The Athena Awards

The ATHENA Award was inspired by the goddess of Greek mythology known for her strength, courage, wisdom and enlightenment--qualities embodied in the ATHENA leadership model. The Award is unique in both scope---local, national and international---and the ATHENA mission upon which it is based.

The ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award (OLA) is presented to an organization for supporting and developing women leaders.

The ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award (YPLA), established in 2007, honors emerging leaders and is a natural extension of the prestigious ATHENA Award, which has been presented to over 6,000 women leaders around the globe since 1982.

The Lansing/East Lansing Chapter of The Links, Incorporated understands that the development and accomplishments of our young professional leaders and community-based businesses and organizations are vital to our future success and stability.

We take pride in recognizing and honoring both a young professional leader and an organization or business, who have been exemplary in contributing to our community in a meaningful way, and who represent the potential talent base, success and development in our region.

Our 2022 Athena Award Recipients

Cameo King

2022 Young Professional Leadership Recipient

United Way

2022 Organizational Leadership Recipient

Past Athena Award Recipients

2011

Athena Young Professional Leadership Award Recipient - Brandie Ekren, General Counsel and Executive Director, Lansing Board of Water & Light
Athena Organizational Leadership Award Recipient - Women’s Council of Realtors, Michigan Chapter

2012

Athena Young Professional Leadership Award Recipient - Kira Carter-Robertson, Chief Executive Officer, Sparrow Specialty Hospital
Athena Organizational Leadership Award Recipient - Truscott-Rossman, LLC

2013

Athena Young Professional Leadership Award Recipient - Lauren Aitch, The Aitch Foundation
Athena Organizational Leadership Award Recipient - Edge Partnerships

2014

Athena Young Professional Leadership Award Recipient - Shenetra Moses, General Assembly Launch Manager, General Motors
Athena Organizational Leadership Award Recipient - Gillespie Group

2015

Athena Young Professional Leadership Award Recipient - Jesenia Pizarro, Ph.D., Associate Professor, College of Social Science, School of Criminal Justice, Michigan State University
Athena Organizational Leadership Award Recipient - Two Men And A Truck

2016

Athena Young Professional Leadership Award Recipient- Sarah Swistak, Evening News Anchor, Fox 47 News
Athena Organizational Leadership Award Recipient - Sonja G. Norris, DDS & Associates

2017

Athena Young Professional Leadership Award Recipient - Whitney Anderson-Harrell, Vice President of Sales & Financial Education, Michigan State University Federal Credit Union
Athena Organizational Leadership Award Recipient - GÜD Marketing

2018

Athena Young Professional Leadership Award Recipient - Dominique Devereaux
Athena Organizational Leadership Award Recipient - W.K. Kellogg Foundation

2019

Athena Young Professional Leadership Award Recipient - Falyne J. Fry, M.D.
Athena Organizational Leadership Award Recipient - MSU Federal Credit Union

2020

Athena Young Professional Leadership Award Recipient - Sarah Anthony
Athena Organizational Leadership Award Recipient - Michigan Women Forward