St. Cloud, Minn. – A dedicated advocate for student success, a trusted community builder, and an empowering leader for women, Lori Kloos is this year’s ATHENA Award recipient.
Selected through a nomination process hosted by the Women’s Fund of the Central Minnesota Community Foundation, Lori Kloos has been named the 2026 ATHENA Award recipient. The ATHENA Award is a lifetime achievement honor recognizing exceptional women leaders who inspire others to achieve excellence in both their professional and personal lives. Lori was selected for her ability to empower women both personally and professionally.
The mission of the ATHENA Award is to recognize and honor Central Minnesota women who have achieved excellence in their careers while inspiring others. Selection criteria include demonstrating excellence, creativity, and initiative in one’s profession; providing valuable service to improve the quality of life for others in Central Minnesota; and actively assisting women in realizing their full leadership potential.
Sangeeta Jha, Sociology Instructor at St. Cloud Technical & Community College, nominated Lori for the ATHENA Award and shared that Lori strives to understand the challenges women face today.
“Lori’s leadership is distinguished by her deep understanding of the challenges women face, shaped by her experience as a first-generation college graduate. This firsthand knowledge informs her approach, motivates those around her, and fosters a supportive environment where everyone can thrive. Lori’s vision for educational equity and empowerment positions her as an outstanding candidate for this prestigious honor.”
Lori Kloos serves as President of St. Cloud Technical & Community College, where she has held leadership roles—including Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Administration—for nearly 30 years.
Prior to her time at SCTCC, Lori served as a State and Legislative Auditor for Minnesota, bringing deep expertise in public funding and fiscal management.
In addition to her professional achievements, Lori is actively involved in the community, serving on several local boards and committees, including Greater St. Cloud, United Way, and the St. Cloud Downtown Rotary.
Lori Kloos will be honored on June 8, 2026, at Women’s Fund Presents: Dancing With Our Stars, Live! The event will be held at the College of Saint Benedict. For more information, visit communitygiving.org/wfp26.
Past recipients of the award include Susan Mackert 1988, Colman O’Connell 1989, Peg Meyer 1990, Ann Thelen 1991, Nancy Fischer 1992, Diane Gohman 1993, Diana Murphy Podawiltz 1994, Dorothy Simpson 1995, Cheryl Lightle 1996, Connie Cross 1997, Sonja Sorensen Craig 1998, Patti Gartland 1999, Colette Carlson 2000, Marj Hawkins 2001, Sandy Neutzling 2002, Betty Schnettler 2003, Barb Carlson 2004, Joan Volkmuth 2005, Patt Adair 2008, Jan Bensen 2009, Elaine Bauerly 2010, Cindy Faye Johnson 2011, Molly Renslow 2012, Maxine Barnett 2013, Patricia Welter 2014, Ann Cofell 2015, Lynn Grewing 2016, Linda Eich DesJardins 2017, Tarryl Clark 2018, Bernie Perryman 2019, Dorraine “Dorrie” Larison 2020, Debra Leigh 2021, Geri Bechtold 2022, Michelle Pape 2023, Janelle Kendall 2024, and Joanne Kudrna 2025.
Since 2002, the Women’s Fund of the Central Minnesota Community Foundation has been dedicated to strengthening the community by improving the lives of women and girls. The Women’s Fund has granted nearly $1.6 million to support local programs in three core focus areas: girls ages 10-18, women experiencing adversity and elder women.
The Central Minnesota Community Foundation (CMCF) attracts and administers charitable funds for the benefit of the local community. Since 1985, CMCF has grown to $177.7 million in assets and awarded $178.6 million in grants to non-profits. The CMCF is governed by a local board of directors and is a partner of CommunityGiving, which is a network of community foundations united under a single framework to create efficiencies that maximize the impact of our donors. Collectively, CommunityGiving administers over 1,300 funds totaling over $283 million in assets. Learn more at communitygiving.org/cmcf