Berks Women2Women names ATHENA recipient
Adelle Shade will receive annual award April 20
Women2Women, a special program of the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (GRCA), has named Adelle Schade as the 2023 ATHENA Leadership Award recipient.
Schade will be recognized on Thursday, April 20 during Women2Women’s 12th Annual Conference + Expo at the Santander Performing Arts Center, 136 N 6th St., Reading.
The ATHENA Leadership Award is presented to a woman/man who is honored for professional excellence, community service and for actively assisting women in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills. The GRCA has awarded the ATHENA to 37 distinguished women in the Berks community since 1993.
Schade is the founder of Total Learning Experience and is the dean of Pre-College + Summer Programs at Albright College, and has been “a catalyst for educational change” in Berks County, according to a press release announcing her selection.
“This recognition has humbled me and strengthened my commitment to serving our community,” Schade said in a statement. “I am especially grateful for the support system of inspiring women leaders in Berks County who have played a crucial role in my personal and professional growth. Thank you for your unwavering support and encouragement to revolutionize education.”
Total Experience Learning was named a top four STEM program in the United States in 2019 by District Administrator Journal. In December 2022, the program received international recognition during a ceremony by the United Nations, as the Most Innovative Educational Model by the Materials Science subdivision of the United Nations.
Under Schade’s leadership, the program has grown from the high school environment to launching a “world-class program that embraces students and educators.”
“Developing a curriculum for teachers while continuing to push the boundaries for students, Schade continues to add resources and research to the sought-after Total Learning Experience,” the release stated.
Schade has also shared her leadership and expertise with the Berks County community. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Schade partnered with community leaders and manufacturers to address PPE shortages, and worked to source 3D printers and supplies to print equipment for first responders, educators and those in most need of protection from the virus.
Schade was appointed to adjunct instructor of pediatrics in the Penn State College of Medicine and also is a part of the Visions Federal Credit Union CEO advisory board. In 2022, she was named the recipient of the Whitaker Center’s Women in STEM Game Changer Award, and in 2023, was named a Girl Scout Take the Lead award recipient.
The Women2Women Conference + Expo will provide attendees the opportunity to network with other women engaged in community and mentorship and explore many women-owned, Berks County businesses.
The keynote speaker for the event it Betsy Hamm, CEO of Duck Donuts, who will share her “Circle of Success” — telling her story and sharing several leadership lessons she has learned during her career.
In addition, attendees at the April 20 event will have the opportunity to attend three breakout workshops featuring different speakers — one of them led by Schade.
Registration at greaterreading. org is required for the event, and there are several attendance options available — an all-day pass which includes breakfast and lunch; just the breakfast and the keynote address; or attendance at just the afternoon ATHENA presentation.