Heron Award (Kathleen O'Beirn Leadership Award)

The Heron Award was established in June, 1996, by Kathleen O'Beirne to honor women who have exemplified outstanding leadership skills. The Great Blue Heron is the hero-heroine of Kathleen's work, Birds of a Feather: Lessons from the Sea, which examines behavior patterns in the workplace, as well as in family and volunteer settings. Fishing in deeper waters than others, the Heron often has the company of many smaller birds, because she is not in competition for their food and they enjoy what she stirs up. Her patience and collegial bearing make her a metaphor for remarkable leadership.

Heron Award recipients

2024 Alyssa Tumolo
2022 Kate Lee
2019 Denise Howard
2018 JoAn Collins
2017 Kathy Greene
2016 Phyllis Nelson
2015 Deb McGrath
2014 Judy Ricketts-White
2013 Patty Rodgers-Longo
2012 Susan Dombrowski
2011 Marilyn Dayton
2010 No recipient
2009 Chris Lautz
2008 Susan Pochal
2007 Kasey Goss
2006 Jane Percy
2005 Marjorie Taggart-Dedrick
2004 No recipient
2003 Connie Plessman
2002 Jean Caron
2001 Vicki Anderson
2000 Linda Mariani
1999 Barbara Ross
1998 Nan Crowley
1997 Joyce Schmidt
1996 Pam Griffin