Diaspora Panel
Who the
Speakers are:
Speakers
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Varvara Athanasiou-Ioannou AMFounder and Chair Food For Thought Network IncVarvara Athanasiou-Ioannou AM is an award-winning educator, author and HR professional with a lifelong commitment to women’s leadership, diversity and inclusion, and the promotion of Hellenic identity. She is the author of Her Voice: Greek Women and Their Friends and co-author of the Greek Curriculum Project, with over 60 educational publications to her credit. As the pro bono Founder and Chair of the Food for Thought Network, she has led more than 160 initiatives fostering dialogue, mentorship and global connection among Greek women. In 2024, she spearheaded the Inaugural Global Women and Hellenism Conference in Greece, receiving international recognition. Her contributions have been widely acknowledged, including her appointment as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).
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Magdalena SimonisAssociate Professor Department of General Practice, University of MelbourneAssociate Professor Magdalena Simonis AM is a nationally recognised health leader, primary care physician and strategic advisor with a distinguished record of driving policy reform, service innovation and system improvement across Australia’s health sector.
Magdalena’s expertise spans disease prevention, digital health transformation, aged care, gender equity, research translation and climate and health. She is widely recognised for her ability to connect policy, clinical practice and community insight to shape sustainable health reform.
She currently serves on multiple national and state governance bodies where she contributes strategic oversight and policy leadership. These include Board Director of the University of Melbourne Teaching Health Clinics, Board Director of the Melbourne Academic Centre for Health (MACH), co-Chair of the University of Melbourne Primary Care Council, and Board Director of the Climate and Health Alliance Australia. Magdalena is Clinical Director of the inaugural Victorian Mobile Women’s Health Service.
Her national advisory appointments include the Australian Digital Health Agency Electronic Health Record Clinical Governance Advisory Group, BreastScreen Australia Clinical Advisory Group, the National Action Plan for Endometriosis Expert Advisory Group and the Multicultural Victoria Health Advisory Committee.
She has held prominent leadership roles including President of the Australian Federation of Medical Women, Chair of Women in General Practice for the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), and the elected General Practice representative to the Federal Council of the Australian Medical Association. Through these roles she has championed gender equity in medicine, expanded access to care for underserved women, and influenced national conversations on workforce participation and health system design.
Magdalena is also a respected public voice in health policy and a regular media commentator, serving as a health columnist for Australia’s leading national newspaper.
Her work consistently focuses on improving health equity for culturally and linguistically diverse communities, addressing the social determinants of health, and strengthening community-informed approaches to prevention and care.
In recognition of her service to medicine and the community, Magdalena was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2023 King’s Birthday Honours and also received the President’s Award from the Australian Medical Association.
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Stella KokoliPresident of the Federation of Greek-American Educational and Cultural Associations of America and the founder of numerous philanthropic organizations focused on education, culture, and social serviceStella Kokoli, BA, MA, M.Ed., ABD, is an iconic
figure in Greek-language education and the Greek
diaspora in the United States. She is the President of
the Federation of Greek-American Educational and
Cultural Associations of America and the founder of
numerous philanthropic organizations focused on
education, culture, and social service.
For more than five decades, she has remained
continuously at the forefront of service to the Greek
language and Greek culture. Her work spans Greek
diaspora schools, Greek language learning programs,
the creation of Greek-interest charter schools, and the
development of Greek studies programs in public high
schools and universities across the United States. In
parallel, she organized educational trips for students to
Greece, enabling them to experience firsthand the
history, language, and culture of their homeland.
She placed particular emphasis on the professional
development of diaspora educators. From 2011 to
2018, she implemented training programs in modern
methods of teaching Greek as a foreign or second
language, in collaboration with educational and
academic institutions in Greece and Cyprus. At the
same time, she contributed to hosting educators from
Greece in the United States by providing free housing
for short- or long-term stays, substantially supporting
their work and residence.
Stella Kokoli is the author of the autobiographical
book My Journey (Sideris Publications, 2016) and the
poetry collection Indelible Memory. She has published
countless articles on websites and in newspapers of the
Greek diaspora and in Greece.
Born on the island of Andros, with a deep passion for
Greece and Greek culture, she remains firmly committed to the preservation and promotion of the Greek language worldwide. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she undertook significant international initiatives, organizing online conferences and building bridges of collaboration among Greek language educators around the world. Her multifaceted educational, philanthropic, and social work has been recognized with numerous awards and honorary distinctions from major organizations and political leaders in the United States and
internationally. Her life’s work consistently reflects the timeless role of the teacher of the nation, with an invaluable contribution to the preservation of Greek identity and cultural heritage for future generations. -
Olga Pavlidou KoutroumpisG100 Greece Country Chair| Leadership MentorOlga Pavlidou Koutroumpis has leveraged her experience and expertise in Organizational Behavior, Industrial Relations, and Human Resource Management, applying this knowledge across both the private and public sectors to shape strategic solutions and effective policies. In the private sector, she served as a Public Relations and Strategic Communication Consultant, contributing to the design and implementation of corporate identity policies, institutional communication frameworks, and strategic partnerships.
Her engagement in public life reflects a deep sense of responsibility and commitment to society and democracy. Her tenure as Deputy Mayor, along with her active political involvement as a Candidate for Regional Counselor and as a Parliamentary Candidate, tangibly demonstrated her vision. Through her actions, she has cultivated a model of leadership that combines boldness, strategic thinking, and a people-centered approach—one that inspires collaboration, strengthens collective responsibility, teamwork and advances solutions with lasting social and institutional impact.
At the international level, she has served as elected Former International President for Legal Affairs and Human Rights Commission of the European Union of Women (EUW) and currently she has been appointed in the G100 as Country Chair Greece of the Political Leadership Wing, contributing to the development of strategies for political leadership, women’s empowerment, and international cooperation. In parallel, she has conducted research on gender-equal representation, with her articles and interviews featured in the Greek press, while her publications have also appeared through the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE).
Furthermore, her policy recommendations, submitted through international organizations, have been presented to the Council of Europe and the United Nations, highlighting her contribution to the formulation of policies with international reach and to the advancement of gender equality at both institutional and societal levels. Her leadership at national and international levels has been recognized with numerous awards for her voluntary service and leadership, reflecting a vision defined by consistency and a global outlook—one that is oriented toward building a sustainable, just, and dynamic future for Greece, Europe, and the international community. -
Stefanos KalesProfessor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and Professor & Director of the Occupational Medicine Residency at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health (HSPH)Dr. Kales is a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical
School, and Professor & Director of the Occupational
Medicine Residency at the Harvard Chan School of
Public Health (HSPH). He is also Chief of Occupational
Medicine /Medical Director- Employee Health at the
Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard-affiliated hospital
system. He organized and hosted
Harvard’s groundbreaking 2014 Mediterranean Diet
Conference, and he was Scientific Chair of the
landmark 2017 Mediterranean Diet & Health Experiential
Conference in Greece. In 2019, Dr. Kales received
competitive funding from Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute
for Advanced Study to organize and host the
invitation-only Exploratory Seminar: “Mediterranean
Diet: Promotion and Dissemination of Healthy
Eating”. He is the founder of the Hellenic Center for
Excellence in Health & Wellness, and is the scientific
organizer of the 2022, 2023, 2024 & 2025 Mediterranean
Experiential Lifestyle conferences in Greece. These
innovative gatherings combine state of the art scientific
presentations from world-renowned figures withauthentic, “hands-on” immersion experiences (agro-
culinary, historical, cultural) embraced by Greekhospitality.
Dr. Kales has participated in a wide range of medical/public health research, advisory and teaching activities on
five continents resulting in over 265 publications and wide recognition nationally and internationally. He has served
on the editorial boards of several biomedical journals and is a faculty member in Harvard’s Cardiovascular
Epidemiology Program and Harvard Medical School’s Division of Sleep Medicine.
Dr. Kales has received numerous honors, including the 2013 Kehoe Award for Excellence in Education and Research and
2014 Harriet Hardy Award for outstanding scientific contributions to the field. He has also received honors from the
International Association of Fire Chiefs and was inducted into the Order of Emperor Dom Pedro II by the Federal Corp of
Brazilian Military Firefighters. He has also received several million dollars in competitive US federal funding, including
an ambitious Mediterranean Diet Intervention trial (“Feeding America’s Bravest: Survival Mediterranean Style) among
Midwestern firefighters which was awarded the 2017 Silver Medal for Health Research by the Oleocanthal
International Society. He received the 2024 Mentor Award from the American College of Occupational & Environmental
Medicine.
Dr. Kales grew up around traditional Greek foods prepared by his beloved grandmother in the family kitchen and expanded
these formative experiences through extensive travels in Greece, Cyprus, Spain and Italy. As a health educator, he
seeks to lead by example; following a Mediterranean diet, practicing regular physical fitness and good sleep hygiene.
Dr. Kales’ ultimate goal is to use innovative approaches to disseminate healthy nutrition in schools, workplaces and
hospitals. Dr. Kales recently co-authored the “Textbook of Lifestyle Medicine” (Wiley UK), which emphasizes a
Mediterranean lifestyle as the gold standard for healthy living. In May 2022, he participated as an invited speaker
in the Pontifical Academy of Sciences symposium: “The Art & Science of Olive Oil” at the Vatican. He also co-organized
and led an international conference on lifestyle for dementia prevention for the A. G. Leventis Foundation.
The current work of Dr. Kales’ team centers on promoting healthy lifestyles, including:
• “Bottarga” Supplementation – A pilot study investigating the metabolic effects of Greek Bottarga to assess effects on
lipid profiles, inflammation, and insulin resistance among overweight/pre-diabetic individuals.
• “F!reF!ghterF!t” Trial – A randomized controlled trial evaluating a 9-month lifestyle coaching intervention for obese
firefighters.
• Surviving and Thriving App – Development and pilot testing of a smartphone application designed to support new
firefighters in adopting healthy lifestyle habits, improving fitness, and addressing behavioral health challenges. -
Faidon-Ioannis KatinakisSenior Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Cologne, Germany & President of the Greek Medical Association in NRW, GermanyDr. Katinakis is a German-trained Orthopaedic Surgeon specializing in hip and knee arthroplasty and advanced foot and ankle surgery, with a strong focus on technology-driven surgical innovation. He currently serves as Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at St. Franziskus Hospital in Cologne, Germany, while also practicing Emergency Medicine in the Rhein-Erft district. His academic foundation was shaped at the University of Cologne, where he completed his medical degree and earned his PhD with research on spinopelvic alignment in hip arthroplasty using EOS 3D imaging technology. His work explores the intersection of biomechanics, digital imaging, and surgical precision, aiming to redefine patient-specific joint reconstruction strategies. He has co-authored peer-reviewed publications on sagittal spinal alignment after total hip replacement and on augmented-reality-assisted K-wire placement in reverse shoulder arthroplasty, demonstrating his commitment to integrating augmented reality and advanced visualization tools into everyday orthopaedic practice. Certified as a Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Surgeon (EPZ) and as a Foot and Ankle Surgeon (GFFC), Dr. Katinakis actively contributes to European scientific dialogue. He has presented at major international congresses, including EEXOT, GFFC, and DAF, and was awarded the Travel Fellowship Prize of the German Foot and Ankle Society. He has also been a recurring invited speaker at the Aristotle Medical Forum. Beyond surgery, he promotes cross-border medical collaboration as President of the Greek Doctors Association in NRW and Vice-President of the Greek Doctors Federation in Germany. His professional vision centers on merging clinical excellence with digital transformation, research-driven practice, and interdisciplinary innovation, advancing orthopaedics toward a more precise, personalized, and technologically integrated future.
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Gregory-Telemachos StamkopoulosClergy member of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Associate Professor of Applied Information Technology and the Director of the Lab of Digital Innovation in Theology and Culture at the Department of Social Theology and Christian Culture, Aristotle University of ThessalonikiGregory–Telemachos Stamkopoulos is a clergy member of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. He is an Associate Professor of Applied Information Technology and the Director of the Lab of Digital Innovation in Theology and Culture at the Department of Social Theology and Christian Culture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He serves as the Director of the Department of Greek Education and as the Archdiocese’s Database Administrator. He holds a BSc in Physics, a BA in Theology, an MSc in Radioelectrology, and a PhD in Medical Informatics from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. His academic career bridges science and theology. From 2009 to 2019, he supervised the digital archive of the Chalki Theological School Library. Between 2010 and 2022, he was an Associate Professor at the University Ecclesiastical Academy of Thessaloniki and served as its Academic Council President. His scholarly work includes extensive publications on neural networks, medical informatics, artificial intelligence, digital heritage, Orthodox theology, and the philosophical dimensions of information. His research combines advanced technological systems with the theological tradition of the Orthodox Church.
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Katerina PanagopoulouPresident of KALLIPATEIRA, Panhellenic Women’s Association, Ambassador at Large of the Hellenic Republic, National Ambassador of Greece to the Council of Europe for Sport, Tolerance & Fair PlayKaterina Nafplioti Panagopoulou is an Ambassador at Large of the Hellenic Republic and National Ambassador of Greece to the Council of Europe for Sports, Tolerance, and Fair Play, a role she has held voluntarily since 1998. Since 2005, she has been the President of the Hellenic Women Association “Kallipatira” which holds Special
Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the UN. She is also the founder of the International Center for Sciences and Greek Values and Honorary President of the Hellenic Association of Political Scientists (HAPSc). She has been honored with prestigious international awards, such as the European
“Woman and Sports 2012” Award from the International Olympic Committee, being the first Greek woman to receive this honor, and the European Citizen Award 2017 from the European Parliament.She studied Foreign Languages and Literature at the University of Paul Valéry Montpellier and is an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy at Amity University. She speaks English, French, and Italian.
With many years of involvement in international conferences, speeches, and innovative initiatives, she is tirelessly dedicated to promoting Greek culture and the timeless values of Hellenism. She focuses on empowering the Greek diaspora and activating it as a vital force for Greece, while also consistently supporting vulnerable
social groups, serving as a model of dedication, leadership, and selfless contribution. -
Ioannis ChrysoulakisChairman of Ahepa Hellenic Affairs Committee, President of Advisory Committee Open University, former Secretary General for Greeks AbroadProfessor Emeritus Ioannis Chrysoulakis is a distinguished academic and Public Management Executive personality, currently serving as the Chairman of the International Committee on Greek Affairs (AHEPA) and the Executive Director of the Women Economic Forum (WEF). He has held high-ranking institutional roles, most notably as the Secretary General for Greeks Abroad and Public Diplomacy at the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs and as Vice President of the I.A.S.I.A. for nine years.
With a PhD in Engineering from Aristotle’s University and a Master of Science from the University of Minnesota, Professor Chrysoulakis has taught at six universities and authored over 300 scientific publications. Throughout his career, he has managed major EU-funded consortia and served as an expert for the OECD. His extensive humanitarian and scientific contributions have been recognized with over 100 international awards, including an Honorary Doctorate from RAI University (India) and the title of Honorary Member of the Romanian Academy of Sciences. He remains deeply committed to global philanthropy, particularly in supporting health and educational infrastructures in Africa.
Professor Emer. John Chrysoulakis
is Chairman of International Committee Aristotle’s Innovation Forum, President of Open University Advisory Committee, Chairman of the AHEPA Hellenic Affairs Committee, Archon of the Alexandria Patriarchate, Member of Romanian Academy of Science,
Executive Director of WEF,
Executive Director of WICCI,
Fmr Secretary General for Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Fmr Secretary General for Center of Public Administration for Ministry of Internal Affairs, Fmr President of ASPETE University, Fmr Deputy President of I.A.S.I.A.