A Visalia native and long term resident of Hanford, Susan graduated from Westmont College in Santa Barbara and began her career in financial services after working for a successful property and casualty agent in the 90's. Intrigued by the more complex nature of personal finance, she went solo with John Hancock and Signator Financial in 1999, and formed Athena Financial Group in 2005. As a woman business owner/entrepreneur, Susan is passionate about assisting women understand, manage and make money work for them. She specializes in assisting women in financial transitions, whether it is widowhood, divorce or sudden wealth. She has taught numerous workshops and seminars, including Savvy Social Security for Women, Becoming Your Own Prince Charming and Income in Retirement. 

On her off time, Susan enjoys art, gardening, cultivating her home-grown specialty chicken and egg business, kayaking, and spending time with family and friends.

Robert Butts is a native of Hanford, California and graduated Westmont College in Santa Barbara with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Business.

He began his career in the 1990s working with State Farm Insurance and, later, entered the financial services industry.

In 2000, he moved to Honduras where he served with and eventually lead a mid-size nonprofit organization, World Gospel Outreach.

Upon his return to California, Robert resumed his financial advisory career, eventually joining Athena Financial Group. He enjoys helping others to set and to achieve their financial goals.

After a few years, he began assisting clients by performing DST 1031 exchanges, which uses passive, institutional-quality real estate to defer taxes and ease the burden of property ownership and management. 

Robert, a registered DST 1031 Exchange Representative, has become quite knowledgeable about the ins and outs, pros and cons, of using DST 1031 exchanges. He’s ready to answer any questions about the topic.

When not working, Robert enjoys kayaking and other water sports, spending time with family, and reading as many great books as possible.

Matthew Kredit is a South Dakota native, a long-term resident of Kingsburg, and a graduate of Fresno State’s Craig School of Business with a degree in Economics.  He started his financial planning career after 25 years of financial experience in both the public and private sectors.  He specializes in pension maximization, financial planning, divorce settlements, and alternative investments.  Matthew is passionate about educating and assisting his clients while they navigate unfamiliar territory.  He accomplishes this by getting to know their needs, goals, and dreams, all while creating a custom plan for each.

When not nerding out over financial data, Matthew enjoys hiking, snowshowing, and camping in Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and the Sequoias.

Jean Gordon, our Legal Document Assistant, was born, raised and resides in Kings County.  Jean has an AA degree in Ag Business from West Hills College, Coalinga.

Jean’s family was well known in the Lemoore area as her father, James C. Gordon, owned and operated the Lemoore Animal Clinic for over 50 years. Jean’s mother owned and operated a horse ranch, training and boarding horses. Growing up in a family that loved animals, Jean was active in 4-H and FFA, showing horses and sheep.

Before joining Athena Financial Group, Jean worked more than a decade as an administrative assistant and paralegal at a law firm focused on estate planning. She has extensive experience creating numerous legal documents and is adept at handling trust and probate administration cases from beginning to end, including the summary accountings and reconciliations. She also has extensive experience in accounting, bookkeeping, and preparation of income tax returns.

As a legal document assistant here at Athena Financial Group, Jean assists clients in completing revocable living trusts, power of attorneys, advanced health care directives, real property documents, simple wills as well as other legal documents as needed.

Jean enjoys working with clients, explaining the processes of estate planning, and helping families negotiate paperwork. She strives to make the process as easy and stress free as possible. And while she is always happy to discuss client concerns and then assist in finding the right solutions for their needs, she does not give legal advice.

During her time off, Jean likes to spend time watching Nascar, fishing, camping, and spending time with friends and family, especially the grandchildren.

As a former small business owner and certificated teacher, Dianna is our office manager extraordinaire. She keeps things running at Athena Financial Group. With over 15 years as owner of The Reading Clinic in Visalia and Fresno, Dianna brings her organizational talent, love for people, and a flair for coordinating events to the mission and goals of the firm. She holds a B.A. from California State University at Fresno and held a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential with the state of California for 20 years. She has been a member of the Chamber of Commerce in Visalia as well as the Better Business Bureau.

Dianna is administrative assistant to both Susan and Robert. She takes care of processing all paperwork pertaining to Athena’s security investments. Her attention to detail and efficient personality keeps our business flowing smoothly. She is also our in-house Notary Public for the state of California. This is a value to our clients who need to rollover their 401k or obtain notarizations on other legal or financial documents. Dianna is an enthusiastic advocate for women and financial planning and enjoys assisting with all our clients.

Karina has added a wealth of knowledge to our marketing campaigns, social media platforms, and website development. She honed those skills during her years as the office manager of the King's Art Center. She understands administrative procedures and has brought a fresh perspective to the organizational structures of Athena Financial Group.

Karina may be new to the financial world, but she has proven to be a quick learner and has recently earned her license as a Life Insurance Agent. She now processes all life insurance applications for our firm. Her attention to detail and willingness to work with our clients throughout the process has proven her to be a tremendous asset. As she holds a B.A. in Psychology from California State University at Fresno, she understands and is empathetic to the emotions that come with going through the life insurance process. Karina looks forward to helping each client gain financial confidence in their financial journey.