Visionary and Creator
House of Sia
Lorna Milkovich Abernathy is the visionary and creator of a future apparel brand, House of Sia, which develops clothing for women 35-65 years of age. She is also president of LMMA, Inc., a marketing consulting agency.
For many years, Abernathy has devoted her time and talents to philanthropic matters. For six years she served on the Foundation Board of Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), her alma mater. For four of those six years, she served as chair for the Development Committee. She continues to participate in the IUP community through several fund-raising support roles.
Abernathy currently serves on the Barker Adoption Foundation Board of Trustees helping to guide marketing and communications. She also implemented a name change after 70 years, helping the foundation brand correspond with the rapidly changing social media environment.
Abernathy also serves on the fundraising committee of the National Board of the Sigma Kappa Fraternity as they honor their commitment to raising $2 million over the next two years for the Alzheimer Association, a national group lobbying congress to raise awareness and supply funds needed to combat this life-altering disease that affects nearly every household in America.
She previously served on various nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations such as a local Washington, D.C. nonprofit, People Animals Love (PAL), where she served as vice president. PAL brings people and animals together, brightening the lives of the lonely, easing the pain of the sick, and enriching the world of at-risk children. She also served on the board of the Joy of Sports Foundation (JSF), an organization striving to inspire at-risk children to grow healthy in body, mind, and spirit by teaching them critical life success skills through sports and education.
Abernathy has a diverse background that includes more than two decades of experience in marketing, financial planning, and budgeting for organizations such as America Online (AOL) and Time Life, Inc. (a division of Time Warner), two of the world's largest direct marketing companies. In addition, she held previous positions at Chevy Chase Savings Bank and Mellon Bank, N.A.
While at AOL, Abernathy directed the team responsible for the creative development and launch of AOL's television commercials for both image and direct response. She was also responsible for overseeing the creative direction of AOL's multimedia programs, web advertising, print, and direct mail campaigns for both the AOL and the CompuServe brands.
While at Time Life, Abernathy used new product development talents to launch market hits, including the New York Times bestseller, Mrs. Fields Cookie Book, the Shari Lewis Lambchop Book Collection, and Jim Fowler's Wildest Places on Earth.
She earned a bachelor of science degree in finance from IUP and a bachelor of science degree in accounting from Robert Morris College. In 2005, she and her husband established the Abernathy Scholars Program at IUP, four yearly scholarships designed to enable first-generation college attendees to receive the same quality education that her parents were able to give her.
Abernathy lived in the D.C. area for the past 28 years, but recently relocated to Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico. She is now married with a daughter. Being a mom has been a highlight to a life full of work and philanthropic endeavors.
Inducted spring 2015