ATHENA winner Jane Omollo motivated by doing 'the right thing'

For the first time in three years, an annual event celebrating women leaders in the community was held in person, with more than 200 in attendance.

The ATHENA Leadership Award was given out during the annual Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Business Breakfast, held during International Women’s Day.

The theme for this year’s event was "embrace equity" and the award was presented to a woman in the community who has done her part as a leader in the advancement of multiculturalism, inclusion and equity in Sault Ste. Marie for many years.

Wednesday’s event at the Water Tower Inn was the first in-person Women in Business Breakfast held since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s ATHENA Leadership Award recipient was Jane Omollo, who is currently managing Algoma University’s first multi-year equity, diversity and inclusion strategy and action plan. 

When accepting the award, Omollo told the crowd of over 200 people that English is the fourth language she learned.

“I am humbled, I don’t know what to say — I wish I could speak in my mother tongue,” she said.

“Do it! Do it!,” a woman in the audience called out.

“I am so excited and happy that I have forgotten the English that I learned,” she continued, smiling.

For years at the Sault Community Career Centre Omollo has helped many newcomers to the Sault — many of them women — to navigate a new life and a new language as they settle in a new country. 

Among the local programs she has led are Refugee Resettlement Assistance Program, Adopt-a-Family, women-only swimming lessons, women driving lessons and English conversation circles, among others.

Born and raised in Kenya, Omollo has lived in Sault Ste. Marie since 2006.

Among other accomplishments, Omollo is founder and past president of the African Caribbean Canadian Association of Northern Ontario (ACCANO).

Earlier this year, Omollo was recognized with a lifetime achievement award from the Black North Initiative. She donated the $15,000 prize money that came with the award to an ACCANO scholarship endowment.

“This speaks to her incredibly kind heart and commitment to empowering those around her,” said Shauna Hynna, chair of governors at Sault College, which sponsored this year’s ATHENA Leadership Award.

This year’s ATHENA Leadership Award winner was selected from a total of 14 nominations submitted through the Chamber of Commerce’s web site.

Looking out over the crowd, Omollo said she cannot believe that she had won the award and promised to continue the work she does in the community.

“This work that we do, we don’t do it so that we get applauded. We do it because it is the right thing that needs to be done and for me this does not end here, it’s just the beginning of a new chapter,” she said.

In an earlier panel discussion, Marnie Stone, Dianne Roach and Natalia Mclean were asked about the challenges they have overcome as women leaders in the community and how to support future leaders.

“We need to be proud of what we represent because we are always the underdog,” said Roach. “When you’re at a meeting and you say something and somebody says it in a male voice and it's like hey that’s a great idea.”

“Moving forward, we are a brilliant, beautiful and we have so much to offer the world,” she added.

“We need to support the next generation that is coming up as best we can and nurture the young ones that have dreams and visions and they need to have mentors so they can be guided along and encouraged,” said Stone. “I think all of us need to have our ear to the ground and when we come across a youngster or a daughter — to nurture that and give them the things they are dreaming about.”

Mclean said women need to invest in themselves.

“Push forward, don’t let anybody stop you. You’re going to get obstacles in life and they say it’s not how many times you get knocked down but how many times you get back up,” she said.