Two weeks ago SOS Leadership hosted the 2nd Annual Evening for Austin Leading Ladies at Concordia University Texas. That evening three finalists for the Kate Voth Award were recognized: Olivia Mayberry, Susan Patten, and Stephani Smolucha. These three ladies have made an incredible impact on the community and they are all leaders who make a difference!
We are excited to introduce you to the first recipient of the SOS Leadership Kate Voth Award, Susan Patten.
Courtney DeBower of the American Heart Association, who nominated Susan for this award, shared this: “Susan has taught me the importance of showing respect to everyone, regardless of their age or title, and of taking the time to truly get to know the people you work with.
She has served as Vice President of Government Relations at Time Warner Cable for the past 17 years. In addition to her busy personal and work life, Susan is one of our most inspiring volunteers at the American Heart Association.
In 2007, at what was expected to be a routine doctor visit, Susan was surprised to realize she needed immediate angioplasty. She had blamed her past family history of heart disease on smoking and poor diet, and never expected it could happen to her. But the truth is that heart disease is the #1 killer of women.
Susan became active with the American Heart Association with a simple goal: persuade women to know their medical history, put down the salt shaker, listen to and move their bodies! In her time as a volunteer, Susan has been active in so many aspects of the organization’s mission.
Courtney DeBower went on to write, “Susan has been a role model for me, even before I began work at the American Heart Association. As a woman working in the often male-dominated field of Government Relations, she has been able to thrive and is well-respected at the Texas Capitol. I truly feel that I am a better person for knowing her. She is passionate, dedicated and truly a one-of-a-kind leader!”
In her personal leadership statement, Susan wrote: “My leadership journey began in childhood, although of course I didn’t realize it at the time. I was the youngest of five kids being raised by a single mom struggling to put food in our bellies and shoes on our feet. She modeled skills that served us well: work hard, use your resources wisely, get organized, and be a team player. We learned that in every aspect of life, you get back what you put in.
Susan went on to write, “My leadership is brought to life by my passion to learn by connecting people to each other and to the goal. That’s what authentic and passionate leadership is for me: connecting people and purpose. “
Susan is truly a Leading Lady of Inspiration!
About the Kate Voth Award ~ In 2013 at the 1st Annual Evening for Austin Leading Ladies, SOS Leadership presented the Leading Lady of Inspiration Award to Kate Voth. Kate was an incredible leader, a woman of optimism, strength, and courage. She was a leader in every sense of the word, and she inspired every person who met her. On June 1, 2013, less than three months after we honored her and were moved by her emotional speech, Kate passed away at age 27 after a valiant battle with cancer. There is a hole in all of our hearts, and yet her powerful leadership legacy lives on. Thus, we have renamed the Leading Lady of Inspiration Award the Kate Voth Award in honor of one of the most inspiring leaders we’ve ever known.