Linda Stevenson

LInda Stevenson is known nationally for her work with women-owned business and her support and advocacy of female entrepreneurs and professionals. She founded and trademarked the Women's Economic Development Outreach Tour (WEDO); expanding it to nine states and reaching over 11,000 professional women and women in business, to bring information and focus resources to the. Her greatest pride is the success of the ATHENA Powerlink program which she has introduced and developed in 30 communities throughout the nation. She has leveraged her position in banking to enable her to seek and establish relationships with organizations whose mission is to improve the economic status of women business owners. Before her position with PNC, she was named director of the National City Corporation initiative for Women Business Owners in 2002. Under her leadership, National City was recognized in a national study funded by the prestigious Ewing Marion Foundation as one of three banks demonstrating "best practices" in providing access to capital for women-owned businesses. 

Linda is dedicated to understanding the issues affecting women in business and forging partnerships with advocacy groups to bring women's leadership to the forefront. In recognition of her accomplishments and dedication to small business, Linda has won the following awards: 

~Erie County Council Citation for National Business Women's WEek

~Mercer Center for Women, Women Making History Award

~Seton Hill University Entrepreneurial Excellence Award

~National City Community Service Excellence Award

~SBA Financial Service Excellence Award

~National City Community Service excellence Award

~SBA Financial Service Advocate

~Pennsylvania's Best 50 Women in Business

~Gannon University Small Business Development Small Business Advocate of the Year

~Small Business Administration SBA Lender of the Year

~Boys & GIrls of Erie, Mary Selden Award

~ATHENA Leadership Award

~Women's Round Table Woman of the Year

~Girl Scouts Northwest Pennsylvania Woman of Distinction

~Distrupt Erie 2015 Entrepreneurial Champion

~2017 Pittsburgh PowerLink Honoree

~2018 Erie Times News Legacy Award

~2018 Public Relation Society of America Community Relations Person of the Year

~2022 Erie Regional Chamber Growth Partnership, Lifetime Achievement Award

Linda currently serves on the advisory boards of the PSU Foard of Fellows, ATHENA International Honorary Board, chairs the Governing Body for the Erie Athena PowerLink Program, ATHENA PowerLink Council and founded the Erie Professional Womens Collaboration - Thrive; Past Board positions include Erie Empower Board, National Women's Business Owners Corporation (NWBOC), Pennsylvania State Small Business Development Centers Advocacy * Resource Development Board, Western Pennsylvanian SBA and appointed by Governor Edward G. Rendell and Governor Tom Corbett to the Pennsylvania Commission for Women.