Strong Women Grow. Connected Women Multiply Their Impact.

Igniting Purpose. Inspiring Community.

The Athena Foundation brings women veterans and service members together through transformative outdoor experiences, leadership development, and a military sisterhood built to last.

The Athena Logo

The Athena Why

Women veterans and servicemembers need each other.

The bonds formed through military service don't have to end when service does. Athena creates opportunities for women to reconnect with the teamwork, purpose, mission, and sense of belonging that military life once provided.

Through shared experiences and continued leadership development, we're building a sisterhood that extends beyond the mountains and into the communities where these women live and lead.

The Athena Flame
Learn more

34%

Increase in Wellness Confidence

110%

Increase in Connection

The Athena Effect

We didn’t just ask if they enjoyed the experience. We asked what changed.

The first Athena experiences have given us an early look at the power of connection, leadership, and community.

But behind every number is something more personal: women finding a community that understands them and relationships they can carry forward.

56%

Increase in Leadership Clarity

Our Impact
The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 - Group of people standing on a wooden front porch of a cabin, with a sign that reads 'Patrol Base Abbate' and 'Return to Base' in front of them, surrounded by trees.
The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 - Group of people sitting around a campfire site in a wooded outdoor setting, engaged in conversation or an activity.
The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 - Three women sit near a campfire in a forest, with one woman leading a discussion or giving instructions while the other two listen, surrounded by rocks and trees.
The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 -Person holding a white jewelry box with a gold necklace containing a religious medal. The box has an embossed brand name and contains a note inside.
The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 - Two women hugging outdoors during sunset, with a seated woman in the background on rocky terrain, with trees and mountains visible in the distance.
The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 - Person sitting on rocky mountain overlooking a valley and mountain ranges at sunset or sunrise.
The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 - Two women standing on a mountain trail holding a white flag with slogans and symbols, with trees and mountain ranges in the background at sunset.
The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 - Group of outdoor enthusiasts standing in a circle during a sunset in a mountainous forest area.
The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 - A group of 13 women hiking outdoors on a mountain trail at sunset, some holding American flags and a banner that says "Return to Base" with a torch symbol.
The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 - Two women hiking on a rocky trail in the woods during sunset, one is taking a photo with her phone.
The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 - People practicing yoga outdoors on mats in a forested area.
The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 - Group of women standing on grass near a lake with mountains and trees in the background.
The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 - Two women smiling outdoors in a wooded area, wearing casual athletic clothes and sunglasses, one with a backpack and the other with a cap and glasses, during the daytime.
Two women outdoors near a lake, wearing matching black jackets with white text and a torch logo, laughing and sharing a joyful moment.

Words From Our Tribe

  • “Words are not enough to describe the powerful impact of being selected for the Return to Base program.  The Athena Foundation provides protected TIME and a safe SPACE for…connection, renewal, and growth. They understand the power of nature and weave it into a program that builds a community where women feel the sense of belonging that only finding your true tribe can bring. “

    Abigail Panter | Tribe26

  • The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 - Woman standing on a rocky mountain trail at sunset, holding an American flag with mountainous landscape and trees in the background.

    "Athena/Cairn/PBA exceeded every expectation. I arrived not knowing what to expect, and it turned out to be one of the most transformative experiences of my life. I hadn’t anticipated the depth of impact it would have on me. It reconnected me with myself and with a community that truly understands. I walked away changed...an impact that will stay with me forever."

    Melissa H. | Tribe25

  • The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 - A woman smiling outdoors in warm sunlight, wearing a camo baseball cap, a purple t-shirt with a Halloween witch graphic, and a necklace.

    “I served in the Marine Corps on active duty for 10 years, then transitioned out from my last assignment as a drill instructor at Parris Island. The fear of change and the unknown was overwhelming. After excelling as a Marine, could I make it in the civilian world again? What I couldn’t predict or prepare for was the loss of connection with other like-minded women I felt since getting out. I found what I was missing when I joined a group of female veterans through the Athena Foundation. Being surrounded by like-minded women, sharing difficulties and challenges from my service to current life, and celebrating successes together showed me it was a community I was missing. The military is a family, but we often never consider the mental effects of losing that family when we leave. I not only found my family again under the wide open sky of Montana with Athena, I found unparalleled support, kindness, and a renewed purpose with these women. I’m so grateful to have joined that experience, to support this foundation, and continue to support other women veterans together. ”

    Leanna K. | Tribe25

  • "When I left the military, I closed that book and moved on. I didn’t spend time with other veterans, I didn’t attend events associated with veterans and I isolated myself. Athena Foundation made me realize that I was missing friendships and a strong support system among women veterans. I’ve found a place where I belong."

    Jenn Burtt-Henderson | Tribe26

  • The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 - A woman hiking in a mountainous forest area during sunset, with trees, rocky terrain, and distant mountain ranges in the background.

    The Athena Foundation gave me a tribe of women I can run with! We summited a mountain together and are ready for more. We know we were made to lead, encourage, and inspire those around us. We can do it!

    Meg K. | Tribe25

  • The Athena Foundation Retreat 2025 - Woman smiling outdoors, wearing a Boston Red Sox baseball cap and gray hoodie, with trees and sunlight in the background.

    The Athena Foundation has given me back something I didn't even know I was missing. On a whim I decided to apply for the Athena/Cairn/PBA program in September 2025... little did I know that it would turn out to be an incredibly transformative and impactful experience. In a very tangible way it provided to me a connection to women veterans who have now become my tribe. Couple that with the healing power and majestic beauty of Nature in Montana, and the result is a life-changing experience.

    Nancy B. | Tribe25

  • "For more than 15 years after leaving the Marine Corps, I carried a deep sense of loneliness and disconnection I didn’t know how to put into words. I moved through life feeling isolated, as though no one could truly understand the parts of me I had learned to keep guarded. The Athena Foundation changed that. It gave me a safe place to finally let my guard down—to be seen, heard, and understood by women who just get it. I arrived feeling alone and disconnected, and I left surrounded by a powerful sisterhood with a renewed sense of belonging and connection."

    Jill Harris | Tribe26

MAKE A DIFFERENCE.