Sweeney Named 2017 Athena Award Winner
BOARDMAN, Ohio — Patricia Sweeney, health commissioner of the Mahoning County District Board of Health, is the recipient of the 2017 Athena Award.
More than 400 attended last night’s awards dinner, which was held at Mr. Anthony’s Banquet Center. The award is presented annually by the Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber and The Vindicator.
The Athena Award is given annually to recognize area women who have demonstrated professional excellence, provided community leadership and mentored other women.
Sweeney joined the District Board of Health in 2012, and is the first woman to serve as health commissioner in Mahoning County. She has increased the staff from 48 to 69, minority representation by 18% and expanded her budget from $4.5 million to $7.4 million without additional local tax support.
The 10th annual Athena Scholarship — a one-time, $1,500 award created in partnership with the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley — was presented to Campbell Memorial High School senior Samantha Koullias.
Koullias, who will study pre-medicine at Youngstown State University this fall, has a 4.0 GPA and participated in the Health Professions Affinity Community through NEOMED for the past five years to complete a service project that focused on abuse and neglect of children and the elderly.
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield also presented two additional scholarships in the amount of $1,250 apiece to Youngstown State University junior Megan Factor and South Range High School senior Jillian Maynard.
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