OUR HISTORY

BE Athena is a collaboration between two friends — dynamic duo Erin Di Fiore and Brooke Morris Rasheed.

First introduced in a Women’s Studies class at the University of Georgia, it was in this environment of creative and intellectual growth that the seeds of our future partnership were sewn. In the years that ensued, our paths continued to intersect many times, from the Southeast to NYC and back again — dancing in the venues of the Lower East Side, attending each other’s weddings, planning a multitude of gatherings for our tight-knit group of friends — and finally, as colleagues at a boutique hospitality firm in Brooklyn, NY, where we oversaw the company’s sales, marketing, and business development divisions for close to a decade. With a deep desire to bring our families back to the South, we now operate out of our studios in Nashville and Atlanta, providing services to event businesses in the Southeast and beyond.

BE Athena was born out of our shared enthusiasm for bringing a space to life, from the first blueprints to the first walk down the aisle.

our team

co-founder

ERIN DI FIORE

An Atlanta native, Erin moved to New York City in 2001 to pursue her passion for the fashion industry. Her innate sense of style and design led her to a career spanning more than a decade at renowned international fashion houses Marc Jacobs and Dolce & Gabbana. While managing luxury retail powerhouse accounts like Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, and Bergdorf Goodman, Erin refined her sales strategy, financial analysis, team leadership and training abilities. Following an instinctual desire to shift her professional path, Erin applied her unique background and business savvy to a range of hospitality businesses.

While working with Gowanus Hospitality Group, she was at the helm of successfully launching 501 Union, and propelling growth at the Green Building by integrating updated rate structure, financial strategy and sales team leadership. Erin’s inherent ability to translate trends and goals into strategy and execution along with her keen eye for design and detail facilitate her creative support of wide-ranging businesses. From boutique hotels to restaurants and event spaces, she approaches each business through the lens of increasing profitability while elevating the client experience.

Erin lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband, music producer Albert Di Fiore, and their three dogs, Bowie, Cash and Dolly. She is an avid gardener, fashion enthusiast and consistently has multiple home renovation projects underway.

co-founder

brooke morris rasheed

Brooke started her career in events in Atlanta as one half of the Costume Party, a boutique music promotional agency. In 2005, Brooke set her sights on NYC, where she applied her skills booking bands to booking brands, strategizing and executing marketing programs for global lifestyle agency MKTG. In 2007 she joined Drillteam Marketing as Group Director of Events Engagement where she executed and managed youth‐oriented experiential marketing programs for clients such as Virgin Mobile USA, Neiman Marcus, New York Magazine, Saucony Originals, Target, and Incase. Highlights included producing the ‘Bad Art Auction’ hosted by comedian Zach Galifianakis, and New York Magazine’s 40th Anniversary party at Hammerstein Ballroom.

In 2010, she joined Gowanus Hospitality Group. Under her direction, what started as a DIY music venue quickly became one of the hottest spots to get married in Brooklyn, NY. During her tenure at GHG, Brooke directed the marketing efforts for multiple properties under the company’s portfolio. She also acted as lead producer on annual marketing events Wedding Crashers and the Love Union, a vendor engagement conference.

Upon her return to Atlanta in 2015 she began working with acclaimed commercial real estate developer Gene Kansas on the development of Constellations, a culturally-based shared workspace and event venue. Brooke currently leads the firm’s venue representation division, overseeing the events sales program for a variety of real estate clients.

In addition to her consulting work with BE Athena, she is the lead producer on Landlocked, an annual food & beverage event in Atlanta that raises money for Oyster South, a non-profit organization committed to the growth of southern oyster culture and community.

Brooke lives in Atlanta, GA with her husband Ryan, and two daughters Ruby and Frankie. She’s always got a recommendation for a new podcast, thinks Priya Parker’s book ‘The Art of Gathering’ is required reading, and loves planning a trip almost as much as taking it.