Hudson Valley native, business woman, author and philanthropist Donna Cornell is set to receive two prestigious honors this spring for her decades of service to the Hudson Valley. Cornell will be honored on Saturday, March 18, by the Orange County Chamber of Commerce as the 2023 Champion of the Chamber during the Chamber’s Choice Gala. Then later this spring, Cornell will be awarded the Ottaway Medal from Vision Hudson Valley formerly the Orange County Citizens Foundation. Cornell will receive the prestigious honor at the 28th Annual Ottaway Medal Dinner, to be held on Thursday, May 4.

In a press release from Vision Hudson Valley it states, “Vision Hudson Valley’s Board of Trustees is proud to award the 28th Ottaway Medal to Donna Cornell, a longstanding advocate for the Hudson Valley. For almost three decades, Vision Hudson Valley (formerly the Orange County Citizens Foundation) has selected an annual recipient who demonstrates an outstanding commitment to leadership and service in the Hudson Valley. Ruth and James Ottaway, prominent philanthropists, and quality-of-life advocates for whom the award was named, introduced institutions and programs that continue to have a broad local influence through VHV’s efforts. Honorees demonstrate a similarly prolific impact, and this year’s recipient is well-deserving,”

Cornell came from humble beginnings, after being injured as a toddler in an accident and losing her mother at the age of 14 she was left to help raise her younger sisters. Cornell said the personal tragedy in her life helped make her the woman she is today. “I had to take the negative voices in my head and turn them into something positive and I used that reinforcement on myself,” she explained.

Cornell founded her own business as a young mother in order to provide for her children when times were hard. With no college education, Cornell knew her ability to connect and help others would make her a good businesswoman while making a difference in her community. During her professional career, Cornell has been on over a dozen nonprofit boards in the Hudson Valley. Service to the community and using her talents to enrich the lives of others are at the forefront of Cornell’s mission to do good will to others.

Cornell shared she is honored to receive these two awards of distinction for her work. With decades of experience under her belt, Cornell explained that her path to success was not always easy, but believing in herself was critical. To the younger generation Cornell said, “Silence the voice of fear in yourself and just go for it.”

When asked what she hopes is her legacy in the Hudson Valley, she explained, “I hope my legacy is that I made a positive difference in the lives of others.”

The 2023 Chamber’s Choice Gala will be held on Saturday, March 18, 2023, starting at 5 p.m., at Eisenhower Hall, 655 Ruger Road, West Point, New York. Individual tickets are available for the gala by visiting orangeny.com.

Vision Hudson Valley’s 28th Annual Ottaway Medal Dinner will be held on Thursday, May 4, 2023, from 5:30 p.m. until 9 p.m., at The Barn at Villa Venezia, 2278 Goshen Turnpike, Middletown. To purchase tickets or for more information please visit: visionhudsonvalley.org.