YSU’s Tammy King is ATHENA Award winner

By AMANDA TONOLI

atonoli@vindy.com

BOARDMAN

Tammy King, Youngstown State University acting dean of the College of Health and Human Services, is the 27th annual ATHENA Award winner.

“I’m not standing here by myself,” she said during her acceptance speech. “I’m only here because of you.”

A selection committee comprising business leaders and past ATHENA recipients this year chose among 15 nominees for the award. The nominees included women from varied professions, including lawyers, entrepreneurs, non-profit organization leaders, engineers and educators.

Betty Jo Licata, dean of the Williamson College of Business Administration at YSU, said the ATHENA event is the signature event of year.

“It’s an opportunity to bring 400 people together and honor the women, and accomplishments of women, in our community,” she said. “Over 27 years we’ve had the opportunity to honor over 1,000 nominees with our ATHENA award.”

James Dignan, the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber’s president and chief executive officer, said the event is evidence of the many accomplished leaders in the community.

“Tonight is a good example ... ,” he said. “The Mahoning Valley has everything we need, right here.”

The award is co-sponsored by the chamber and The Vindicator.

The event’s keynote speaker was Elizabeth McIntyre, publisher and editor of Crain’s Cleveland Business.

“I cannot begin to describe how honored I, a proud Valley girl, was to be asked to speak tonight,” she said.

Born and raised on the South Side of Youngstown, she is the youngest of six children.

She worked summers at Handel’s Ice Cream, favoring the flavor of butter pecan.

Her journalism career started with delivering newspapers for The Vindicator.

She discussed the people who impacted her career during her years in the field.

“I’ve been lucky to have been shaped by other powerful women,” McIntyre said. “There are people of all ages that will be inspired by hearing your stories.”

When she thinks about the future, she’s comforted by hearing the stories of the young women she’s encountered, she said. “We’re going to be just fine.”

King gave some advice for the future: “Never turn away from injustice — I know it can be hard, but sometimes you have to fight the good fight.”

Most importantly, King said to be true to yourself.

“You never know what path you might take or how your career would evolve. You just have to be prepared,” McIntyre said simply.

Also at Thursday’s event, the 12th ATHENA Scholarship, a $1,500 award created in partnership with the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley, was given to Poland Seminary High School senior student Galena Lopuchovsky.

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield presented two scholarships, each for $1,250, to Springfield High School senior Taylor Barber and Struthers High School senior Sabrina Bartholomew.