Dr. Athena Joyce Stanley

Learning Experience Designer, Northern Michigan University

Dr. Athena Stanley, a proud Yooper and Marquette native, holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum, Instruction, and the Science of Learning from the State University of New York at Buffalo, an MAE in Educational Instruction, and BA in Elementary Education from Northern Michigan University. From 2023–2025, she served as an assistant professor in NMU’s School of Education, Leadership and Public Service (SELPS), teaching in the Global Campus and Applied Workplace Leadership (AWL) program and working with pre-service teachers and professionals in Michigan’s Talent Together and the national Grow Your Own initiatives. Drawing on 16 years of teaching experience in the U.S. and abroad, including leadership roles as English education manager, primary school curriculum lead, and head of grades 3 and 5, Dr. Stanley also holds a School Management and Leadership Certificate from Harvard Business School, maintains a Michigan Elementary Teaching Certificate, and is an American Council on Exercise Certified Personal Trainer.