Athena Mertes is the Director of Choirs at Thurman White Academy of the Performing Arts in Henderson, Nevada. She is a graduate of UNLV where she received a Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance and a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education. Her virtual choir performance was selected to be featured at the 2022 Western Region ACDA Conference, “Stories of the Pandemic” and her Advanced Choir recently performed at the Western Region ACDA Conference in Pasadena in March of 2024. In 2020, she received the Teacher of the Year Award from Magnet Schools of America and is also a National Board-Certified Teacher.