EVENT: ATHENA International Hosts International Women's Leadership Summit

Annual summit attracts and honors women leaders from all over the world

17th Annual Scheduled for May 2 - 3 in Chicago

CHICAGO, April 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- "Advancing Women's Leadership: Leading with Impact" is the theme of ATHENA International's 17th annual International Leadership Summit, which will be held May 2nd & 3rd at the Mid-America Club in Chicago. The annual event attracts hundreds of women leaders from all over the world.

A highlight of the summit is the presentation of the Global ATHENA Awards to exemplary leaders and organizations whose body of work has positive national and/or global impact for women and girls. Among the previous recipients have been Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, NPR's Nina Totenberg, and former Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder.

At this year's Summit, the 2011 Global ATHENA Leadership Award will be presented to Maureen Kempston Darkes, retired General Motors Group Vice President; President, GM Latin America, Africa and Middle East. The 2011 Global ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award will be presented to Erika Harold, Miss America 2003. The Global ATHENA Organizational Award will be presented to Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP).

ATHENA International will also recognize Frances Hesselbein, President and CEO of the Leader to Leader Institute (formerly the Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management) and 2001 Global ATHENA Leadership Award Recipient with a lifetime achievement award.

The summit provides an intimate forum where attendees hear outstanding speakers and experience informative breakout sessions while networking with other leaders across professional sectors. The emphasis on a holistic approach to leadership, as contained in the ATHENA Leadership Model, makes the summit unique among leadership seminars of its kind. Other speakers are: Carolynn Brooks, Chief Diversity Officer, OfficeMax; Connie Lindsey, Executive Vice President, Northern Trust; Martha Mertz, Founder, ATHENA International and Mary Schnack, President, Mary Schnack & Associates.

To register, visit www.athenainternational.org.

About ATHENA International: Founded 29 years ago, ATHENA International™ is known for building women leaders and recognizing leadership initiatives among women. The organization, headquartered in Chicago, is well known for its award programs that have honored over 6,100 women leaders in more than eight countries. ATHENA is proud to acknowledge KPMG as international underwriter. For more information, visit the organization's website at http://www.athenainternational.org.