Meet Athena
Professional Speaker Reel
Athena Dean Holtz
Athena Dean Holtz has spent more than forty years serving in ministry, nonprofit leadership, and Christian publishing. Over the years, she has had the privilege of walking with authors and leaders as they seek to steward their messages faithfully. She founded Redemption Press, which has been recognized as a Best Christian Workplace for three consecutive years—an honor she credits to the faithful team who serve alongside her.
Athena is the author of several books, including PUBLISH: Your Message Matters – The Ministry-Minded Publishing Guide that Changes Everything, and her most recent No Longer Hidden: You Cannot Resist What You Do Not Recognize. She has also hosted programs on KCIS Radio Seattle, KSLR Radio San Antonio, and KGNW Seattle.
Through speaking and mentoring, Athena encourages leaders to remain discerning, resilient, and rooted in Christ, especially in seasons of adversity. Her desire is not simply to teach from experience, but to offer hope drawn from the Lord’s faithfulness in her own journey.
QUICK FACTS ABOUT ATHENA
Publishing Pioneer
Athena Dean Holtz helped launch the Christian indie publishing movement in the early ‘90s, opening doors for thousands of faith-based authors to share their message with excellence.
Redemption Story
Trapped in a spiritually abusive cult for 13 years, Athena lost everything, but God restored it all. Her story radiates hope, resilience, and the power of servant leadership forged through suffering.
Founder of Redemption Press
As the founder and publisher of Redemption Press, Athena serves alongside a mission-driven ownership team committed to helping Christian authors bring their messages to life. Together, they strive to steward each project with care, professionalism, and integrity, seeking to honor both the author’s calling and the One who entrusted it to them.
Empowering Women
During the pandemic, Athena launched She Writes for Him as a simple way to gather and encourage women writers and speakers who felt called to share their message. What began as a response to a difficult season has grown into a supportive community of women seeking to honor Christ with their words. Today, along with her ownership team, she leads a fully virtual, all-female team committed to serving authors with excellence and pointing readers to Jesus.
Faithful Leadership
Along the way, Athena has been grateful to receive recognition for her work, including Publisher of the Year (2022), the Billie Wilson Matthew 5:16 Award, and Best Female Podcast Host (2021). Redemption Press has also been named a Best Christian Workplace for three consecutive years—an honor she shares with the dedicated team who make that culture possible.
Passionate Mentor
Through Redemption Press, Book Marketing Pro Academy, and She Writes for Him events, with decades of experience in publishing, Athena mentors aspiring authors who desire to steward their message well. Her heart is to walk beside them with wisdom and encouragement as they grow in clarity, courage, and faithfulness to their calling.