Austin College | Sherman Texas | May 9, 2016
2016 ATHENA Awards Recognize Exemplary Leaders
Hillary Luckett Clark of Sherman and Brenda Hayward of Denison were honored as exemplary leaders last week by Austin College and its Texoma Women Get Connected program as ATHENA Leadership honorees. “For this moment, we are all about honoring women who have committed to building both their own and others’ leadership potential,” said Austin College President Marjorie Hass at a luncheon April 28 on campus to present the prestigious ATHENA Leadership Award and the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award.
“We had so many women who have truly distinguished themselves in this region that deciding upon one recipient was difficult,” Hass said. “I am happy to recognize the 2016 ATHENA Leadership Award recipient as someone who has devoted her life, both professionally and personally, to helping others reach for a better life. She is known for her compassion, her creativity, and dedication. She thinks out of the box while keeping a watchful eye on the stewardship of the agency she leads. She is generous with talents and invests in the lives of other women so that they may achieve their professional goals. It is with great pleasure that I present the 2016 ATHENA Leadership Award to Brenda Hayward.” Hayward is the executive director of the Child and Family Guidance Clinic of Texoma.”
Announcing the Young Professional Leadership Award, Hass said, “This award goes to a person who has demonstrated a passion for her community and its future through the investment of her time in learning about leadership training; of her talent in numerous significant volunteer roles; in her profession, as someone devoted to the highest ethical standards and excellence; and in the success of young people, as she has returned home to serve in the school district where she grew up as a new member of the Sherman School Board. The recipient is Hillary Luckett Clark.” Clark is an attorney with The LeCrone Law Firm of Sherman.
The ATHENA Leadership Award® is presented to individuals who have attained and embody the highest level of professional excellence in their business or profession, devote time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community, and actively assist women in realizing their full leadership potential.
ATHENA Young Professional Leadership nominees are emerging women leaders who demonstrate excellence, creativity, and initiative in their business or profession; provide valuable service to improve the quality of life for others in their community; and clearly serve as role models for young women both personally and professionally.
Six finalists were recognized as honorees for the ATHENA Award distinction and two for the Young Professional Award. Nominations for exemplary leaders from Grayson, Fannin, and Cooke counties were solicited for the awards program.
Finalists for the 2016 ATHENA Award were Melida Ailshire, owner of JTalk Services; Dr. Jeannine Hatt, pediatrician and humanitarian; Brenda Hayward, executive director of Child and Family Guidance Center of Texoma; Dorothy Nelson McKee, director of Grand Central Station-The Dining Car; Sarah Somers, director of Grayson County Office of Emergency Management; and Angie Tol, wellness coordinator at Texoma Medical Center.
For the Young Professional Award, two finalists were recognized: Hillary Luckett Clark, attorney with The LeCrone Law Firm; and Casie Lovelace, owner of Lovelace & Co. Insurance.
The ATHENA Award had been presented locally in the past by the Sherman and Denison Chambers of Commerce, but had not been awarded in several years until revived by Austin College in 2014. In 2014, the ATHENA Award honored Stacy Rake Murphy, owner and principal agent of Nationwide Insurance in Sherman. The ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award honored Michelle Lemming, president and CEP of Texoma Health Foundation. A list of all known local recipients is included on the Austin College Athena Award website.
The ATHENA Leadership Award Program is administered by ATHENA International, a non-profit women’s leadership organization, along with licensed host organizations and sponsors. Over 6,000 awards have been presented in the U.S. and around the world since the program’s inception in 1982. Recent recipients include Condoleezza Rice, Billie Jean King, Pat Summit, and Gabby Giffords.
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 36 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of 1,250 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.