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community • Actively assist women in realizing their full leadership potential.

ATHENA AWARD SELECTION COMMITTEE ADRIENNE COLLIER

LAUREN DIXON

United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes

MATT HURLBUTT

JEREMIAH GRYCZKA

SARA SILVERSTONE Brockport Research Institute

JEROME UNDERWOOD Action for a Better Community

DR. BETH PAUL Nazareth College

DR. DEANNA R. BURT-NANNA

Monroe Community College

ATHENA YOUNG PROFESSIONAL AWARD SELECTION COMMITTEE

CICELY STRICKLAND-RUIZ

ESL Federal Credit Union

Greater Rochester Enterprise

Dixon Schwabl

Mountain House Media

ATHENA ORGANIZATIONAL AWARD SELECTION COMMITTEE

Finalist

Young Professional Finalists Tanvi Asher | MFA '10 (industrial design) Principal Designer + Head Buyer Shop Peppermint

CONGRATULATIONS!

Stephanie Paredes | '22 (integrative design)

RIT Finalists for the 2022 ATHENA Awards

Assistant Director RIT Multicultural Center

Anne Wilder

rit.edu/business Rochester Institute of Technology, Founded 1829

President Coordinated Care Services, Inc. (CCSI)

Tomicka Wagstaff

Assistant Vice President RIT Student Access and Success

'89 (marketing)

Congratulations to our colleague Natalie A. Grigg, Esq. A 2022 ATHENA International Young Professional Award Finalist. www.woodsoviatt.com

Rochester Buffalo

Providing Highest Quality Legal Services Since 1852. 1900 Bausch & Lomb Place Rochester, NY

Congratulations to

Tashanda Thomas ATHENA International Young Professional Award Finalist

ON AIR | ONLINE | ON SCREEN | IN PRINT

Our Mission The Women’s Council is your net that works. We are the most top of mind organization for successful professional women in the Greater Rochester area. Women’s Council members support and collaborate with other women, no matter what stage of their career. We are: defining what it means to be a professional woman, building stronger women and more meaningful networks, and have an amazing group of women who are unafraid to be bold in their professions. There are a lot of reasons to join us Membership with the Women’s Council, a Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce affiliate, lets you connect, share and learn from a wide variety of professional women in the Rochester community. Membership also offers you a chance to develop yourself professionally with programs and networking and educational opportunities.

For more information, visit www.rocwomenscouncil.org

$75 per year

$35 per year

WOMEN Empowering Women Wednesday, March 16, 2022 • Hyatt Regency Rochester • 1 - 5 PM We invite Greater Rochester women to join us at this half-day women’s summit focused on making an impact, identifying your strengths, and taking the next step – all with an amazing group of professional women ready to offer honest advice and solutions for what professional women are facing today. Attendees will walk away with key strategies and tangible takeaways designed to make them stronger communicators, more confident professionals, and effective, focused leaders at whatever stage of career they're in or aspiring to be. Organizations may also join Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce and its Women's Council affiliate as a sponsor of this fun, interactive, and impactful half-day event. Speaker info and more details are coming soon!

Contact Gena.Stein@GreaterRochesterChamber.com for more information.

CONNECT to SUCCESS

GreaterRochesterChamber.com

When you join Greater Rochester Chamber, you choose the type of membership best suited to take your organization to the next level. You also invest in the future of the Greater Rochester/Finger Lakes region.