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The Barbara McNees Spirit of ATHENA Scholarship

The Barbara McNees Spirit of ATHENA Scholarship recognized the contributions of retired Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce President Barbara McNees, who for decades actively encouraged and supported the development of women leaders across the Pittsburgh region. The scholarship, a competitive award, paid the recipient’s tuition for attendance to an executive education program at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business: the Carnegie Mellon Leadership & Negotiation Academy for Women. The academy was founded by the late 2011 ATHENA Award Recipient M.J. Tocci.

Criteria & Guidelines:

The scholarship program formerly targeted women leaders with eight or more years of experience leading people and/or projects, with the overall goal to equip mid-level leaders with the knowledge and tools needed to help them advance into the C-Suite or a more senior/executive role.

Beginning in 2019, the scholarship committee gave preference to an awardee who has committed themselves and their employment to the public sector, not-for-profit sector, or entrepreneur/small business sector.

More information coming soon.

Previous Barbara McNees Spirit of ATHENA Scholarship Awardees

2021 – Kimberly Baston
2020 – Ann Marie Toccket
2019 – Bridget Meacham Kowalski
2018 – Aleya Crable Jennings
2017 – Jennifer Van Dam
2016 – Rosamaria Cristello

Barbara McNee

Barbara McNees
Founder of Spirit of ATHENA Scholarship

Retired from the Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce in 2013 after a career spent building consensus among business, community and civic leaders in the service of increasing economic opportunity across southwestern Pennsylvania. Among her lasting achievements has been the 1990 founding of the ATHENA Awards Program of Greater Pittsburgh, recognizing women who, through mentorship, help other women to succeed

Each year the Barbara McNees Spirit of ATHENA Scholarship will provide one woman age 35 or younger the the opportunity to attend, tuition-free, the Carnegie Mellon Leadership and Negotiation Academy for Women. (Part of the executive education program at CMU’s Tepper School of Business, the academy was founded by the late M.J. Tocci, the 2011 ATHENA Award winner.) Learn more about the academy’s 100-hour certificate program here.

Inaugural Sponsor

Elsie H. Hillman Foundation Prior to Elsie Hillman's passing in August 2015, she guaranteed the funding of the first Spirit of ATHENA Scholarship as the first individual to pledge financial support.

Founding Sponsors

  • UPMC and UMPC Health Plan
  • Allegheny Conference on Community Development
  • Highmark Health
  • Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC
  • Eat'n Park Hospitality Group, Inc.
  • Jones Day
  • Wendy & David Barensfeld Family Charitable Fund