To win the women's Athena International Leadership Award a recipient must demonstrate excellence, creativity and initiative.

Emilygail Dill has shown those qualities across diverse fields from religion to education, the arts and tourism.

Her list of achievements includes her working with young Bermudians as former manager of the Ruth Seaton James Center for the Performing Arts and finding ways to provide college opportunities and funding as founder of the Higher Visions organisation.

Since the start of this year Rev. Dill has been on secondment to the Bermuda Department of Tourism working in the New York office where she has sought out further opportunities for Bermudians in the arts and business world in North America, and also initiated a partnership with the Labour Department to give summer work opportunities at the New York office to Bermudian students.

Rev. Dill became an ordained itinerant minister with the AME Church in 1990.

On receiving the Athena Award on Saturday at the Navigating Business Success – The Complete Journey women's conference, she said: "I am extremely humbled to have received the Athena International Leadership Award for Bermuda as there are so many of our women who embody the principles of Athena in their daily contributions to society.

"I give thanks to God for the opportunity to serve and to live out my vocation as a 'public theologian' in the various sectors of society."

She added: "I feel especially honoured to be presented with the award by one of Bermuda's most outstanding female leaders, our Deputy Premier Paula Cox. To be celebrated in the presence of great women such as Martha Mertz, Dr. Patricia Russell-McCloud, Diane Gordon, Michelle Khaldun, Patricia Harvey, Leslie Grossman and Andrea March of the Women's Leadership Exchange and the many outstanding women who were in attendance, challenges me to continue to strive for excellence and to always remember to honor God and lift others as I climb."

She went on to thank event organisers Keetha Lowe and Mary Shnack for "their vision and commitment to the empowerment of women in the presenting of this first Annual Conference and Inaugural International Athena Award Celebration in Bermuda. They are laying a foundation for future generations and building bridges within our community."

Event organiser Ms Lowe, president of Integrated Global Management, said Rev. Dill had shown outreaching to the community that went beyond her professional profile and which made her "an unsung hero."

Ms Lowe was also delighted with the feedback from the conference and is now working on next year's event, adding: "We knew there was potential for the event and making it a reality has been a rewarding feeling."

Although he was off-Island, Premier Ewart Brown was one of the first to offer congratulations to the organisers less than an hour after the event finished.

Ms Lowe would like to see the event grow in terms of inclusiveness and international partnership, adding: "The level of energy and enthusiasm was really felt by all."

Ms Lowe thanked Aardvark Communications, Brown and Co and the BGA Group for their "vision and outstanding support towards bringing this high-end programme to the community."