39th
AWARD PROGRAM
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2024 PRESENTED BY
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ATHENA Leadership Award® Program agenda
Welcome Profiles of this year’s finalists
Recognition of past recipients
Awards presentation
Closing
Today’s Master of Ceremonies is Sadie Fisher of WAOW Newsline 9. Sadie co-anchors Wake Up Wisconsin on weekdays and joined the News 9 team in 2022. She is a graduate of DC Everest High School and DePaul University and interned at the station in 2021 before joining the team the year after. When she’s not working, she can be found hanging with her friends and family, baking, going on family trips to Minocqua or reading.
Today’s emcee: Sadie Fisher
WAOW Newsline 9
Learn more about this year’s finalists:
Visit the Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page and YouTube channel to watch full interviews with each of the thirteen ATHENA Leadership Award finalists. Previous recipients sat down with this year’s finalists to discuss a variety of topics related to leadership.
The ATHENA selection process:
n A call for nominations is sent to Chamber members and announced to the general public
n Applications are sent to nominees
n Nominees who choose to do so, complete the application
n Applications are reviewed and scored by judges* using the criteria provided by ATHENA International
n The scorecards are tallied to determine the recipients
n Recipients are announced at the ATHENA Leadership Award Program
*The ATHENA judges are individuals including past ATHENA recipients and representatives from a variety of industry segments.
ATHENA Leadership Award® recipients:
ABOUT THE AWARD:
The ATHENA Leadership Awards are presented to individuals in recognition of their professional excellence, community service and for actively assisting women in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills.
1986: Jane Sternberg
1987: Betty Peters
1988: Taffy Williams
1989: Cheryl Davis
1990: Justice Ann Walsh Bradley
1991: Barbara Hunger
1992: Jean Kruncos
1993: Evelyn Rosen
1994: Waltraud Karkar
1995: Julie Kryshak
1996: LaVon Jensen
1997: Judge Dorothy Bain
1998: Susan Lang
1999: Ann Lucas
2000: Mary Jo Johnson
2001: Patrice Pergolski
2002: Rosemary Barnes
2003: Mary Weller
2004: Joanne Leonard
2005: Mary Radke
2006: Mary Krueger
2007: Dr. Sally Mattingly
2008: Diane
Postler-Slattery
2009: Josie
Paleologue-Pierce
2010: Linda Larson Schlitz
2011: Dr. Lori Weyers
2012: Jeny Nieuwenhuis
Hardel
2013: Karen Katz
2014: Tee Daly
2015: Dean Dietrich
2016: Kari Solomonson
2017: Bridget Wenman
2018: Ann Dahlke
2019: Mona Fox
2020: Dr. Kristine Gilmore
2021: Robin Hegg
2022: Heather Martell
2023: Amber Gober
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2024 ATHENA Leadership Award Finalists
Lisa Hieronimus
Lisa began working at Cloverbelt Credit Union in high school and is the current CEO/President. She has held leadership roles with the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, has taught Sunday School at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church and led volunteer initiatives in her workplace.
Jennifer Johnson
Jennifer is the Senior Corporate Communications Specialist at Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. Her committee work includes Women United, the Chamber’s Women’s Leadership Conference, Emerging Leaders and her workplace’s Women’s Leadership Initiative.
Dr. Trena Loomans
Trena is the CEO and Director of Clinical Operations with Balance for Growth Wellness Center and The Caring Tree - Child and Family Counseling. She is a member of the National Board of Professional Counselors and Association for Counselor Education and Supervision
Beth Ann Richlen
Beth Ann is the Executive Director of Judicare Legal Aid in Wausau. She has held leadership positions on Wisconsin State Bar committees, on the Marathon County Housing & Homelessness Coalition, Randlin Adult Family Homes and more.
Laura Strek
Laura is the CFO of both Wausau Tile and Imperial Industries. She serves as the Finance Chair for the Central Wisconsin Manufacturers Alliance and is a member of Women in Manufacturing. She also volunteers with DC Everest High School and for Everest Youth Hockey.
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2024 ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award Finalists
Alissandra Aderholdt
Alissandra is the Executive Director at Wausau Events. She is a board member with NAMI Northwoods and volunteers at Mount Olive Lutheran Church.
Lea Beckman
Lea is a Client Specialist with Baird in Wausau. She has served as a board member, coach and mentor with both the Merrill Ice Reflections and the Timberline Figure Skating Clubs. She also has participated in the Baird Gives Back campaign.
Ashley Dupuis-Bohman
Ashley is the Assistant Vice President of Mortgage Lending at Intercity State Bank. She has held a variety of leadership roles with the Wausau Area Builders Association, the Everest Area Optimists and the United Way of Marathon County.
Nicole Johnson
Nicole is the Assistant Vice President of Retail and a Regional Manager with Nicolet National Bank. She coaches and serves on the board of a youth softball organization, has held a leadership role with the Merrill Rotary Club and has other volunteer experience.
Lindsey Lewitzke
Lindsey is the President of both the DC Everest Education Foundation and the Lewitzke Foundation, Inc. She has served in leadership roles on the DC Everest School Board, the Woodson YMCA, Wausau Events and the Weston Elementary PTO.
Beth Tritten
Beth is the Vice President of Human Resources at Cenflex in Weston. She serves as a board member for Camp Blessing and has held leadership positions with MomCo at Highland Community Church.
Misty Wolff
Misty is a Product Analyst with Nicolet National Bank. She has served as the co-chair of both the UWSP MBA Alumni Chapter and Women United’s special events committee. She has served on the volunteer committee at her work and has led fundraising for Fetch Foster & Rescue.
Zoua Yang
Zoua is a Pharmacist and Owner of Wausau Family Pharmacy. She has donated more than 100 doses of vaccine to members of the community and has raised thousands of dollars in donations for local schools.
ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award recipients:
2008: Rebecca Pilgrim Tylinski
2009: Heather Summers
2010: Bao Vang
2011: Sheila Rovang
2012: Megan Lawrence
2013: Norah Brown
2014: Sara Valiska
2015: Elizabeth Brodek
2016: Shanna Yonke
2017: Erika Van De Yacht
2018: Allison Liddle
2019: Lora Bladow
2020: Mindy Hoppe
2021: Katie Felch
2022: Olivia Hill
2023: Jessica Scharfenberg
