Washington County Chamber of Commerce Announces 2026 ATHENA Leadership Award Finalists

The Washington County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the finalists for the Washington County ATHENA Leadership Award and the recipient of the Washington County ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award. Celebrating its 23rd year in Washington County, the Annual ATHENA Award presented by Dollar Bank honors women’s business leadership in the county.

The 2026 Finalists of the Washington County ATHENA Leadership Award are:

• Lori Mesta, WesBanco

• Genevieve Peters, Dress for Success Pittsburgh

• Amy Podgurski-Gough, UPMC Washington Teen Outreach, Academy for Adolescent Health

• Jamie Price, AHN Canonsburg Hospital

• Leanna Spada, Mon Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce

Also, the recipient of the 2026 Diana Irey Vaughan ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award is Aliesha Walz, President & CEO, Washington County Community Foundation.

This year, the event honoring the Finalists and Ms. Walz will be held on Friday, May 8, 2026 at the Hilton Garden Inn, Pittsburgh/Southpointe. Ellen Hough, Proprietor of Liberty Pole Spirits, will present the Keynote Address. Each year the event attracts hundreds of business leaders to recognize the role of women in Washington County’s economic, social and civic development.

According to Jeff Kotula, president of the chamber, the ATHENA Leadership Award is an internationally recognized award that honors women’s leadership within the business and civic communities. Mr. Kotula stated, “The award promotes women’s leadership by honoring exceptional individuals in the community who contribute in significant ways to the achievements of women and women’s leadership issues. Dollar Bank and the chamber are proud to host this award and highlight the accomplishments of these successful business leaders.”

For more information, please visit WashCoATHENA.com or contact the Washington County Chamber of Commerce at 724.225.3010.

About the Washington County Chamber of Commerce

The Washington County Chamber of Commerce is the largest chamber in the Greater Pittsburgh Region. With over 1,200 members, the Chamber focuses on exclusive networking events, economic development initiatives, tourism promotions and business advocacy. Learn more at washcochamber.com.