ATHENA® Awards


Nominations are open for the 2026 ATHENA® Leadership and Young Professional Leadership (YPL) ATHENA® Awards, and we need your help identifying potential recipients. These awards recognize exceptional women who excel in their careers, contribute to their communities and develop women leaders.

ATHENA® and YPL ATHENA® Award recipients will be recognized at the 2026 Women’s Business Conference, presented by JPMorganChase and Baylor Scott & White Health, on Thursday, Oct. 22, at Gilley’s Dallas.

The ATHENA® Award recognizes individuals who have attained and embody the highest level of professional excellence and actively assist women in realizing their full leadership potential. The YPL ATHENA® Award, presented by KPMG, recognizes women under 40 who demonstrate excellence and creativity in their profession and contribute time and energy to service to their community.

NOMINATIONS DUE TUESDAY, SEPT. 22

ATHENA® Award

Nominate an ATHENA®

YPL ATHENA® Award

Nominate a YPL ATHENA®
YPL ATHENA® AWARD SPONSOR

CELEBRATE OUR ATHENA® WINNERS

The 2026 ATHENA® and YPL ATHENA® Award recipients will be recognized at the Women’s Business Conference, presented by JPMorganChase and Baylor Scott & White Health, on Thursday, Oct. 22, at Gilley’s Dallas, where we’ll celebrate the the power of anchoring deeply in purpose and the values that empower us to take bold leaps and navigate change with confidence.

  • Nomination Criteria

    ATHENA® Award

    • ATHENA® nominees may represent the nonprofit 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, presented by KPMG

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

    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.

  • Past Recipients of Dallas Awards
    • 2025—Caren Lock, Managing Director and Government Relations Officer, TIAA (ATHENA®); Erika Leigh Nobles, Lease Administration Manager, Colliers (YPL ATHENA®) 
    • 2024—Merrilee Kick, CEO and Founder, BuzzBallz / Southern Champion (ATHENA®); Raquel Alvarenga, Partner, Haynes Boone (YPL ATHENA®) 
    • 2023—Dr. Candice Lucas-Bledsoe, Founder & Global Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Action Research Center 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, JPMorganChase (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