Athena is experienced at forging partnerships between private, public and not for profit sectors. She has a track record of directing successful change programmes in the arena of public health and oncology and is passionate about making service user voices central to strategy. Her career spans extensive cross sector working from environmental NGO Friends of the Earth which she led the communications and fundraising directorate through to leading public sector campaigns as a founding Board director of leading strategic communications consultancy Forster. She has held numerous trustee roles including at food waste charity FareShare and as a founding trustee of restorative justice charity The Forgiveness Project.
Across every sector and community we need to shift our understanding and relationship with our own health. It’s an absolute truth: prevention is better than cure. Looking after women’s health is key – we make 80% of family health decisions, and that’s not just for children (partners and our parents come into this decision making too). Employers need to put supporting staff wellbeing on their agendas and the government need to fund and prioritise public health initiatives. Fixing people when they’re sick needs to be done but it isn’t enough. Waiting times for referral to gynaecology post covid have grown more than for referrals to any other medical specialism. This is a gender equality issue. Right here, right now.