2027 ATHENA Leadership Conference - ATHENA of the Triangle

Save the Date: 2027 ATHENA Leadership Conference & Awards — March 18, 2027

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A day rooted in

The Power of Us

On March 18, 2027, the ATHENA Leadership Conference & Awards brings together an incredible community of leaders, advocates, and changemakers for a day rooted in connection, inspiration, and purpose.

This year’s theme — Courage to Lead, Connection to Unite, Hope to Inspire — carries us from leading boldly as individuals, to uniting intentionally as a community, to inspiring what’s possible for others. From thought-provoking conversations and powerful storytelling to meaningful networking and celebration, you’ll experience ATHENA of the Triangle in action.

Celebrating Leadership

A highlight of the day: honoring our 2026 ATHENA Award recipients and finalists — leaders who lead with purpose, empower others, and create lasting change.

A Community That Shows Up

Speakers, sponsors, and every attendee in the room — this conference is what happens when people choose to invest in each other.

Three women leaders in conversation on stage at the ATHENA Leadership Conference

Two attendees laughing together in the auditorium

A full audience listening during a conference session

In a world defined by change, leadership calls for more than resilience. It calls for the courage to step forward, the connection to bring others with us, and the hope to imagine something better.

This year, ATHENA invites us to lead boldly, unite intentionally, and inspire what’s possible. Together, we lead forward.

Self

Courage to Lead

It starts with me.

Leadership takes courage, especially when the path forward isn’t clear. It’s the courage to:

Find and use your voice
Step forward before you feel completely ready
Make difficult decisions
Advocate fiercely for yourself and others
Challenge convention
Take risks and embrace new opportunities
Lead authentically through uncertainty

Core thoughtCourage isn’t the absence of uncertainty. It’s choosing to lead through it.

Community

Connection to Unite

It grows through us.

None of us leads alone. In a world increasingly shaped by technology, genuine human connection means more than ever. It’s about:

Building relationships that matter
Mentorship, sponsorship, and allyship
Creating space for different voices
Bringing people together across differences
Opening doors for others
Moving from individual success to collective impact

Core thoughtConnection turns individual strength into collective possibility.

Impact

Hope to Inspire

It becomes something we give.

Hope isn’t passive. It’s believing we have the agency to make things different. It means:

Seeing possibility in times of uncertainty
Helping others imagine what’s possible for themselves
Creating optimism grounded in action
Opening doors for the next generation
Turning setbacks into new beginnings
Leaving people and organizations better than we found them

Core thoughtHope isn’t waiting for a better future. It’s believing we can help create one.

Courage→Connection→Hope

Self → Community → Impact

Why Attend

Leave inspired.
Lead stronger.

Women professionals, entrepreneurs, allies, and advocates who believe in leadership with heart — this is your space to refuel and rise.

Speaker leading an interactive breakout session

Be Inspired

Hear from women who have turned challenges into change and vision into action.
Grow Your Leadership

Breakout sessions built around the ATHENA Leadership Model’s eight principles:

Live AuthenticallyLearn ConstantlyAdvocate FiercelyAct Courageously Foster CollaborationBuild RelationshipsGive BackCelebrate
Expand Your Network

Meet the women and allies who become your next collaborators, mentors, and lifelong friends.
Celebrate Greatness

Honor this year’s ATHENA Leadership Award recipients, who exemplify strength, integrity, and impact.

Your voice belongs here

Call for
Speakers

Have a story, framework, or perspective that brings the ATHENA Leadership Model to life? We’re building the 2027 program now and want leaders who will challenge, equip, and inspire a room full of women who lead.

Apply to Speak Recommend a Speaker

Two presenters on stage at the ATHENA Leadership Conference

Smiling attendees arriving at the conference

Vendor Applications Open Apply as a Vendor Ask a Question

Bring your business into the room

Call for
Vendors

Connect face to face with women leaders, entrepreneurs, and allies from across the Triangle. We welcome businesses whose products and services support women’s leadership, growth, and well-being to apply for a vendor table on March 18, 2027.

Showcase your brandMeet engaged leadersJoin the ATHENA community

2026 ATHENA Leadership Awards

Honoring those
who lift others

ATHENA Leadership Award celebration at the conference

Recipients will be revealed live on stage on March 18 — a cornerstone moment of the day, celebrating leadership, impact, and the power of collective progress.

Award 01

ATHENA Leadership Award®

For a leader who demonstrates excellence in her profession, gives back to the community, and actively assists women in realizing their full leadership potential.

Award 02

ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award

For an emerging leader early in her career who already models the ATHENA Leadership principles at work and in the community.

Award 03

ATHENA Servant Leader Award

For a leader whose impact is defined by service — lifting others, strengthening the community, and advancing women along the way.

Award 04

ATHENA Male Champion Award

For a man who champions women’s leadership — advocating, mentoring, and opening doors so women in our community can rise.

Attendees at the ATHENA Leadership Conference

The heart behind it all

Leadership is
a team sport

Founded in 2014, ATHENA of the Triangle is a licensee of programs developed by ATHENA International, a global nonprofit founded in 1982 on the belief that women can achieve a worldwide balance of leadership when they are recognized, cultivated, and encouraged as leaders.

For more than a decade, we’ve connected and empowered women across industries through mentorship, leadership development, and authentic community — and you’re invited to be part of what comes next.

Who Should Attend

Whether you’re climbing the ladder, building your own company, or mentoring the next generation — if you believe in leadership with heart, there’s a seat for you on March 18.

a look back

The voices & leaders who made 2026

Thank you to the speakers, honorees, sponsors, and attendees who filled the SAS Campus with energy, insight, and celebration.

Keynote

Nia Harden

Anchor · WBTV

A regional Edward R. Murrow Award and AP Award winner and Emmy nominee, Nia brought a journalist’s eye for story — and a military spouse and mother’s perspective on resilience — to open the day.

Session I