Athena has over 20 years of work and volunteer experience in the non-profit, public and private sectors. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from North Carolina State University with a concentration in Finance. Athena decided after battling, surviving and thriving with a mental health condition in her own life, she wanted to give back. She became a volunteer with NAMI Colorado in 2017. She then became part of the staff, a NAMI Connection State Trainer and Facilitator, a In Our Own Voice Presenter and a Certified Recovery Coach.  She also created a holistic mental wellness program, that assisted her in getting on track with her own recovery. She is now dedicated to encouraging individuals with their own road to mental health recovery. She is originally from Chicago, Illinois and now lives in Denver, Colorado. Athena’s passions are volunteering, creative writing, the arts, photography, animals, traveling and spending time in nature enjoying the Rocky Mountains.