Athena’s areas of expertise are strategic planning, conflict resolution, financial management and project management. She is an engaged listener and creative problem solver who guides clients to take manageable and strategic steps forward in support of their goals. She loves connecting clients to meaningful resources and opportunities to advance their business goals. Helping clients with understanding their financials and the impact of setting budgets is very meaningful to Athena.

Running is her medicine and she is a student of design thinking. Athena enjoys reading, traveling and spending time with family and friends.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in political science, UW-Milwaukee
• Studies in international relations and conflict resolution

For over two decades, Lynne Keckeisen has worked closely with a wide range of businesses, providing marketing and graphics services through her company, Confluence Graphics, Inc. Lynne established and managed long-lasting relationships with decision-makers at small, medium and large organizations across the country. In conjunction with owning a small business, she worked in economic development, where she assisted individuals who faced barriers to start, grow and expand their business ventures.

Lynne thoroughly enjoys coaching and consulting entrepreneurs in the areas of business planning, budgeting and cash flow analysis. She works with clients to help them understand their operations, recognize their needs and provide appropriate solutions.

Lynne has established herself as an exceptionally talented and successful professional who provides sound advice and guidance to a diverse caseload of businesses.

Gregory Martin is a business consultant at UWM’s School of Continuing Education Small Business Development Center. His job is to provide quality support and assistance to small- and mid-sized companies and help budding entrepreneurs launch successful new ventures. A former business owner with over 25 years of experience, Gregory is committed to sharing his knowledge with aspiring business people.

Gregory holds a Bachelor of Arts in business administration from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. He started his business career as an investment banking analyst with Alex. Brown & Sons in Baltimore, Maryland, in the retail and restaurant division. After returning to Milwaukee, Gregory spent the next 23 years growing his family’s grocery operation, Lena’s Food Market, from one small store with 15 employees to a nationally recognized chain with six locations and over 600 employees. He was awarded the Minority Retail Entrepreneur Award by the United States Department of Commerce in 2005. Prior to joining the University of Wisconsin, Gregory assisted small business owners in pursuit of capital as a commercial loan officer with the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation.

A native of Brown Deer, Wisconsin, Gregory is married and the father of three daughters. He is currently a resident of Mequon, Wisconsin.