Lansing/East Lansing (MI) Chapter
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 2026 Athena Award Recipients
Sharonda McDonald-Kelley
2026 Young Professional Leadership Recipient
Advent House Ministries
2026 Organizational Leadership Recipient
Past Athena Award Recipients
​Athena Young Professional Leadership Award Recipients
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2011: Brandie Ekren, General Counsel and Executive Director, Lansing Board of Water & Light
2012: Kira Carter-Robertson, Chief Executive Officer, Sparrow Specialty Hospital
2013: Lauren Aitch, The Aitch Foundation
2014: Shenetra Moses, General Assembly Launch Manager, General Motors
2015: Jesenia Pizarro, Ph.D., Associate Professor, College of Social Science, School of Criminal Justice, MSU
2016: Sarah Swistak, Evening News Anchor, Fox 47 News
2017: Whitney Anderson-Harrell, Vice President of Sales & Financial Education, MSU Federal Credit Union
2018: Dominique Devereaux, Founder, Dreamworld Studios for the Arts
2019: Falyne J. Fry, M.D., Psychiatrist
2020: Sarah Anthony, State Senator
2022: Cameo King, Founder, Grit, Glam and Guts
2024: Shimia Isaac, DO., Family Medicine Physician
2026: Sharonda McDonald-Kelley, Head Coach, MSU Softball
Athena Organizational Leadership Award Recipients
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2011: Women’s Council of Realtors, Michigan Chapter
2012: Truscott-Rossman, LLC
2013: Edge Partnerships
2014: Gillespie Group
2015: Two Men And A Truck
2016: Sonja G. Norris, DDS & Associates
2017: GÜD Marketing
2018: W.K. Kellogg Foundation
2019: MSU Federal Credit Union
2020: Michigan Women Forward
2022: United Way of South Central Michigan
2024: Comerica Bank
2026: Advent House Ministries
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