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2025 ATHENA Leadership Award - Nomination Form

The Lancaster Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce has the great honor of recognizing outstanding female leaders in our community by awarding the ATHENA Leadership Award each year.

2025 marks the 39th presentation of the award in our community. The tradition began with Robert D. McGraw in 1985 with the first presentation of the ATHENA Award in Lancaster. Today, the McGraw family continues to recognize the women in Lancaster and Fairfield County who lead, serve, and have achieved the pinnacle of their careers.
Nomination Criteria
Below are the core principles of ATHENA Leadership as expressed by ATHENA International. Each principle features examples that could be considered when forming your nomination.
LIVE AUTHENTICALLY and LEARN CONSTANTLY
Focus on how ATHENA leaders continuously seek to understand and develop themselves. Examples include: being true to yourself; Having a sense of purpose; Continuous development... regardless of level of achievement; The ability to learn from role models, both negative and positive.
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS and FOSTER COLLABORATION
Focus on how ATHENA leaders embrace and encourage others. Examples include: Connecting genuinely with yourself and others around you; Valuing the gifts each individual brings; Deeping understanding, awareness, and knowledge through diversity; and encouraging participation from those often overlooked.
ACT COURAGEOUSLY and ADVOCATE FIERCELY
Align with how ATHENA leaders live out their convictions. Examples include: Willingness to stand alone, speak truth, and challenge status quo; Act honorably, consistent with your values, even when faced with fear/loss; Passionate, personal devotion; Tempered by respect and compassion, striving to be a force for good.
GIVE BACK and CELEBRATE
Demonstrate how ATHENA leaders contribute to their communities and memorialize shared experiences. Examples include: Leaving a worthy legacy for your community and the world; Recognizing success comes with responsibility to enrich the lives of others; Generously devoting voice, position, and resources to the greater good; Strengthening bonds of unity through creative expression; Memorializing moments, triumphant and tragic, while sharing joyful or solemn reflection.
Nominations are not to exceed 600 words in length and must be submitted in a Word document (.doc or .docx); Letters of recommendation are not required but may be used to support the nomination; Limit one letter of recommendation.
Nominator Information
Please provide your name and contact information so that we may contact you regarding your nomination.
Please use the field below to upload your nomination:
(.doc and .docx files only)
If you have letters of recommendation, you may upload them here (letters of recommendation are not required to submit a nomination):
(.doc, .docx, and PDF files only)