KC Chamber set to honor steward of economic inclusion with its 2024 ATHENA award
September 3, 2024 | Startland News Staff
Transformational leadership guides Qiana Thomason’s purpose, officials with the KC Chamber said, detailing the Health Forward Foundation executive’s commitment to health equity through strategic community investments and policy influence through seasoned social capital.
Thomason is set to be honored 5 p.m. Oct. 16 at Starlight Theatre during the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s 2024 ATHENA Leadership Award ceremony. The reception also will celebrate Kamera Meaney, director of advocacy and government relations for University Health, as the ATHENA Young Professional.
Click here for more event details.
“The ATHENA Award is about championing women in business and the community,” said Lindsay Jarquio, director of leadership development for the KC Chamber. “This is an opportunity to honor exceptional women like Qiana Thomason and Kamera Meaney, who unlock the potential of others and drive progress in critical issues.”
“The ATHENA Award celebrates those who lead the way in empowering women throughout the Kansas City region to rise, lead and inspire the future,” she continued.
The prestigious honor is presented annually to a woman (or man) who stands out in professional excellence, community service, and actively helps women in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills, according to the KC Chamber.
Click here to learn more about past ATHENA recipients.
As president and CEO of Health Forward Foundation, Thomason guides the $1 billion foundation in stewarding diverse capital investments, leadership in public policy, and institutional social capital that fosters health and economic inclusion throughout the Kansas City region.
Her transformational leadership has positioned Health Forward as a national model, the KC Chamber said in a release.
Click here for more on Qiana Thomason’s background and previous awards.
Kamera Meaney, University Health
University Health’s Meaney works strategically to eliminate health disparities and improve health outcomes for underinvested communities through policy creation and lobbying efforts.
She is also committed to the betterment of the community and all of those within it, the KC Chamber said, noting Meaney is a graduate of the Centurions Leadership Program and a current participant in the Missouri Chamber’s Leadership Missouri.
She serves on the UMKC Alumni board and was a past board president of Nurture KC as well as the Centurions Alumni Board.
RELATED: Nurture KC partners with Prospect KC in fight against hunger in Kansas City’s urban core
Featured Business
2024 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Proptech startup Particle Space acquired by LA real estate marketing software firm
The acquisition of a Kansas City proptech startup by one of its first — and biggest — customers offers founder David Biga the opportunity to pivot back to his entrepreneurial roadmap, he said, reflecting on next steps once Particle Space’s technology is fully integrated into its new home. “Build, give back, build, give back,” Biga…
Speak easy and SprinkleSumSalt: Podcaster passes the mic to KC’s underground arts scene
Untold stories of creative talent and entrepreneurial spirit are raging beneath the surface of Kansas City’s mainstream, said Bump Jonas, who finds vibrant inspiration in musicians, chefs, and small business owners angling to reach a broader audience. “I wanted to bring something unique to Kansas City, a space where artists and entrepreneurs can connect and…
Social studies to social venture: Missouri teen’s micro business helps students across the globe
Editor’s note: The following story was produced through a paid partnership with MOSourceLink, which boasts a mission to help entrepreneurs and small businesses across the state of Missouri grow and succeed by providing free, easy access to the help they need — when they need it. ST. LOUIS — It wasn’t an entrepreneurship course that…
Small biz in Africa needs capital to grow; here’s how C2FO, World Bank member are bringing ‘much-needed liquidity’
A new strategic partnership between Kansas City-built C2FO and IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is expected to enhance financing for local enterprises in Africa — bolstering job growth and economic prosperity in an underserved segment of the global market. “C2FO is honored and delighted to collaborate with IFC to broaden the global…