In 2014 and 2015, Colena served as a volunteer to greet Honor Flight veterans arriving at Dulles International Airport and Reagan National Airport to visit their memorials in Washington, D.C.. Her Member’s Gallery presentation displays many of the emotions and excitement experienced by the veterans and greeters.

Colena is especially drawn to photographing people. In high school, she started her photography journey as the family photographer for get togethers, with a camera gifted to her by a family friend. In 2003, she purchased her first digital camera and has expanded her interests to nature, macro, abstract, portrait, event, and street photography.

As a volunteer photographer, Colena has shared her talent with the Phenomenal Women’s Alliance, Help Portrait, Loudoun Foto Trek, Cornerstones, Library of Congress National Book Festival, Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Wreaths Across America, Reston Multi-Cultural Festival, Honor Flight and Reston Association. For the past eleven years, she has served in the Photography Ministry at her place of worship, Heritage Fellowship Church.

Colena joined NVPS in February 2012 and has served as coordinator for Member’s Gallery and Ask Me A Question table. She currently serves on the NVPS Board as the Secretary/Historian. Colena continues to learn about the art of photography through workshops, lectures, tours and field trips.