Wayne Bank and Indiana University East have partnered for the fifth year to bring the ATHENA Leadership Award to Wayne County. The ATHENA Leadership Award® is presented to an exemplary leader who has achieved excellence in their business or profession, served the community in a meaningful way and, most importantly, actively assisted women to achieve their full leadership potential. The event recognizes women leaders who motivate, inspire and create positive change in the community. Previous award recipients include Mary Jo Clark, Jackie Carberry, Kim Poinsett and Angie Dickman.

The request for nominations went out to the community in February. The three finalists chosen for the ATHENA Leadership Award® are:

ATHENA Leadership Award® finalists are Susan Isaacs, Amanda Marquis and Janis Buhl-Macy (left to right).

Janis Buhl-Macy of Cambridge City, Indiana, is the founder and owner of the Western Wayne News. She retired as the publisher in August 2017. Before establishing the newspaper, Buhl-Macy and her husband, Ed (deceased) helped to establish the Milton Lions Club in 1965. They owned and ran the former Fireside Restaurant. Within the community, Buhl-Macy has been a foster parent and a mentor at Western Wayne Elementary School. She has served on the committee for the Greens Fork Alumni and as a board member for Wayne County, Indiana Convention Tourism Bureau, the Town of Cambridge City and the Cambridge City Chamber of Commerce.

Susan Isaacs of Richmond, Indiana, is a trustee for Wayne Township. She is the co-founder and a board member of Sprout of Control. She is also the founder and director of the Grassroots Action Resource Center. She researched and uncovered historic information about Kings Cemetery in Richmond, and worked to restore the original tract that is now a space for the public. Isaacs has served as a board member for the Society for Preservation and Use of Resources (SPUR) and Wayne County Foundation. She served as the coordinator for the Hope House Dinner Project.

Amanda Marquis of Richmond, Indiana, is the executive director of The Leland Legacy. She is a member of the Women’s Fund Committee, Business Network International of Richmond and Indiana, YMCA board president, a member of the Center City Development Board and the State of Indiana Administrator Resource Center committee. Marquis also supports area non-profit organizations including Girls, Inc., WCTV, the Daddy Daughter Dance, All Aboard Event, Richmond Civic Theater, United Way of Whitewater Valley, Townsend Community Center and Genesis of the YWCA.

The ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award actively supports and celebrates the ATHENA mission of supporting, developing and honoring women leaders, inspiring women to achieve their full potential—creating balance in leadership worldwide. ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Nominees are 18-35 years age. Nominees are emerging women leaders who demonstrate excellence, creativity and initiative in their business or profession; provides valuable service to improve the quality of life for others in their community; and clearly serve as a role model for young women both personally and professionally. This will be the first year the award has been awarded in Wayne County.

The three finalists chosen for the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award are:

ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award finalists are Brittany Irvine, Jessie Pilewski and Roxie Deer (left to right).

Roxie Deer of Richmond, Indiana, is the director of programs and events for the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce. She previously worked with The Excel Center-Richmond as the college transition and career pathways coordinator, instructor, life coach, and she worked for IU East as a student success coach and counselor. Deer is a board member of Helping Young Professionals Engage (HYPE). She is a board president for Youth as Resources and she is the events coordinator for Liberty Acres United Animal Sanctuary. She is also a volunteer for Reid Foundation’s BRAvo! initiative.

Brittany Irvine of Richmond, Indiana, is the director of the Indiana Cuddle Cot Campaign, a cooling device that allows families of stillborn babies the chance to spend more time with their child during such a horrific time. The Indiana Cuddle Cot Campaign also provides bereavement services to families dealing with pregnancy or infant loss and strives to educate the public about the issue. She is the founder and facilitator of Still Breathing (an online support group), and a mentor for the StillBirthday Doula Program. Irvine is also the practice manager for Runnels Chiropractic.

Jessie Pilewski of Richmond, Indiana, is a career coach for the Earlham College Center for Career and Community Engagement. Her work with first-generation and underrepresented students has led her to also become a mentor and role model for many of these students. Previously, she worked with WorkOne in Randolph County as a youth services advisor.

The award recipient will be announced at the celebration dinner on 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 21, 2018, at Forest Hills Country Club, located at 2169 South 23rd St. in Richmond, Indiana.

Local sponsorship is provided by Wayne Bank and Indiana University East. Event proceeds will equally benefit the Women’s Fund of Wayne County and Girls, Inc.

The cost for the dinner is $75. To RSVP, visit waynecoathena.com or contact JoAnn Spurlock, assistant vice president at Wayne Bank, at (765) 259-0209 or jspurlock@waynebnk.com  or Paula Kay King, director of Gift Development at IU East, at (765) 973-8331 or pkayking@iue.edu.