Page 18 - LRCC FOCUS Magazine December 2025
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Rebecca                                                       philanthropic causes. She encourages leaders
      Bahar-Cook                                                       to embrace mistakes as an essential part of

      2025 ATHENA                                                      growth and emphasizes viewing challenges
                                                                       as opportunities to learn and discover
      LEADERSHIP                                                       possibilities that may have been previously
          AWARD                                                        unseen. During these moments, she stresses,
        RECIPIENT                                                      seeking guidance from trusted mentors
                                                                       is especially valuable. “Find someone you
         Leading Through                                               can trust to walk you through decisions. It’s
           Connection,                                                 hard to make intelligent choices in isolation,”
          Collaboration,
          and Community                                                Bahar-Cook explained.
             Impact
                                                                       A Lasting Impact on the Community

                                                                       Bahar-Cook’s dedication to Lansing and
                                                                       the region extends well beyond her
                                                                       professional work. Her civic engagement
                                                                       began with the Ingham County Women’s
                                                                       Commission, which ultimately led to an
                                                                       invitation to serve on the Ingham County
                                                                       Board of Commissioners, where she served
                                                                       five terms over 11 years. Currently, she serves
                                                                       on the MSU Board of Trustees, the Capitol
                                                                       Area Michigan Works! Workforce Development
                                                                       Board, the Rotary Club of Lansing Board
                                                                       of Directors, and the UM Health-Sparrow
                                                                       Specialty Hospital Board. She also participates
                                                                       in the community as a member of the
                                                                       Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce
                                                                       Policy Committee and Chairs the Capital
                                                                       Region Community Foundation Marketing
                                                                       and Communication Committee, applying
                                                                       her expertise to areas ranging from workforce
                                                                       development and public health to education
                                                                       and social services.













          “Being part

           of ATHENA
        WIN Executive
      COnnections gave
         me a network                                                  Showing up and dressing up for charity – Rebecca and Todd at
                                                                       a charity event for the homeless
          of incredible
      women filled with                                                Bahar-Cook is especially proud of the impact
                                                                       she’s made across a wide variety of causes,
       love, advice, and                                               often identifying gaps in the social safety net

         mentorship.”                                                  and applying her skills as a fundraiser to help
                                                                       fill them. She has been instrumental in raising
                                                                       significant funds for programs addressing
                                                                       food insecurity, including helping to create


              FOCUS MAGAZINE | DECEMBER  2025

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