About Athenea

Athenea Allen has spent the majority of her career as an investigator for government contractors—to protect and enhance national security. 

Through her work, she conducted federal background investigations for nearly every major government agency—including the Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of the Interior (DOI), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—under the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and, more recently, the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA).

Her work primarily supported Sandia National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory and Kirtland Air Force Base, where she conducted high level security clearance investigations for applicants pursuing TS, S, Q, L, and Public Trust positions. These in-depth background checks serve as a critical first line of defense against espionage, sabotage, and insider threats to national security.

In 2020, Athenea started working for Northrop Grumman Corp (NG), a large industry partner to the Department of Defense (DOD) as a Site Lead in charge of all industrial, physical, personnel and program security. Most of her work focused on government and security compliance. Since 2024, she has worked for General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) on Kirtland Air Force Base (KAFB), and is now a Supervisory Site Lead for about 40 personnel supporting the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL).

Athenea was born and raised in Northern New Mexico, where she met her husband, John, early in his law enforcement career. Today, he serves as the Bernalillo County Sheriff.

The couple has lived on Albuquerque’s Westside since 2004, where they raised their son, who now works in cybersecurity.

Work Experience 

  • Program Security Representative/Site Security Lead/Peoples Manager, General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) 2024- Present.

  • Site Security Lead/Contractor Program Security Officer, Northrop Grumman Corporation (Space Sector) 2020- 2024

  • Senior Special Investigator – (Multi contracts-USIS, CACI International, Omniplex World Services, Keypoint Govt. Solutions, ISN Corporation) 2002-2020


Education

  • West Las Vegas High School, Las Vegas NM, 1997

  • B.A. Political Science/Law Emphasis with a Minor in Spanish - New Mexico Highlands University, 2001


Community Involvement

  • Former PTA Mom- Tierra Antigua Elementary School 

  • Former Tony Hillerman Middle School Basketball Team Mom

  • Former Team Mom AAU Basketball Ball -Team G&G