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Colleagues in Conversation: A Women’s History Month Wind-Down with Amy King and Athena Abrol
All month long, VVA has been highlighting the wonderful women working for our organization. Two of our team members, Manager of Business Development, Cultural & Entertainment, Amy King and Los Angeles based Director Athena Abrol, took the opportunity to get to know one another better, turning to each other for a one-on-one style interview. The following is a result of that conversation, and the perfect way to close out Women’s History Month!
Get to know Amy King through Athena’s eyes, and Athena Abrol through Amy’s.
Amy King
Interviewed by: Athena Abrol
- Who is a woman that shaped the way you see the world?
Amy credits much of her early professional inspiration to her former boss, Peg Saul (Ciba-Geigy Pharmaceuticals). She describes Peg as confident, decisive, and incredibly strong in the way she led her team. What stood out most to Amy was Peg’s genuine commitment to mentorship — she trusted her staff, included them in important conversations, and consistently challenged them to grow. At a time when strong women in leadership roles were often misunderstood, Peg showed Amy what effective leadership truly looks like and gave her the confidence to step into greater responsibilities.
- What’s something you’ve achieved that you’re really proud of, but people don’t really know about?
Amy shares that she loves doing nice things for people. She loves talking to people, meeting new people, and finding out about their lives. She truly LISTENS to people to find out their likes and dislikes, their struggles and successes, and their hopes and dreams. If the opportunity arises where she can help in any way or do something that would make them happy, she is obsessed with doing it! She considers herself her own Random Acts of Kindness champion!
Amy is also proud of her commitment to helping others and her desire to bring joy into people’s lives on a professional level. Years ago, she worked for a toxicology lab that supported drug and alcohol rehabs. During that time, she learned about Recovery High Schools – schools dedicated to helping students who are in recovery rebuild their lives while continuing their education. She was deeply moved by the courage and determination these young people showed every day as they worked to stay sober and create brighter futures. She wanted — needed — to help them. So she spearheaded a campaign to provide backpacks and school supplies at the start of the academic year. Through the generosity of her colleagues at the time, along with her own personal contributions, she was able to provide every student at several recovery high schools in New Jersey with a fully stocked backpack! They delivered the backpacks to them and their appreciation was truly heartfelt. Wanting to support them throughout the entire school year in her own special way, each month she baked them all a bunch of cupcakes to celebrate their progress. It was a small gesture, but one that reminded them that there are people out there that believed in them. Experiences like this shape her sense of purpose: to help people feel seen, supported, and encouraged in moments that matter the most. At the end of the school year, she was honored to be invited to their graduation ceremony. And of course, she baked cupcakes!
- What’s one thing you wish more people understood about strong women?
Amy shares that from the outside, her life can appear like she has it all together – organized, balanced and some people have even said “lucky”. But what people don’t see are the late nights, long days, and constant effort required to balance career, family, and personal commitments. She believes strength is often misunderstood, because behind every accomplished woman lies an extraordinary depth of perseverance and hard work — often mixed with moments of turmoil, struggle, hardship, and despair. But it is discipline, resilience, and determination that truly keep life moving forward, not luck! Oh – and a great sense of humor!
- Fun fact?
Outside of work, Amy really enjoys creative projects — they allow her to step away from the fast pace of work and focus on something fun and tangible. She loves making decorative cakes, themed cupcakes, and personalized gifts for people. There’s something very satisfying to her about creating something from scratch and seeing how much joy it brings to others. It allows her to recharge while still doing something productive, meaningful, and thoughtful. Although she still has to work on finding more time to do these things – something many of us can relate to!
Athena Abrol
Interviewed by: Amy King
- Who inspires you and why?
The women who have inspired me most are my mother, my sister, and a former colleague and mentor, Becky Tanouye. My mother was probably my earliest and strongest influence. Growing up in India, where there can be a lot of boundaries placed on women, she never told me something was not possible. She gave me the confidence to use my voice, speak honestly, and never shrink myself in a situation. My sister, who is a clinical psychologist, has also been a huge influence on me — she brings a very thoughtful, rational perspective, and as adults she’s become a real mentor in my life. Professionally, Becky had a big impact on me as well. She was detail-oriented, graceful under pressure, empathetic, and incredibly strong. She handled difficult situations with so much class, and I remember thinking very early on that I wanted to carry myself the way she did.
- What can we find you doing outside of the office?
Outside of work, you’ll usually find me spending time with my son and making the most of experiences together. We both love traveling, and we’re actually getting ready for a trip to Peru, which we’re really excited about. I love that travel gives us a chance to explore, learn, and step outside of our normal routine. I’m also really drawn to music, reading, food, and cultural experiences. I love going to museums and finding places that feel inspiring or immersive. For me, those experiences are not just fun — they remind me there’s a whole world of creativity, perspective, and possibility outside of our day-to-day work.
- What piece of advice would you offer to someone just starting out in your career?
Find something you actually care about. Passion matters. When you feel connected to the work you’re doing, it changes the way you show up every day. It becomes less about just getting through the day and more about wanting to contribute, grow, and do it well. I also think it’s important to be honest, speak up, and trust your instincts. Don’t spend too much time trying to be smaller, quieter, or more digestible for other people. There’s value in being direct, capable, and authentic.
- What are some of the most interesting or fun challenges you’ve taken on?
One of the most meaningful challenges in my life has been coaching my son’s track and field team. It started because of how much he loves sports, but it ended up teaching me a lot about myself. Working with kids teaches you patience, empathy, and the importance of not making assumptions, because every child is different and every personality responds differently. It’s demanding, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Professionally, I think one of the ongoing challenges I’ve taken on is working in industries that can still be very male-dominated and learning how to navigate those spaces without changing who I am. That has meant learning how to advocate for myself, build trust, and keep pushing forward even when the playing field is not always equal.
- Fun fact?
A fun fact about me is that I moved from India to the United States by myself when I was 21. That experience shaped me in a huge way. It pushed me to become more independent, more resilient, and more certain of who I am. Another fun fact is that I’m always up for building a trip around food, culture, and adventure — if there’s great local food and something meaningful to experience, I’m in.
