Each year the Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber Foundation hosts the ATHENA awards program. The ATHENA award honors women in the community who strive towards the highest level of professional accomplishment. These women must excel in their chosen fields, devote time and energy to their communities in a meaningful way, and also open doors so that others may follow in their path.

ms’ very own Phyllis Schaab has been nominated to receive this year’s award because of her unyielding efforts and leadership here at ms and within her community. At ms, Phyllis serves as the Technical Services Manager for the Northeast Ohio Utilities Group, an Environmental Project Engineer, and Community Outreach Director for ms Youngstown. Additionally, Phyllis coordinates employee payroll deductions, sparking fundraising campaigns within our offices.

Within the community, Phyllis donates her time as the Events Officer of Women United, a reading tutor at Taft Elementary, United Way’s Success After 6 program, and United Way’s Young Women’s Mentoring Program. Not only is Phyllis actively involved in these programs, but she has also encouraged other ms employees to join her! Because of Phyllis, ms consultants now sponsors and volunteers to coordinate a classroom party each month, celebrating the children of the Success After 6 program’s good behavior, overall improvement, grades, and attendance.

In an effort to help the young professionals in her field, Phyllis collaborated with Youngstown State University to create a unique program. This program is specifically design to give local engineering students a leg up when applying for internships and full-time employment opportunities. The AutoCAD Civil 3d course is the first of its kind in the area, Phyllis developed the university course and serves as an adjunct professor in her spare time. Throughout the program, the students are introduced to the AutoCAD program and learn the importance of clear and concise documentation of project work.

Ellie Bodnar, an ms graduate engineer working under Phyllis, notes “Phyllis is an incredible role model, demonstrating how to truly make an impact as an employee as well as a model member of a community. In the workplace, she radiates positivity and stresses the importance of taking pride in your work, rubbing off on all of those around her. Her impact on our growth and development can be felt on every project throughout our organization. She has encouraged myself and others in the office to become involved with her multiple community organizations and activities.”

Phyllis and her husband have two children. Phyllis’ professional drive and passion for community involvement has rubbed off on her children, who you can find helping their mom to set up and tear down United Way events and volunteering at the Kid’s Carnivals.

The ATHENA awards program will take place on Thursday, May 17, at Mr. Anthony’s in Boardman, Ohio.

Visit the Regional Chamber event page for more details and registration.

Don’t forget to tell Phyllis congratulations on this exceptional nomination!