Thena moved to Nashville from Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 2022. In Milwaukee, she owned and operated an in-home childcare program and assisted with her family’s childcare center. Through her efforts toward providing for children, she realized the importance of food access for families and children. Her passion for connecting children to nourishing food eventually brought her to The Nashville Food Project’s satellite kitchen at St. Luke’s Community House, where she leads production of meals for the organization’s preschool students. Outside of work, Thena enjoys cooking, refurbishing furniture, and spending time with her two children and three grandchildren.