Baltimore-based Fallston Group, a global reputation agency, is pleased to announce that Kathy Walsh, the firm’s director of marketing, has been named this year’s ATHENA Leadership award winner. The ATHENA Leadership award is presented to an established leader who demonstrates excellence in business and assists women to achieve their absolute full leadership potential.

A veteran marketer and business leader, Walsh has more than 25 years of experience in strategic marketing, branding, public relations and marketing communications. Prior to Fallston Group, Walsh owned JigSaw Marketing Solutions (named one of Baltimore’s fastest growing woman-owned businesses in 2013 and 2015) and spent 10 years working in consumer products brand management in the toy industry. She has served on numerous committees for various organizations in both a professional and personal capacity. Walsh is also a passionate advocate for mental health, serving on the board of a local mental health nonprofit, on the Harford County Mental Health & Addictions Advisory Council and working as a QPR suicide prevention training instructor. A native of Baltimore, Walsh holds an undergraduate degree in mass communications with a concentration in journalism from Loyola University and a master’s degree in marketing from Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School.

“To be recognized as a finalist is an incredible honor among so many accomplished business women. To win speaks volumes about Kathy’s lifelong body of work,” Fallston Group Chief Executive Rob Weinhold says. “However, what was most touching to me was the human moment of watching Kathy’s daughters admire and celebrate their mom while recognizing the extraordinary impact she has had on many others’ lives.”

“It is a tremendous honor to be named this year’s ATHENA award recipient, particularly from such a highly-qualified group of finalists, each of whom are successful professionals who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, mentoring and dedication to our community,” says Walsh. “For me, the most gratifying part about being a part of the ATHENA program was having my two teenage daughters present to see just how much positive impact female leaders can have on the community. I hope this inspires them and others in the next generation to make a difference, each and every day.”

Walsh was honored at the annual ATHENA Leadership award breakfast organized by the Harford Community College Foundation on Friday, March 3. In addition to the ATHENA Leadership Award, the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award was awarded for the first time to Paige Boyle, director of marketing and customer relations for Boyle Buick GMC. Proceeds from the event will help fund the ATHENA Leadership Scholarship.

Please direct all media and interview requests to Fallston Group’s Marketing Communications Manager, Andrea Lynn, at 410-420-2001 or by email at andrea.lynn@fallstongroup.com.

About Fallston Group

Operating at the intersection of leadership, strategy and communications, Fallston Group maximizes the intangible assets that contribute to as much as 80 percent of an organization’s marketplace value. By focusing on three critical areas – strategic marketing and public relations, crisis and issue leadership, and safety and security – the global reputation agency engages with velocity and vision while building, strengthening and defending reputations, each and every day. For more information, visit www.fallstongroup.com.

About ATHENA International

The ATHENA Award is part of ATHENA International, a nonprofit that seeks to support, develop and honor women leaders. The program inspires women to reach their full potential and strives to create balance in leadership worldwide. Since its founding in 1982, the award has been presented in more than 500 communities in eight countries. Harford Community College Foundation is one of three organizations to present the award in Maryland. For more information, visit www.harford.edu/ATHENA.