Recent Profile Articles
At a women's issues forum earlier this fall, Rep. Winnie Brinks, Democrat, 76th District, observed that women continue to be vastly underrepresented in our government. While women make up 50.8 percent of the population, according to the U.S. Census, women only account...
Andrea Ykema didn't go to college to become the area director of seven local Applebee's restaurants, and she didn't set out with that career goal in mind. Like many high school and college students, she wanted a job—and restaurants provided a great opportunity. Bill...
Looking for activities that include your furry friends in the festivities? Mark your calendar for Sunday, October 19, noon to 3, at Manhattan Park, where plenty of fun will be had—and for a doggone good reason! The BISSELL Howl-O-Ween Hoof and Woof is a...
Pursuing a dream is not without risk. Anyone who has ever dreamed of being an artist has probably faced questions about whether or not that's a responsible decision. The choice to pursue such a career path requires courage, determination, and resourcefulness. ArtPrize...
This week, PBS President Paula Kerger visited Grand Rapids to announce a partnership with Grand Valley State University College of Education to educate and empower the next generation of teachers with the latest digital tools made specifically for classroom use. While...
Inforum was founded in 1962. Today, it is the only professional organization in Michigan—and one of a few in the country—that focuses on two things: accelerating careers for women and boosting talent initiatives for companies. Inforum’s new member engagement manager,...
Never stop learning. Learning isn't just for students, nor does the opportunity for learning end after graduation: Each day brings a new set of opportunities to stretch and challenge ourselves. Touching on the ATHENA tenet Learning, which was highlighted at the Grand...
Patti Griswold, senior vice president, retail banking, Comerica, was recently elected Inforum board chair and is the first person from West Michigan to serve in this capacity. West Michigan Woman chatted with Patti about her background, her successes, and her new role...
ATHENA was created in 1982, from within the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, when Martha Mertz was the only woman on the board. "Neither my colleagues nor most community members perceived women as leaders. We didn't see ourselves as leaders, either, mostly...
Sharing one's passion and creating an unstoppable force for the greater good defines the ATHENA tenet Fierce Advocacy. We also concluded that Mary K. Hoodhood, founder of the hunger-fighting organization Kids' Food Basket, is the epitome of Fierce Advocacy. As part of...