Judge Emery named ATHENA award winner
The spirit of energy and possibility was in the air Friday at Hilton Garden Inn, Southpointe, where the Washington County Chamber of Commerce presented the 13th annual ATHENA Award.
Women must meet criteria that includes achieving the highest level of professional excellence, contributing time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community, and actively assisting others, particularly women, in realizing their full leadership potential.
This year’s winner, Washington County President Judge Katherine B. Emery, embodies those attributes. She’s been a Washington County judge for 20 years and was recently named the court’s president judge. She’s on the board of directors of Pathways of Southwestern Pennsylvania and volunteers for Canonsburg-Houston Food Bank and Canonsburg Town Park. Emery is a member and former president of Canonsburg Business and Professional Women and is active in her church. She previously served on Canon-McMillan School Board, Intermediate Unit Board and Pennsylvania School Board Association, representing Washington, Greene and Fayette counties.
“I’ve been blessed with such wonderful work experience,” Emery said. “As a judge, I’ve been so surrounded with wonderful people. In my home life, I’m blessed with a great neighborhood. My husband is a great support.”
This year’s finalists were Ester Clark Barnes, youth coordinator at Southwest Training Services, Inc.; Anna Paradise Berg, operations specialist at Pennsylvania American Water; Kathleen Kleinmann, chief executive officer of Tri-County Patriots for Independent Living; Kimberly Shoup, office manager and small business lender at Northwest Savings Bank; and Mindy M. Zatta, private wealth adviser with Mosaic Wealth Consulting.
“These women are true pillars in the community that make our community a better place to live,” said state Rep. Brandon Neuman, D-North Strabane Township.
Jeff Kotula, president of the Washington County Chamber, echoed that sentiment. “The award promotes leadership by honoring exceptional individuals in the community who contribute in significant ways to the achievements of women and women’s leadership issues. As Judge Emery and the five finalists demonstrate, we are very fortunate that Washington County’s businesswomen are taking a leadership role in both our civic and business communities,” he said.
Emery shared with the crowd of nearly 400 something that her grandmother used to say: “If it is to be, it is up to me.”
“We all have people around us that love us and want us to succeed,” Emery said. “It takes action to try and make the world a better place.”