Dr. Virginia D. Banks receives this year’s ATHENA Award during Thursday’s 30th annual award dinner and program at Waypoint 4180. Presenting the award is Kim Calvert, right, senior vice president, marketing and member services at the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber. Behind them is Dawn Ochman of Warren-based DAWN Inc., who was the 2022 ATHENA Award winner.... Correspondent photo / Sean Barron

CANFIELD — For many Mahoning Valley residents who tried to navigate through the dark maze of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Virginia D. Banks’ leadership provided a light and clearer way through.

Largely for having taken center stage using TV, radio and online platforms to inform and advise the public about best practices in handling the pandemic, Banks was presented with this year’s ATHENA Award during Thursday’s 30th annual award dinner and program at Waypoint 4180 on Westford Place.

“It’s been a rough three years for all of us,” an emotional Banks, fondly known as “Dee,” said. “The past three years have challenged us in ways we never expected.”

While accepting her award, Banks praised the other 25 nominees for their contributions, saying, “You’re all ATHENAs.”

She also quoted from the famous poet Maya Angelou, who said, “Courage is the most important of all virtues.”

Sponsoring the event were The Vindicator and the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber.

Since the program’s inception, more than 1,000 Valley women have been honored for their professional excellence and being powerful role models, Kim Calvert of the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber noted.

Banks, an infectious disease specialist with Northeast Ohio Infectious Disease Associates, was among 26 area nominees for the award, which celebrates and honors the achievements of outstanding professional Valley women each year.

Banks, who earned a medical degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland and has practiced medicine since the late 1970s, brought to Thursday’s gathering a long resume of professional accomplishments, including having educated many people locally and nationally, especially in the black community, about HIV/AIDS and other fatal diseases. She also has been instrumental in guiding and mentoring many women through the mostly male medical field.

To that end, CWRU honored Banks for her work in mentoring pre-med women students of color.

She also has spoken in various arenas, including at Northeast Ohio College of Medicine in Ravenna, about infectious diseases and has written numerous articles for newspapers, medical journals and magazines on the topic. She also has worked to improve equal access to health care.

In addition, Banks has been written about in national publications that include U.S. News & World Report.

In 2019, the Infectious Disease Society of America bestowed upon her the Watanakunakorn Clinician Award, named in honor of the late Dr. Chatrchai Watanakunakorn, who was an epidemiologist and chief of infectious diseases at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital. Banks also considers him as one of her mentors.

In addition, Banks has a leadership position on the IDSA’s Leadership Development Committee, which also marks the first time a woman of color has chaired or co-chaired the committee.

In 2021, she took home the American Heart Association’s Live Fierce Award for her work during the pandemic that consisted largely of educating black people about COVID-19 and the dangers associated with it.

Last October, during Nonviolence Week in Ohio, Banks received the local Simeon S. Booker Award for Courage, which honors those who display courage, compassion and tenacity – and sometimes place their lives on the line to make a difference – in the spirit of Booker, a journalist who died in 2017 at age 99. The longtime medical practitioner won the award largely because of her commitment and willingness to encourage many in the local black community to be vaccinated despite pushback from some during the pandemic who repeatedly claimed the COVID-19 vaccine could be harmful.

Banks also serves on many boards, such as the Butler Institute of American Art and the Canton Museum of Art. In addition, she is on the advisory committee to the board of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where she also is part of its Friends of African American Art.

The 2023 ATHENA scholarship recipient is Boardman High School senior Chloe P. Khoury. Anthem scholarship winners are seniors E’meri J. Edmonds of Warren G. Harding High School and Paige L. Grope of Jackson-Milton High.

Making additional remarks was Dawn Ochman of Warren-based DAWN Inc., who was the 2022 ATHENA Award winner.

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