The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Women’s Business Council has announced the 2023 recipients of the ATHENA, ATHENA Emerging Professional, and the Organizational ATHENA Awards.

The prestigious ATHENA Award, presented annually by the Chamber since 1981, actively shares ATHENA International’s mission to support, develop and honor women leaders, inspire women to achieve their full potential, and create balance in leadership worldwide.

The ATHENA and ATHENA Emerging Professional Awards honor individuals who demonstrate excellence, creativity, and initiative in their business or profession, who provide valuable service by contributing time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community, and who actively assist other women in realizing their full leadership potential. The ATHENA Organizational Award recognizes businesses and organizations that support, develop and honor women leaders.

Leadership Award

Kassie Hilgert has served as president and CEO of ArtsQuest, one of the largest arts and culture nonprofits in Pennsylvania, since 2015. Hilgert began her career at ArtsQuest in 2008, starting as vice president of advancement before being promoted to senior vice president of marketing and advancement in 2010. Hilgert’s accomplishments with ArtsQuest include playing a key role in helping to raise funds for the development of the $26 million ArtsQuest Center and ArtsQuest’s programming at SteelStacks; the development of strategic partnerships with area nonprofits to expand ArtsQuest’s programming for the community; and leading the development of the organization’s Strategic Plan by meeting with ArtsQuest’s boards, volunteer leadership, staff and the community to help shape the nonprofit’s direction and goals for the coming years.

Emerging

Professional Award

Tanya Tyler is an administrative assistant who is emerging and changing and growing every single day. She is an influencer, mentor and role model and she does so with great enthusiasm and inspiration.

Tanya truly knows what it means to EMERGE and to take risks and to step out into the community. Through her sincerity and true desire to support and help others, Tanya has touched many lives in the Lehigh Valley.

Tanya leads the Air Products Black Employee Resource Group, where there are 50+ people who attend meetings and volunteer at events. Tanya recently spoke at a panel for the Chamber Diversity Summit, she organized all of the Black Employee Resource Groups from companies throughout the Lehigh Valley to participate in Juneteenth, she mentors new administrative assistants and helps them in their careers, she founded a nonprofit arts organization for children, she joined the Nonprofit & Business Partners Council and is the incoming vice chair.

Organizational

Award

In the early 2000s, the commercial real estate industry in the Lehigh Valley was strikingly different than today. There was no commercial broker network in the Lehigh Valley. There was no social media. The internet was available, but not as evolved – brokers couldn’t just Google information that they needed. Resources and networking were different. And for women in a male-dominated industry, networking was even more of a challenge.

A handful of female brokers heard about a national networking organization with a mission to advance the careers of women in the real estate industry: CREW Network. Through their counterparts in Philadelphia and New Jersey, these ambitious women began to explore the organization, as well as the benefits and requirements of starting a local chapter. Eight women pooled their own money to establish CREW Lehigh Valley.

Fast forward 19 years to today. As CREW members look forward to the upcoming celebration of its 20th anniversary in 2024, it seemed an appropriate time to reflect on the organization that has been built on that foundation. CREW Lehigh Valley boasts over 100 members. Thirty-three prominent local businesses currently sponsor the chapter, supporting the mission to advance the careers of women in commercial real estate.

CREW members are prominent in their fields and have earned recognition as Rising Stars, 40 Under 40, Women of Influence, Athenas and other professional awards. The organization was honored as the Organization of the Year in 2014 at the March of Dimes Real Estate Awards. The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce presented CREW Lehigh Valley with the Community Partner Award in 2015.

CREW Lehigh Valley’s mission is to transform the commercial real estate industry by advancing women. They are dedicated to empowering, promoting and embracing diverse talents, perspectives, and experiences as vital components of their mission.