33rd Annual ATHENA AWARDS

The Greater Phoenix Chamber announced the 2020 ATHENA private sector, public sector and young professional award recipients during its 33rd Annual ATHENA Awards on Nov. 6. The event was virtual.

, division president, Fry’s Food Stores, was awarded the 2020 ATHENA Businesswoman of the Year Award in the private sector. Chevy Humphrey, The Hazel A. Hare President and CEO of the Arizona Science Center, earned the 2020 ATHENA Businesswoman of the Year Award in the public sector. Monica Trejo, Arizona State Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance/Care in Action, received the 2020 ATHENA Young Professional Award.

“We are incredibly proud to celebrate an inspiring group of leaders as this year’s recipients of the Greater Phoenix Chamber’s ATHENA Awards,” said Todd Sanders, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Chamber. “These influential women are dedicated to building a brighter future and ensuring our community remains strong. They embody the best of the Arizona business community, andwe look forward to seeing how they will carry on the legacy of ATHENA through their work.”

The ATHENA Awards, named after the Greek goddess of courage and wisdom, is a program of ATHENA International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating leadership opportunities for women.

“I model being my authentic self so that other women will have the confidence and opportunity to do the same and still be recognized for their hard work and commitment,” said Monica Garnes.

Garnes has risen from an entry-level employee to division president of Fry’s Food Stores. She now oversees more than 120 stores, 90 fuel centers and 21,000 associates across Arizona. On the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, Garnes doubled down on her leadership philosophy, going above and beyond to ensure that Fry’s associates felt valued during a time when access to groceries was critical. Garnes has made it her mission to ensure every associate feels connected to the company and has taken steps to mentor people in ways that support their career development. With a focus on community, she has led the charge to end hunger in Arizona—using her platform to create real solutions.

For more than a decade, Chevy Humphrey has led the Arizona Science Center, helping grow the organization’s assets and transform it from a traditional science center into an innovative, community learning hub. A trailblazer in her industry, Humphrey was the first Black American to lead a science center in the U.S. An entrepreneur at heart, she has a lifelong passion for learning that translates to her mentorship and community efforts. As a professional at the pinnacle of her career, Humphrey believes mentoring is a hallmark of her role as a leader and supports other women and minorities in their career journeys. When it comes to giving back, she doubles down on making science accessible and serves on organizations focused on educating youth and communities.

“My mother told me at a very young age that she was sorry to tell me that I had two strikes against me,” Humphrey said in her acceptance speech. “She said, ‘You are a woman. And you are black. This means that you need to perform at 200 percent so that you have 100 percent in your back pocket.’ So I always remember when someone helps you, you need to give that back tenfold to others.”

When asked what this award means to her, Humphrey said, “[It] is humbling to be a part of this fearless fellowship of strong women leaders who are ATHENAs. They are my SHEroes!”

“It is an incredible honor to be recognized along with such amazing, powerful and inspirational women,” said Monica Trejo, the 2020 ATHENA Young Professional Award recipient. “This award is dedicated to the many women in my life who embody the ATHENA spirit every day.”

As the state director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance/Care in Action, Trejo is forging a path for vulnerable domestic workers. A leader in her community, Trejo leverages her position to connect women with opportunities and critical lifelines. She uses her voice as a rallying call to other women to organize and advocates. A former Teach for America teacher, she’s passionate about education and serves as the Tempe Elementary School District Board president. In this community role, she’s driven to ensure all students have equal access to quality learning. Through her work and community service, Trejo role models to others that, with passion and purpose, any dream can be achieved.

Garnes, Humphrey and Trejo were chosen from among 11 ATHENA finalists, who were selected from a large group of nominees.

 

2020 ATHENA AWARD FINALISTS

Young Professionals
Veronica Aguilar, Associate Director of Alumni Career Services, Arizona State University
Anna Carolina Ortiz, International Program Director, Esperança
Monica Trejo, Arizona State Director, National Domestic Workers Alliance/Care in Action

From the Public Sector
Peggy J. Chase, President and CEO, Terros Health
Chevy Humphrey, The Hazel A. Hare President and CEO, Arizona Science Center
Torrie A. Taj, CEO, Child Crisis Arizona
Christine K. Wilkinson, PhD, Senior Vice President and Secretary of the University; CEO and President, ASU Alumni Association, Arizona State University

From the Private Sector
Rhonda Bannard, President & Chief Connector, Inspired Connections
Rachel Frazier Johnson, Esq., Principal and Managing Attorney, Rachel Frazier Johnson Law
Monica Garnes, Division President, Fry’s Food Stores
Doris Savron, Vice Provost, Academic Colleges, University of Phoenix  

PHOTOS COURTESY GREATER PHOENIX CHAMBER

 

 

 

 

About Cindy Miller

From Frontdoors Magazine

Back to Top