About
Athena TalksA hub of conversation to help young women mature, budding professionals become leaders and leaders become advocates for equality.
Note from the editor
We’re looking for (1) venue sponsors for quarterly events and (2) mentors to have lunch with upcoming advocates for equality (in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and San Francisco). Please email Athena Talks at [email protected] if you are interested in hosting an ambitious young community; our first SF panel will be in late June and we’ve already got a couple great panelists lined up!
Editors
Co-founder
David Smooke“..Recently took up ice sculpting. Last night I made an ice cube. This morning I made 12, I was prolific.” Building @ArtMapInc.
global coordinator
Ly NguyenVietnamese by nationality, Russian by memory, Asian and Western by culture, artistic by passion, and universalistic by principle
Writers
Rachel Kacenjar
Rachel is from Cleveland, Ohio and is owner/art director of Re/Dress, a plus size focused brick and mortar store and community space. www.redressnyc.com
Deborah Copaken
Writes books (SHUTTERBABE, THE RED BOOK, etc.) Shoots photos. Writes scripts. Makes art. Tries her best. Sometimes fails. Next up: THE ABC’S OF ADULTHOOD
Leon Li
To be surprised, to wonder, is to begin to understand. — Ortega y Gassett; Do not wait for the Last Judgment. It takes place every day. — Camus
Neha S
Blogger, Foodie, Feminist and World Citizen. Follow my tweets @chrn_fdhlc | My blogging adventures at http://chroniclesofafoodoholic.com
Rachel McKay Steele
Writer, Filmmaker, and Breakfast Sandwich Eater. Working on my inside voice since 1985.
Brenna Jennings
Brenna Jennings, who didn't really quit her family via YouTube. I do everything by accident.
Rachel Thompson
BROKEN PLACES inspires #sexabuse survivors. Founder @BadRedheadMedia, #MondayBlogs Dir @GravityImprint Rep'd @Booktrope. @HuffPostBlog http://rachelintheoc.com
Milly Shaw
Come find me on Twitter if you’re into digital marketing, SEO or content strategy. https://twitter.com/millyshaw
Sabeen Khan
Editor and head writer for SHEzaadi. Veteran shameless brown girl. Lover of wireless bras and picklebacks.
Alex Zalben
Author of “Thor And The Warriors Four” for Marvel. Comic Book Club Live! for Nerdist. Sketch comedy with Elephant Larry. Formerly MTV News/UGO/AMC. Other stuff.
Jamie Wong
builder of @Vayable, traveler, writer, former @TheDailyShow producer, mediocre soccer player
Mackenzie (Ken) Clench
Copywriter and adventurer. Words can change the world. Seeking an agency that feels the same way. These are my words. This is my art.
Miisa Mink
A chief doer and founder at DrivenWoman, a women’s LifeWorking network where women with ideas and ambition are making their dreams happen.
Robin Cangie
Writer, marketeer, passionate generalist, cat video enthusiast. I write about marketing, tech, and other stuff that interests me.
Krishna
Business Analyst by Profession | Loves Reading | Follow & Tweet Entrepreneurs and Startups | Blogger | DreamWeaverDiaries.in | A Human. Being.
Francis Gosselin
A freelance innovator. Creative strategist. @C2MTL Ambassador. Head of Content @failcampmtl. Globetrotter, blogger & speaker. Easily inspired.
Daniel Johnson
I write things, sometimes they go viral, sometimes they sit in obscurity, and I'm okay with either. Creator and Editor of https://medium.com/protest-literature
Athena Empire
What comes to mind when you hear the word “founder” or “entrepreneur”? @ExosphereHQ's 8-week entrepreneurship boot camp for women. Contact: [email protected]
Erica West
Erica is a recent college graduate living in the Bay Area. She is a fan of leftist politics, pop culture, feminism, and brunch.
Abheek Talukdar
In an eternal love affair with SiliconValley & all things techy. Write stuff, Read stuff, Professional nerd, Misunderstood genius, CreativeDirector @Commutatus
Suzi Butcher
Recovering journalist, productivity addict and founder of www.colorshopper.com and www.packabook.com. Always on the lookout for new projects!
Baiba Soika
Experience and passion for start-ups, tech, entrepreneurship, disruptive models, innovation, and international trade.
Tracy Lawrence
Let your stomach lead the way. CEO & Co-Founder of Chewse, #500strong, proud Trojan. http://t.co/hhQqMEDVr7
Dorudi
Writer at dorudi.nl | Philosopher | Feminist | Co-founder of FAV | Board Member at Stop Ecocide.
Meghan Bodette
Politics, foreign policy, analysis thereof. @GeorgetownSFS ’20, editor @nxtperspective. Contact at [email protected]
Trace Oddity
I actually do write things that aren't about my uterus. ...But my endometriosis blog is at www.stillsunflowers.com.
laura.louise
comms girl, feminist, foodie, usually angry about something. the kind of curious that’s going to get me into trouble. @GHCorps fellow. ✌️ expat: nyc via aus
Amal Awais
Pakistani who’s always mad about something - including other people who get mad about things.
Val Weisler
Seventeen years old. Founder and CEO of The Validation Project. You can find me drinking tea, laughing at my own jokes and planning some global movements.
Linh T. Le
I graduated from Berkeley-Haas and work professionally as a content creator, but my real passion lies in drinking tea.
Stephanie
Miss Asian America. Former NBC producer. Startup marketer. Part Pokemon. Taiwanese American. I’m @theslinshady.
Tonya Malinowski
Perpetual work in progress. Believer in breakfast for dinner. Instagram: tonyamichelle_
Ester Amy Fischer
poet, essayist, author of the novel “American Courtesan” available on Amazon.com from Sable Books
Larissa Runkle
Writer, Artist, Dreamer. Collector of pressed pennies and fortunes. Bookstore addict. San Francisco-based.
Littree
Vegetarian mom and wife, eking out a liberal existence in the Midwest. And blogging about that journey.
Kushaan Shah
@IBM Consultant | Inspired by Education, #SocEnt, Other World-Changing Ideas | UMD '14 | Fan of Boston Sports, Mexican Food, Blogs, and Puns
Michael Burrows
I am a Pacific Northwest native, writer, Liberal, activist for social justice, and lover of books. Currently a Sophomore in college.
Lauren K
Writer, reader, writher, poet, waitress, stripper, supermodel, mother, night auditor, cashier, lover, fighter, inventor, professional blurb-writer (really).
LynnMarie Lindl
Mother, wife and self-published author (author name Lynn Salisbury). Sharing the randomness that bounces around in my brain.
Marisa Swanson
Freelance Copywriter/Consultant |Writer & Editor for: Hugo Boss, Point One Percent NYC, Olivia Palermo | | It’s a Culture Thing www.marisaswanson.com
Just Some Guy
You wouldn’t download a bear, but I would. I write. I write a lot of political stuff too. I feel like I might write too much political stuff.
TheYellowFootprints
Infantryman. Marine Corps guidance, motivation, and tips to complete the 13 week rite of passage. Sign up to receive information for free!
Aditi Murti
Feminacho with extra cheese. I drink fruit juice out of whiskey glasses and occasionally emit fearsome bird noises when threatened.
Your Fat Friend
Politicized fatty. http://twitter.com/yrfatfriend & http://www.facebook.com/yrfatfriend/
Harshita Kumbhar
Scribbler. Comfortably numb. Love wine, cheese, coffee, chicken, pizza, conversations. Something of everything @RippleHire. For office bloopers, @RippleHireJobs
Nichole Elizabeth DeMeré
SaaS Consultant & Customer Success Evangelist. Founder at Authentic Curation. Moderator at @ProductHunt and @GrowthHackers. http://nicholeelizabethdemere.com/
Sarah Plant
Designer at @WhiteOctober, interested in creative strategy & making the tech industry a more balanced place to work.
Zainab Aiyeleso
Loves interesting convos. Software Engineer. Never paid attention in English class(cc: All Detectors).
Rita Yuanjiao Shen
Product Marketer @ Shape Security, Ex-consultant, World Traveller, Life Enthusiast
Georgina Miranda
The extraordinary is always possible www.georginamiranda.com Founder of Altitude Seven www.altitude-seven.com and www.climbtakeaction.org @georgina_here
Kiki Federico
Women’s Leadership + Empowerment Consultant. Infusing ancient wisdom with modern ambition. www.kikifed.com
Max Stroud
Geek, Healthcare IT Consultant, Troubleshooter, Dreamer, Traveler #HIT #HealthIT #hcldr #HIT99 #HIMSS16
Kristy Nittskoff
Kristy has over 10 years in the talent acquisition industry. She is an expert in recruitment, retention, and employment branding and the founder of Talent-Savvy
CLSpencer
Lifelong amateur recovering from disillusion. Lover of couture I cannot afford and presidential history.
Cat Cantrill
As a speaker, teacher, performer, and entrepreneur, Cat Cantrill has one mission: to Empower Women.
A.J. Watt
I gave up writing for high school. Now that I’ve taken a year off, I’ve decided to pick it back up. Focusing on producing and improving.
Giulia Blasi
Writer, radio host and social media manager, not necessarily in that order. Editor of The Book Girls and Leggere oggi. Bookworm.
Ozzy Etomi
I am a designer and writer based in Lagos, Nigeria. I write about life, women, and equality. I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.
Women Who Code
We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring women to excel in technology careers. https://www.womenwhocode.com/
Faruk Ateş
Product designer, developer, writer. Trying to help people via creative, professional, positive and community-oriented means.
Mapuana Marie
I fall in love with people and their honest moments all the time, their smeared makeup and their daydreams. Honesty is just too beautiful to ever put into words
GeekDad
Raising geek generation 2.0. We are geeks and parents from all over the world, writing about what we love.
Lon Shapiro
Creative [email protected] |Writer | Artist | Coach | Recovering jock | Still learning the Inner Game | [Insert funny comment here]
Catarina Gutierrez
espresso-fueled writer. reader of all things interesting. discussing mostly startups and bikes on @meCatarina #startupactivator
Pranavi Jonnalagadda
I'm a lover of all that is quirky and original. just a girl, figuring out her place in the world. Tell me a story and I will be hooked.
lizadonnelly
Cartoonist,writer for New Yorker, Politico, NYTimes. Author, performer, TED speaker, global traveler. Looking to change world w humor. lizadonnelly.com
Heather Yan
Founder & Coach www.emotience.com @Emotience | ESFJ | @Wharton MBA | Previous marketer @LeTote, HR consultant @Mercer | Fitness Fanatic, SF foodie
ReigningIt 👑
Creating a #STEM dialogue inclusive of every woman. Let’s close the gender gap in tech 1 engineer at a time! Cofounded by @AngelaClevelan1 + @callmesaqi
Eden Dranger
comedy writer, stand up, underdog. I was uncool before being uncool was cool. Cohost of @snacksandhacks.
OctaviaFaith.
Marketing Writer & Business Blogger | Encouraging and inspiring budding entrepreneurs to chase their dreams in life + business | octaviafaith.com
Madeline Potts
Professional fangirl, free-lancer and purple lipstick wearer. UNR J-School. Writer @fangirlishness and proud Hufflepuff.
Hester Prynne
I’m trying out this new thing where I talk about the things that you aren’t supposed to talk about. Sometimes it’s really personal.
Heather Nann
I write stuff. Life Is Beautiful. Oxford comma. Enthusiastic reader. Warrior Mother. Feminist. Lover of Men. Publisher of Femmes Unafraid TA: SA,MI
Ashely "Flashe" Gordon
I'm awkward. Super awkward. So awkward that now people believe I'm cool. Let's go with that. I love people. And I love me.
Noramay Cadena
Co-founder & General Partner @MakeinLA #hardware #accelerator | @MIT grad*3 | Former @Boeing | Co-founder and ED of @LatinasinSTEM | #STEM advocate