Political psychologist receives ATHENA Valley of the Sun award for humanitarian efforts

Dr. Eileen Borris is this year’s ATHENA award winner, an organization that recognizes important and influential women in the community.

“It’s a great honor,” Borris says. “I’m among all these incredible women who have done just incredible things, and they have ignited so much change in the world. They’re committed, exceptional women so for me to be among that group right now is an incredible honor.”

Kristine Quade, CEO of ATHENA Valley of the Sun, says “it’s a celebration of the accomplishments of women in our community.” There is also an open discussion on some of the issues women are currently facing.

Borris won the award for her international work in high conflict zones and her lessons on forgiveness. Quade says it is important while most of the world is polarized and aggressive toward each other to show how to forgive.

“Forgiveness touches everyone,” Borris says. “There’s so much hatred and violence in this country we need to be healed. Then we can think about what has happened in Parkland. There are some incredible students there who have demonstrated the best of humanity.”

There are different key principles that ATHENA looks for when choosing a winner including authenticity, voice, courage and a fierceness for advocating. They are supposed to represent a broad category of women in the community, not just businesswomen, Quade says.

Borris says she was inspired by a French woman who had faced Nazis in World War II, and despite all the hatred the world was plagued by in that time, she still learned how to forgive. Borris hopes to inspire others about forgiveness like how she was inspired.

In addition to recognizing exceptional women in the community, ATHENA also recognizes ten high school junior and senior women for what they have shown in leadership.

For more information on ATHENA Valley of the Sun, go to athenaaz.com.