About
our people
At Athos, our strength lies in our people. We are a collective of driven, principled individuals united by a commitment to excellence, integrity, and purpose. Grounded in classical inspiration and modern strategy, our team brings together diverse talents and shared values to build lasting impact.
Chad Thevenot
Founder & Lead Consultant
Chad is a strategic education and nonprofit leader with over two decades of experience advancing mission-driven organizations. Most recently, Chad was the SVP for Advancement at the University of Austin (UATX). He also served as the Executive Director of the Institute for Humane Studies, where he championed academic freedom and classical liberal ideas. Known for his thoughtful leadership and collaborative approach, Chad brings deep expertise in strategy, philanthropy, and public engagement.
Asra Nadeem
Advisor
Asra is the CEO of DraperU and a Partner at DraperU Ventures, where she invests in frontier tech companies across AI, aerospace, defense, and critical infrastructure. A pioneer in global startup ecosystems, she has led investments in over 57 companies—including three unicorns—and collaborates with 60+ governments to drive innovation and job creation. Asra is also a sought-after speaker and advocate for free markets, free speech, and generational entrepreneurship.
Charles Mitchell
Advisor
Charles is Co-Founder & CEO of the Open Discourse Coalition, an innovation engine in higher education that began at his alma mater in Pennsylvania and is now actualizing viewpoint diversity on numerous campuses. He has also been an award-winning think tank executive, founding president of a public interest law firm, founding chairman of a First Amendment watchdog group, co-founder of a community schoolhouse, elder in his family’s church, and volunteer in inner-city education initiatives.
Kéyah Doering
Operations Consultant
Kéyah is a development and operations professional passionate about advancing mission-driven organizations. As a graduate of The King’s College NYC, Kéyah has a deep appreciation for the transformative power of a truly excellent education. She helped build the University of Austin (UATX)’s development infrastructure as its first non-leadership hire.
Gerry O’Sullivan
Senior Advisor for Accreditation & Compliance
Dr. O’Sullivan brings over 30 years of experience in independent higher education, having served in a variety of roles from faculty member to provost to consultant. He has extensive experience in accreditation, having authored key reports and served in roles such as visitor, team chair, and consultant to state and federal agencies. He has led start-ups, mergers, and new program development, with expertise in budgeting and compliance. His writing has appeared in Change: The Magazine of Higher Education, among other publications.
Simon Haines
Advisor
Simon began his career in diplomacy before holding academic leadership roles at the Australian National University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He was the founding CEO of the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation: the largest philanthropic gift to the humanities in Australian history. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at Australian Catholic University, a Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales, and the author or editor of five books on literature and philosophy.
D. H. Robinson
Advisor
Dr. Robinson is Founding Academic Director of the Pharos Foundation. He is a historian and policy advisor whose work bridges academia and public service, with a focus on nationhood, freedom, and geopolitics. A former Fellow in History at Magdalen College, Oxford, he served as a senior advisor on Scottish, Union, and regional policy in the UK government from 2016 to 2023. He is currently writing a three-volume history of European integration and has published widely on British and European political thought.