The announcement of famed activist Erin Brockovich as the keynote speaker for the Conroe Chamber’s Athena Awards luncheon drew a buzz earlier this year.
Now the event is coming up at the end of the week. The awards luncheon will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday at Margaritaville Lake Resort, 600 Margaritaville Parkway.
ON YOURCONROENEWS.COM: Video catches dog being ejected from a vehicle after it slams into a heavy hauler
The annual event is hosted by the Conroe Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce and honors a female leader in Montgomery County.
Here are some key things to know about the event.
What is the Athena Award?
The leadership award is presented to a Montgomery County woman who has achieved the highest level of professional excellence, contributes time and energy to improve the quality of life for others, and actively assists women and girls in realizing their full potential.
Award recipients have included leaders in education, business executives, nonprofit founders, and others. The award is a part of an international business program that recognizes female leaders, and is sponsored locally by the Conroe Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce.
Past recipients of the award
Past recipients have included Danielle Scheiner, executive director of the Conroe Economic Development Council; Marlen Tejeda, founder and CEO of Alliance of New Americans-Conroe Alianza de los Nuevos Americanos-Conroe, Dr. Dana Hoyt, former president of Sam Houston State University, Carol Gooch, founder of the Montgomery County Association of Business Women and the 2022 winner Natalie Saikowski Goertz, who has supported many women’s business organizations in Montgomery County and Houston.
This year’s nominees
The process begins with nominations from the community. This year, 23 female leaders were nominated for the award. The field has been narrowed down to three finalists by the Athena organization.
Sonya Brazeal is the CEO of Amazing Window Cleaners based in Montgomery. The Houston native is also a 30-year flight attendant for Southwest Airlines and a member of the advisory board for the Montgomery County Association of Business Women.
Judge Kathleen Hamilton presides over the 359th District Court in Conroe. She has impacted many lives by overseeing a Veteran’s Court and working with the drug offense and DWI courts. She’s also passionate about fine arts in Conroe.
Ann K. Snyder is the chairman of The Woodlands Township. She has been on the township board since 2015. She also served on the Conroe ISD school board for 15 years and served as president for two terms.
ON YOURCONROENEWS.COM: Montgomery County Commissioners reject proposed $15.5M budget for Central Appraisal District
She has supported Montgomery County organizations like Interfaith, Junior League of The Woodlands, the ministry staff at The Woodlands United Methodist Church and the Montgomery County Food Bank.
Keynote speaker Erin Brockovich
Brockovich was the driving force in a famed environmental fight against Pacific Gas and Electric for polluting water in the small community of Hinkley, California, which impacted the health of the 600 residents.
Actress Julia Roberts played Brockovich in the 2000 movie “Erin Brockovich,” making the activist a household name. In 2020, Brockovich came to Houston to participate in a town hall regarding a cancer cluster in Houston’s Fifth Ward neighborhood.
What to know about going
Currently tickets are sold out. However, those interested can get on a wait list. Email Courtney Budra at courtneyb@conroe.org to get on the list.
