About

I had the good fortune to hire Tim Long for a year as my Executive Assistant, through Athena Executive Services. I run a 20-person, $5 million dollar DC-based nonprofit and wondered how someone on the other side of the US was going to be able to manage my calendar, travel, and other administrative needs. My calendar alone is like an unruly child, constantly moving and changing, balancing both my work and personal life as a divorced mom of a teenage boy. I need not to have wondered… from the first minute we spoke, I felt like I was talking with someone who not only got me, but made it his personal mission to make my life easier. Not only did he quickly learn our organization’s systems and people, he was incredibly responsive despite the time difference. He presented a professional front to external colleagues and clients, and told me the highlight of his time with me was when he scheduled my one-on-one with Senator Bernie Sanders. (That was a highlight of my year too!) Changes within our organization’s funding made it so I had to give Tim up, but it was not because his support of me was a luxury or something I could live without….whomever gets to work with Tim will benefit and thoroughly enjoy his company.

Cherise Fanno Burdeen

CEO, Pretrial Justice Institute

Here at Pretrial Justice Institute we were interested in exploring how EAs could support our leadership team. We had a team of three EAs working with our five leadership team members. Debra quickly became an essential member of my team supporting us with all requests- from managing my calendar to the project management of several small projects. Debra was well organized, dependable, committed to accuracy and efficiency, and a team player. And even more importantly, Debra held me accountable to the personal and professional goals I wanted to achieve by having an executive assistant. I enjoyed having her as a part of my team and was very pleased with her work ethic and commitment.

Tenille R. Patterson, CPA

VP, Mission Support Services, Pretrial Justice Institute

It’s been really spectacular working with Ali. She works for me 20 hours a week and gets just amazing things done. I can never believe that it’s only 20 hours; it feels like it’s 30 or 40 hours’ worth of work. I’ll put my personal endorsement on the work that gets done with the Executive Assistants at Athena Executive Services. I have worked with them for a little over a year now and what feels like a lot of years. I can’t say enough about the difference it has made with my time and productivity. I recently sent a list out to my coaching program, of all the things I had delegated to Ali over the last nine months, and it was a pretty exhaustive list. I even surprised myself. Ali has covered everything from planning a large birthday party for my Grandmother out of state, to scheduling my monthly travel, to finding and hiring professional PowerPoint designers, videographers, podcast gurus and graphic designers. Like Gina says, there is no request too crazy. Matthew Jarvis

Financial Adviser - Consultant, Jarvis Financial

I’ve never done time at a corporate gig, my work experience is 100% business owner, so what I know about running a business is learned from hard-knocks, books, and great coaches. When my business starts expanding, my go-to reaction is to hunker down, handle the extra work and get it done… which is stupid, and enjoyable for no one, including my family. During this year’s busy season, I worked with Gina to bring on a VA. Guys, hiring a VA is seriously boss-level but on training wheels. Alison was able to get onboard quickly and identify the tasks that I hated doing and did them for me. I am certain that hiring an employee would have been a disaster, this is the best way to scale my time, and I recommend Athena to everyone now. They are awesome.

Lacey Jayne

Marketing Consultant and Web Designer, Highly Anticipated

Athena Executive Services is exactly what our company needed. Professional, detailed, collaborative and truly critical partnership are just a few ways I’d describe this company. From the very first day that I worked with Athena, my time was freed up, my schedule was more manageable and I felt like I had the perfect partner in my corner. The quality of support that I receive has made me 5x more effective as an executive because of my partnership with Athena. In my line of work, I manage four departments and speak to people in multiple time zones regularly. I have to have quick, reliable, high performing people on my team. I can’t imagine ever working with anyone else. I would and do recommend Athena to all of my colleagues. The value they provide us is incredible. Tiffany French

Director of Business Administration, Atlas Inspection Technologies

It’s an awfully good sign of the great fit of your part-time EA when you and your team have entertained several conversations about wishing we could make him a permanent part of the company. It speaks to the great culture fit and wisdom of Athena Executive Assistants in their matchmaking ability. I would have predicted having to explore working with several before finding the right fit, but we found great synergy right away.

His presence and agility in contributing to our organization quickly became our new normal and helped with my ability to deepen connection to our customers, vendors, and colleagues in a fast-paced startup world critically dependent on professionalism and communication. Xav Dubois

CEO and founder, evox OmniMedia, PBC

Using Athena’s services has been like a burst of sunlight through the clouds! From feeling overworked and overloaded much of the time, I now have the ease and brain space to be so much more productive, focused, and less stressed. Gina matched me up with one of her top-notch executive assistants, pre-vetted, skilled, and ready to jump in, help me get the chaos under control, and convert my business administration intentions into action. Dorian is more than an executive assistant – she’s an asset! Anne Corning

Marketing, Technical Writing, and Business Plans, CorningWorks

I have gotten so much out of having a part time virtual EA. I accomplish more. I have more time for the things that I want and I am way more reliable in my follow through and communication. I’ve been amazed at what just a part-time resource has made possible in my life as a whole. Darren Billings

President, Atlas Inspection Technologies

The best part of having an Executive Assistant from Athena Executive Services is the certainty of handing off work to another professional. A professional that I trust, one that I know will operate my business as their own.

I get a level of communication and responsiveness that is above and beyond what I would receive from someone I could hire off Craigslist for $20/hour. Athena Executive Assistants ensure the job gets done professionally and with quality, versus just doing tasks and logging time.

Athena Executive Services charges more than I was planning to pay, but it makes up for the cost of the real estate, taxes, and benefits I would pay an employee. Everything is done virtually, so I don’t have to worry about having a desk or equipment for my EA. One less headache to have.

Another selling point for me, about hiring an Athena Executive Assistant, was the possibility and permission to say “no” to clients and requests that I normally wouldn’t decline. I don’t have to be the bad guy anymore. Alison is the guard of my calendar. She looks at my schedule and says yes or no based on whether I actually do have the time and space to take a phone call, a meeting or that coffee date. She designs a schedule for me that is way more sane that I had before.

After only just a few months, I experience less stress and anxiety and more peace of mind. I’m now able spend more time on the parts of my business and career that I love the most, which at the end of the day, leaves me fulfilled.  Thanks Athena! Roxanna Eberle

Personal Injury & Bankruptcy Attorney, Wild Sky Law Group, PLLC

I was struggling with two key things. I was needing to make my deadlines without the stress. I was also needing to reduce the number of times I touched open items (such as an email) where a) I was waiting on a reply or information from others, or b) others were waiting on a reply from me.

Gina was the PERFECT virtual assistant for me. Nearly 600 people count on me to keep things moving. Among other things, Gina tracked my critical open items and literally prompted me at times we agreed upon. Ontime, professional capable and an expert in her field! Amy Goodman

B2B Business Development