Athena's global experience spans Europe, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia, with a focus on international education and community engagement. She served in the U.S. Peace Corps as an educator in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where she developed English language curricula and conducted teacher training. She continued her career in international education administering the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program for Europe and the Visiting Fulbright German International Education Administrator (IEA) Seminar. Athena played a key role in expanding the campus networks and enhancing alumni engagement and outreach through the creation of Fulbright Scholar Alumni Ambassador Program. In 2013, she was appointed to lead the institutional engagement team, focusing on connecting under-served U.S. institutions with Fulbright opportunities and led the Fulbright Scholar Program's Outreach and Recruitment team from 2018 to 2024. Besides her outreach roles, Athena has also engaged in legislative affairs on behalf of the Institute of International Education, the Fulbright Association, the U.S. Peace Corps, and Jesuit Refugee Services. In 2024, Athena joined the U.S. Institute of Peace as their Senior Outreach Officer to lead national outreach for their Civic Engagement and Scholarship team.Her career also includes roles in arts organizations such as Center Theatre Group, the Hollywood Bowl, Arena Stage, the Folger Shakespeare Library, and the DC Shorts Film Festival. Athena holds an M.A. in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Religious Studies and International Affairs from Georgetown University, and a B.A. in European Studies with a focus on Art, Philosophy, and Music from Loyola Marymount University.Athena is passionate about exploring different cultures, cuisines, and languages. She has varying degrees of proficiency in Filipino, German, Uzbek, Tajik, and Russian. Beyond her professional endeavors in international education, Athena is an active member of the Community of Sant’Egidio and enjoys dancing hula with Halau Ha’a Kea o Mokihana.
Listed skills include Community Outreach, Volunteer Management, Higher Education, Public Relations, and 42 others.