Women’s Network announced the recipients of the ATHENA Leadership and ATHENA Young Professional awards at the 26th annual ATHENA International Awards Banquet on September 24 at Stephens College.
The ATHENA Leadership Award was presented to Jill Cox, Vice President of Commercial Lending at Central Bank of Boone County. Cox was one of the first women to be named as a commercial loan officer at the bank, then Boone County National Bank, and has served as a mentor and leader to others in her 30-plus years there. Cox is also a devoted wife, mother and grandmother of six and an active volunteer with many community organizations, including United Way and The Crossing Church. Cox has battled breast cancer twice and has been featured in several publications and promotional materials to raise awareness about the disease.
The ATHENA Young Professional Award was presented to Sarah Hill, CEO and Chief Storyteller at Healium. Hill is an award-winning former journalist and news anchor who has reported across five continents. In 2015, Hill created a program called Honor Everywhere that allows terminally ill and aging veterans to explore the nation’s war memorials through the power of virtual reality. She then founded her company, StoryUp Studios, and developed Healium, a virtual reality product that uses biofeedback and immersive experiences to address stress and burnout.
The ATHENA Leadership and the ATHENA Young Professional awards provide recognition to individuals who have achieved success in their career, been active in their community and supported women in business. More than 6,500 leaders in 500 communities worldwide have received this prestigious award.
For the first time, this year’s ATHENA awards banquet was presented both in-person and virtually. The livestream allowed in-person attendees to maintain social distancing while also making the event accessible to more people than ever before.