NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nashville Cable named the winners of the 34th Annual ATHENA Awards last week. Cynthia Whitfield-Story was named the winner for the traditional category and Tamara L. Bates was named as the winner for the young professional category. The ATHENA Awards were held during Women’s History Month and are part of a prestigious international nonprofit organization, designed to celebrate and honor incredible women leaders who catalyze change in the community.
In the traditional category, recognizing women 40 and older, Cynthia Whitfield-Story was named as the 2024 winner. Nominated by the YWCA of Nashville & Middle Tennessee, Whitfield-Story is the CEO for INSPIRE1, LLC Consulting. For more than 30 years, she has been dedicated to coaching, supporting and mentoring leaders.
In the young professional category, recognizing women under 40, Tamara L. Bates was named as the 2024 winner. Nominated by the Nashville Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Bates is the director of community engagement for the Tennessee Democratic Party. Since graduating, Bates has used her platform to advocate for civic engagement and political awareness in communities locally and abroad.
“Tonight, we celebrated amazing women whose strength, creativity and tenacity inspired each of us to continue our own journey of success,” said Julia Baker, president of Nashville Cable. “We are thankful for each one of the nominees, for the dedication to their work, and for making this night so special. We hope to see everyone again next year.”
This year’s event welcomed keynote speaker, Mignon Francois. As the founder of The Cupcake Collection and author of Made from Scratch, Francois spoke about her inspiring journey from struggling single mother to successful business owner.
About Nashville Cable
Nashville Cable is Tennessee’s largest and most established network of diverse professionals dedicated to advancing women professionally. The organization’s mission of “Connecting Women and Opportunity” drives its commitment to fostering gender diversity and inclusivity in leadership roles. Since its inception, Cable has worked to create impactful connections, build long-lasting relationships, promote opportunities for business and professional women in the Nashville community, and develop and maintain a standard of inclusivity and diversity. In addition to its membership, CABLE also formed the CABLE Foundation, a 501(c)3 Corporation, for fundraising purposes. The CABLE Foundation also serves as the umbrella for the Nashville ATHENA Awards Program.