Hudson Valley Athena Awards Honors Nine Women

By Jennifer L. Warren

WAPPINGERS FALLS – Strong, inspiring, unifying, and effective leaders are rarities who possess the gifts to make lasting, transformative change. Wednesday evening, inside the Villa Borghese, nine females demonstrating an unwavering dedication to professionalism, mentorship and community were honored at the 19th Annual Hudson Valley Athena Awards.

With a rich, proud history dating back to 1982, the worldwide, female leadership recognition, bearing the Greek goddess of wisdom namesake, has paid tribute to over 8,000 outstanding, dynamic, and inspiring women, hailing from 500 communities. Each one of the recipients possesses- as determined by a committee of former honorees- a high level of competence at-dedication to the eight Athena International Leadership Model Principles.

This year’s 2025 Class of local Athena Award honorees carried the distinction of women from vast, diverse backgrounds, enhancing even further the imprints of their remarkable, professional journeys. Whether it was in the medical, financial, non-profit, education or mental health sphere, each woman shares common threads of: powerful, female, catalyst mentors (several their mothers), a deep passion for humanity-their communities, valiant acts and powerful advocacy, along with an unrivaled commitment to guiding fellow women toward fulfilling their true potential, empowering future generations.

“I’m deeply honored to be recognized among such an auspicious group of women,” said Desiree Wolf, Executive Vice President and Chief Experience Officer at Hudson Valley Credit Union who spoke on the Principle of Celebrating Diversity. “Learning is a lifelong process, and it’s the people you meet along the way who are your greatest teachers; my mother taught me excellence and my colleagues how to embrace change and different perspectives.”

Building Relationships, another one of the Athena Principles, was the central theme of recipient, Deanna Hearn’s remarks. Founder and Executive Director of Lucky Orphan’s Horse Rescue, Inc. Hearn saw early on the magical, inherent and healing powers horses possess to make the world a better place.

“Building relationships is something that speaks directly to my heart, as horses connect, and are much like people who need their herd,” said Hearn. “It’s not about who leads, but who moves together; horses hold spaces to heal as do women when they lead together, and they don’t just change lives but the world.”

Another honoree who touched upon the beauty and potency of the need for a sometimes subtle, softer leadership style was Jennifer Radicone, whose words centered upon the Principle of Advocating Fiercely.

“Through volunteering I learned to care very deeply for people,” said Radicone, Chief Operating Officer at Habitat for Humanity of Dutchess County, who has enjoyed a long, successful career in the non-profit realm. “Some of us start out at second base, while others of us can’t even enter the stadium; that is why I advocate, and I have learned it’s not always about charging into battle but truly listening and understanding.”

That sense of genuine compassion was an attribute honed by fellow recipient, Nyhisha T. Gibbs at a very young age. Inspired by her mother toward altruism, lifting others up and making the world a better place, Gibbs never forgot those early lessons engraved upon her heart.

“A good leader motivates others- and not with the loudest voice- to be the champion in the room,” affirmed Gibbs, Senior Manager and Notary Public at Dutchess Outreach, who coordinates and schedules over 1500 volunteers annually and spoke about the Principle of Giving Back. “There is so much work to be done; the focus is on how many people I can reach and to be very intentional with that service.”

That breadth and genuine quality of outreach was evident in the profound work of another recipient, Pamela Fitzpatrick, whose words rippled with yet another Athena Principle, Acting Courageously.

“Courage is at the heart of my journey, and is something that is rarely loud, but the quiet ability to continually show up,” said Fitzpatrick, the Founder and President of Angels on Call Homecare, heralded for its work with Parkinson’s and Dementia care and a leap of scary faith venture by the Irish immigrant nurse. “I’m led by the belief that every human being matters, and despite the diagnosis, it’s the person, beyond the disease, that matters.”

Rounding out the honorees, along with the Principles their remarks centered upon, were: Inaudy Gil, Executive Director of the Orange County Human Rights Commission (Living Authentically); Ivette O’Sullivan, Certified Menopause Coach and Consultant (Celebrating Diversity); Elizabeth Rowley, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan (Acting Courageously) and Dr. Alisha Williams-McCorvey, Vice President of Student Affairs at Mount Saint Mary College (Fostering Collaboration.)

Nominations for 2026 Hudson Valley Athena Awards candidates are still being accepted by the Dutchess County Chamber of Commerce through early January. Contact them at: (845) 454-1700 or office@dcrcoc.org for more details.

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