I’m Athena. My mom’s an artist, so I grew up in galleries. My dad is an electrical engineer, so I thought a modem was a normal thing to bring to show-and-tell. They always sat me at the adults’ table, so I grew up listening to people’s stories and how they make sense of the world. 


At Stanford, I studied Economics and Computer Science with a focus on AI, then stayed for a master's in Human–Computer Interaction. I built a product for the City of San Jose and spent three years as a resident assistant. It was the best education in empathy.


I read for prose as much as I do to learn, and believe we learn as much from scraps on the cutting room floor as final works. I’m drawn to things that work elegantly, and my Apple Notes are full of product feedback on everything I use. I defend modern art unprompted, hold strong opinions on onboarding flows, and believe everyone should study art history. It is the best way to meet ourselves.

I’m Athena. My mom’s an artist, so I grew up in galleries. My dad is an electrical engineer, so I thought a modem was a normal thing to bring to show-and-tell. They always sat me at the adults’ table, so I grew up listening to people’s stories and how they make sense of the world. 


At Stanford, I studied Economics and Computer Science with a focus on AI, then stayed for a master’s in Human–Computer Interaction. I built a product for the City of San Jose and spent three years as a resident assistant. It was the best education in empathy.


I read for prose as much as I do to learn, and believe we learn as much from scraps on the cutting room floor as final works. I’m drawn to things that work elegantly, and my Apple Notes are full of product feedback on everything I use. I defend modern art unprompted, hold strong opinions on onboarding flows, and believe everyone should study art history. It is the best way to meet ourselves.

I’m Athena. My mom’s an artist, so I grew up in galleries. My dad is an electrical engineer, so I thought a modem was a normal thing to bring to show-and-tell. They always sat me at the adults’ table, so I grew up listening to people’s stories and how they make sense of the world. 


At Stanford, I studied Economics and Computer Science with a focus on AI, then stayed for a master’s in Human–Computer Interaction. I built a product for the City of San Jose and spent three years as a resident assistant. It was the best education in empathy.


I read for prose as much as I do to learn, and believe we learn as much from scraps on the cutting room floor as final works. I’m drawn to things that work elegantly, and my Apple Notes are full of product feedback on everything I use. I defend modern art unprompted, hold strong opinions on onboarding flows, and believe everyone should study art history. It is the best way to meet ourselves.

I’m building avra alongside a team I’m grateful to learn from every day. Before avra, I worked in investing at BlackRock and Insight Partners, and was lucky to spend two years learning from Pejman Nozad while building Pear VC’s Persian Founder Circle.

  • AVRA

    Helping great founders become exceptional CEOs. First Investment Team hire.

  • ACCEL LEADERSHIP FELLOW

    (25)

    1/16 selected for a cohort of technical graduate students

  • VENTURE FELLOW & PFC LEAD / PEAR VC

    (23/25)

    Built and led the Persian Founder Circle to identify and support the next generation of technical Persian entrepreneurs

  • INTERN / INSIGHT PARTNERS

    (24)

    Smiled, dialed, learned from incredible founders and met the greatest of friends

  • INTERN / BLACKROCK

    (23)

    Learned about secondaries, helped with the early days of Transition Capital, and learned big firms don't energize me the way startups do

  • EIR / CODEX, STANFORD

    (21/22)

    Built a consumer-facing public records product for the City of San Jose, serving ~1 million residents. Joint incubation between Stanford CodeX and the SJ Mayor's Office.

  • AVRA

    Helping great founders become exceptional CEOs. First Investment Team hire.

  • ACCEL LEADERSHIP FELLOW

    (25)

    1/16 selected for a cohort of technical graduate students

  • VENTURE FELLOW & PFC LEAD / PEAR VC

    (23/25)

    Built and led the Persian Founder Circle to identify and support the next generation of technical Persian entrepreneurs

  • INTERN / INSIGHT PARTNERS

    (24)

    Smiled, dialed, learned from incredible founders and met the greatest of friends

  • INTERN / BLACKROCK

    (23)

    Learned about secondaries, helped with the early days of Transition Capital, and learned big firms don't energize me the way startups do

  • EIR / CODEX, STANFORD

    (21/22)

    Built a consumer-facing public records product for the City of San Jose, serving ~1 million residents. Joint incubation between Stanford CodeX and the SJ Mayor's Office.

  • AVRA

    Helping great founders become exceptional CEOs. First Investment Team hire.

  • ACCEL LEADERSHIP FELLOW

    (25)

    1/16 selected for a cohort of technical graduate students

  • VENTURE FELLOW & PFC LEAD / PEAR VC

    (23/25)

    Built and led the Persian Founder Circle to identify and support the next generation of technical Persian entrepreneurs

  • INTERN / INSIGHT PARTNERS

    (24)

    Smiled, dialed, learned from incredible founders and met the greatest of friends

  • INTERN / BLACKROCK

    (23)

    Learned about secondaries, helped with the early days of Transition Capital, and learned big firms don't energize me the way startups do

  • EIR / CODEX, STANFORD

    (21/22)

    Built a consumer-facing public records product for the City of San Jose, serving ~1 million residents. Joint incubation between Stanford CodeX and the SJ Mayor's Office.