Chamber releases 2016 Athena nominees, names keynote speaker

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber has released its 2016 Athena Award nominees and named the keynote speaker for the event.

Agnus Berenato, television sports analyst and a women’s basketball coach, who was just named head women’s basketball coach at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, will be the keynote speaker at the 24th annual Athena Award Dinner on May 19, when the regional chamber and co-presenter The Vindicator/vindy.com honor and recognize 21 Athena nominees.

The Mahoning Valley’s Athena Award program, recognized by Athena International as one of the top-five largest in the U.S., honors area business and professional women who have demonstrated excellence in their chosen career, provided leadership in the community and mentored or contributed to the growth of other professional women.

The Athena Award nominees for 2016 are: Connie Bobby, treasury management officer for Huntington Bank; Atty. Karen Bovard, Johnson & Johnson law office; Stacie Butler, head golf professional, North Course, Mill Creek MetroParks Golf Courses; Kathy Cook, president, St. Joseph Warren Hospital; Monica Craven, executive director, Habitat for Humanity of Mahoning Valley; Sharon DeFrances, managing director, private client services at Talmer Bank and Trust; Angela DiVito-McClellan, executive director, Coalition for a Drug-Free Mahoning County; Bonnie Dodge, Pinnacle & Platinum Premier team leader, Perfectly Posh independent consultant; Sarah Hadley, executive director, Senior Independence; Debbie Horvath, volunteer coordinator, Southern Care Hospice; Rebecca Keck, executive director, Students Motivated by the Arts; Susan Krawchyk, executive director, Mahoning County Veterans Service Commission; Diana McDonald, president, Mahoning County Medical Society Alliance; Dr. Meredythe “Mimi” McNally, board-certified gastroenterologist, Salem Regional Medical Center; Nina Melfi, assistant vice president, KeyBank; Sarra Mohn, partner, Jet Creative; Kathryn Orr Scheel, president, Silcox Dental Supply; Gina Pastella, executive vice president, VEC Inc.; Erica Richley, special education director, Summit Academy Management; Gail Riess, executive director, Gateways To Better Living; Kenya Roberts-Howard, executive director at YWCA Warren; and Barbara Rombach, director, surgical and specialty offices, Mercy Health Physicians Youngstown.