Ms. Danielle Matarella, Greater Hazleton Director Catholic Social Services, has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce Athena Award, sponsored by Lehigh Valley Hospital Hazleton, part of Jefferson Health Network–Jefferson.

Danielle has dedicated over 21 years to Catholic Social Services, starting with a position at the front desk while remaining deeply involved in her family and community. As her availability grew, she advanced to Office Manager for nine years and now serves as Director of the Greater Hazleton office.

In her current role, she oversees a multi-building campus supporting shelter, housing, food assistance, family services, and administrative operations, leading a team of 16 staff and approximately 50 volunteers. She manages daily operations, staffing, grants, fundraising, and program development.

Under her leadership, key initiatives have expanded significantly, including serving over 600 children through the annual Christmas Toy Distribution, launching clothing programs, offering educational classes, and creating a successful city-wide collaborative initiative that has gained strong community engagement.

These are just a few highlights of Danielle’s professional environment where her dedication and forward-thinking creativity continue to make Catholic Social Services a key organization in the Greater Hazleton area.

Community service is a key component of the Athena Award, Danielle is an active community leader and collaborator, currently participating in the Luzerne Foundation Accelerator Program while supporting a wide range of local initiatives, fundraisers, and partnerships.

She plays a key role in regional advocacy, including participation in a Job Corps roundtable that helped secure continued funding. Notably, she is the first person in the Greater Hazleton Area to be a member of both Valley Kiwanis and Hazleton Rotary, serving as President of Valley Kiwanis and a Board Member of Hazleton Rotary.

As Kiwanis President, she has significantly increased membership and expanded community events, nearly tripling attendance at the Christmas Tree Lighting and reviving local cleanup efforts. Within Rotary, she contributes to major events and leads key community programs, further demonstrating her strong commitment to service and engagement.

An internationally recognized award, The ATHENA FOUNDATION and the awardees are invested in the next generation of leaders. Danielle’s leadership extends across multiple community initiatives. She serves as Chair of the Greater Hazleton Chamber Women’s Networking Holiday Committee and is a member of the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Youth Aid Panel, where she helps guide at-risk youth through intervention programs aimed at preventing further offenses and supporting expungement.

She is also actively involved in downtown revitalization through the City Impact Team led by Charis Academy and contributes to broader regional efforts as a member of the Luzerne County Elder Abuse Task Force and the Lehigh Valley Hospital Hazleton, part of Jefferson Health Network–Jefferson Board of Associates.

Danielle has been happily married to her husband, Phil, for over 24 years, and together they have raised two adult children, Dante and Nadia. While her professional accomplishments are extensive, Danielle has always considered her most vital role to be that of wife and mother.

She is also actively involved in her church, where she works to increase both attendance and fundraising. She created the “Faithful Fortune” initiative to support these efforts and, in the absence of a permanent pastor, serves as a worship leader to ensure weekly services continue.

Danielle’s leadership is defined by collaboration, service, and a genuine commitment to strengthening her community. She consistently works to bring people together, support fellow organizations, and create meaningful opportunities that improve the lives of those she serves.

The Athena Award, presented each year to a Hazleton Area businesswoman for "outstanding professional achievement," is made possible through the sponsorship of Lehigh Valley Hospital Hazleton, part of Jeferson Health and will be presented at the 134^th Annual Meeting and Business Expo of the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce. “ Sponsoring the ATHENA Award allows us to recognize and uplift the remarkable women who drive innovation, lead with purpose, and inspire the next generation. This award represents the very best of leadership, integrity, and impact.” noted Melissa Curto , Chief Operating Officer LVH – Hazleton

The presentation of the award began in 1988. Ms. Gabriel joins an extensive list of distinguished women who have won the Athena Award in its thirty-eight-year history . Past winners include: Lillian Paternoster (1986); Lorraine Piehota (1987); Donna Jean Yannuzzi (1988); Mary Bollman (1989); Patricia Werner-Savage (1990); Theresa Raffety (1991); Martha Herron (1992); Jo-Ann Yannuzzi (1994); Ruth Wimsat (1996); Molly Blasko (1997); Bettie Sitoski (1998); Linda Schreiber (1999); Cathy Gallagher (2000);Mary Jane Saras (2001); Attorney Sharon Evans (2002); Dr. Geraldine Shepperson (2003); Mary R. Malone (2004); Attorney Elizabeth Maguschak (2005); Jennifer Sloot (2006);Paula Sagan Hahn (2007); Lonnie Polli (2008); Terry Moran Bauder (2009), Dr. Deb Carr (2010); Nancy Stasko (2011); Jeannine Lesante Mazurkiwecz (2012); Kathleen Benyo (2013); Donna Palermo (2014); Elaine Judd (2015); Jane Danish (2016); Carla M. Thaller (2017), Krista L. Schneider (2018); Donna M. Barna (2019) Representative Tarah Toohil (2020) ; Kelly King (2021) Miss Faberge (2022) Elizabeth Tolan (2023), Lisa-Marie Halecky (2024) and Rosanna Gabrielle (2025) There were no recipients chosen in 1993 and 1995.

The award will be presented during the program portion of the 134^th Annual Meeting and Business Expo, the Chamber’s largest event of the year, on Thursday, May 21. Opportunities to take part in the Business Expo remain as well as an invitation to attend this fun event. If interested, please connect with Mary Malone, Chamber’s President at or by calling the Chamber office at 570-455-1509.

CAPTION: Danielle Matarella, pictured at center, has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce Athena Award. Also pictured are, from left: Rossanna Gabriel, Athena Award nominator; Melissa Curto, representing Athena Award sponsor Lehigh Valley Hospital Hazleton; Lisa Marie Halecky, representing Athena Award sponsor Lehigh Valley Hospital Hazleton; and Sue Farley, Athena Award nominator. Missing from photo: Nancy Stasko, Athena Award nominator.