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Scranton Chamber’s ATHENA Leadership Award recognizes Dr. Thomas-Hemak’s leadership and mentorship
The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce announced on Tuesday, Feb. 11, that Linda Thomas-Hemak, M.D., FACP, FAAP, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, is the 2025 ATHENA Leadership Award recipient. Participating in the announcement, from left, are Carmen Passaniti, director of employee health and coordinator of continuing medical education, The Wright Center; Chelsea Chopko, chief of administrative support to the CEO, The Wright Center; Jennifer Walsh, Esq., senior vice president, executive counsel, and chief governance officer, The Wright Center; Bob Durkin, president, Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce; Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, award recipient; Donna Barbetti, Mari Potts, director, membership and events, The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce; Deborah Kolsovsky, chair, The Wright Center for Community Health Board of Directors; and Brian Ebersole, vice president of academic affairs and associate designated institutional official, The Wright Center.
The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce announced on Tuesday, Feb. 11, that Linda Thomas-Hemak, M.D., FACP, FAAP, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, is the 2025 ATHENA Leadership Award recipient.
The ATHENA Award, sponsored locally by Michael A. Barbetti LLC Certified Public Accountants, honors an exceptional individual who has achieved excellence in their business or profession, has served the community in a meaningful way, and has assisted women in their attainment of professional goals and leadership skills. Dr. Thomas-Hemak embodies these characteristics wholeheartedly.
Dr. Thomas-Hemak joined The Wright Center in 2001, became president in 2007, and CEO in 2012. Concurrent with her responsibilities as an executive, Dr. Thomas-Hemak is also quintuple board-certified in internal medicine, pediatrics, addiction medicine, obesity medicine, and nutrition and remains a healer at heart.
“It is a true privilege to recognize Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak as the 2025 ATHENA Award recipient,” said Bob Durkin, president of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. “Her relentless commitment to her patients, hands-on leadership style, and deep dedication to the community set her apart as an exceptional individual. We are proud to honor Dr. Thomas-Hemak for the profound and lasting impact she has made on both health care and our community. Congratulations, Dr. Thomas-Hemak!”
In the community, Dr. Thomas-Hemak is actively involved in multiple organizations, countless committees, nonprofit boards, and workgroups aimed at benefiting the community, generating efficiencies in health care delivery, and promoting primary health care workforce development, both regionally and nationally. Additionally, she is a founding board member of the Scranton-based Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine.
Dr. Thomas-Hemak promotes the advancement of women by leading boldly and strategically, fostering inclusive opportunities and career advancement, and mentoring opportunities for female leaders to pursue meaningful, transformative careers in health care.
The ATHENA Award will be presented to Dr. Thomas-Hemak at The Chamber’s International Women’s Day Breakfast, sponsored by The Honesdale National Bank, on Friday, March 7. Tickets can be purchased online at www.ScrantonChamber.com.
The ATHENA Award was first presented in 1982 in Lansing, Michigan, and has grown to include presentations to more than 5,000 individuals in hundreds of cities in the United States as well as in Canada, China, Russia, and the United Kingdom. The award takes the form of a hand-cast bronze sculpture, symbolizing the strength, courage, and wisdom of the recipient.
The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit organization that works to improve the area’s economic environment and quality of life by offering programs and services which stimulate economic growth, promote business prosperity and nurture educational opportunities. For more information about the Chamber, visit www.scrantonchamber.com.
