Exec. director of nonprofit gets award
Executive Director Corinne LeBaron of the Ronald McDonald House of Long Branch and New Brunswick was awarded the 2007 ATHENA Award by the Western Monmouth Chamber of Commerce at a luncheon Nov. 2.

Corinne LeBaron

The ATHENA award honors individuals who demonstrate excellence, creativity and initiative in their business or profession, according to a press release from the Ronald McDonald House.

Recipients of the award also provide valuable service by contributing time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community and actively assist women in realizing their full leadership potential, according to the release.

"I was so surprised when my name was

announced," LeBaron said in the release. "I

said in the release. "I was truly honored just to be included as a nominee with such an extraordinary group of women.

"I actually feel like I get so much more back from what I do. It's the strength, compassion and joy I see from the people who I work with on a daily basis that inspires me and motivates me to want to do more. I feel privileged to be even a small part of their lives," she said.

Recipients of the ATHENA award reflect those virtues of wisdom, courage, strength and enlightenment symbolized by the goddess herself. They also reflect the attitude that the achievements and accomplishments of one individual will always serve to elevate all, according to the release.

Nancy Mazza, chairwoman of the Ronald McDonald House and senior vice president of Sovereign Bank, said, "I have learned invaluable lessons in leadership, motivation, organization, and compassion from Corinne.

"I am a better person, both business-wise and personally, as a result of working by her side, and I am confident that many around me feel the same way. In my humble opinion, you could not make a better choice for the ATHENA Award," she said.

LeBaron was born in Red Bank and raised in Fair Haven and has worked in the nonprofit arena for over 15 years. Since January 2004, she has served as the executive director of the Ronald McDonald House.

The House is a nonprofit organization that provides a home-away-from-home for the families of seriously ill children who are undergoing medical treatment in area hospitals. Prior to joining the Ronald McDonald House, LeBaron served as executive director of Project Safeguard in Denver, Colo.

LeBaron also worked on public policy and legislative initiatives, providing testimony to House and Senate Committees on victims' rights and serving as an expert witness in domestic violence criminal cases.

She was a statewide instructor with the Colorado Police Corps Academy and Colorado Regional Community Policing Institute.

In addition to her role at the House, LeBaron also volunteers as the chair of Northern Monmouth County for the Fresh Air Fund, a nonprofit organization providing free summer vacations to children from disadvantaged neighborhoods in New York City.