ATHENA International™ Celebrates 30 Years of Honoring, Supporting and Developing Women Leaders at International Women's Leadership Summit

CHICAGO, Oct. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- "Celebrating 30 Years of Leadership: I am an ATHENA Leader" is the theme of the 18^th annual International Leadership Summit of ATHENA International™, which will be held October 15^th & 16^th at the Courtyard by Marriott, Magnificent Mile in Chicago.  The annual event attracts women leaders from all over the world.  

At this year's Summit, in honor of its 30^th Anniversary, ATHENA International™ will recognize 30 women from around the country who have been recognized by their communities for leadership. The honorees will include recipients of the ATHENA Leadership Award, the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award, and ATHENA PowerLink® Women Business Owners.

American Bar Association president Laurel Bellows, and Olympic Gold Medalist Micki King, will be presented the Global ATHENA Award, ATHENA's highest honor, at the 30^th Anniversary Celebration Gala on Monday, October 15. The Global ATHENA award recognizes exemplary leaders whose body of work has positive national and/or global impact for women and girls.  Among the previous recipients have been Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, NPR's Nina Totenberg, former Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder and, most recently, legendary women's basketball coach Pat Summit. 

The summit provides an intimate forum where attendees hear outstanding speakers and experience informative breakout sessions while networking with other leaders across professional sectors.  The emphasis on a holistic approach to leadership, as contained in the ATHENA Leadership Model, makes the summit unique among leadership seminars of its kind.  Among the speakers are:

• Martha Mertz, Sedona, Arizona, Author of Becoming ATHENA: Eight Principles of Enlightened Leadership and the Founder of ATHENA International™;
• Sue Ellen Allen, Phoenix, Arizona, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Gina's Team;
• Ed Roach, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, Consultant/Designer at The Branding Experts;
• Catherine Lee, Chicago, International Negotiator, Facilitator, Author, Speaker and Training Consultant, & President/Founder of CDL & Associates, Inc.
• Donna Messer, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, Queen of Networking, Published Author, Coach and Trainer, Successful Entrepreneur, Owner of ConnectUs Canada 
• Dr. Deborah Tobey, Nashville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt University Lecturer and Organizational Development Consultant 

For more information or to register, visit www.athenainternational.org. 

About ATHENA International™: Founded 30 years ago, ATHENA International™ is known for its mission to support, develop and honor women leaders. The organization is headquartered in Chicago and is well known for its award programs that have honored over 6,500 women leaders in more than 500 communities in eight countries.  For more information, visit the organization's website at http://www.athenainternational.org/ or call 312.580.0111.

CONTACT:
Dianne Dinkel, President & CEO
ATHENA International
312.580.0111 
Email: [email protected] 
http://www.athenainternational.org

SOURCE ATHENA International