The Consulate General of Greece in New York, in partnership with Philo4Thought Inc., successfully hosted a flagship event titled “International Women’s Day: Celebrating Generations of Amazing Leaders.” The gathering provided a high-level forum for dialogue, highlighting the distinguished contributions and leadership trajectories of Greek-American women excelling across the United States.
The event opened with welcoming remarks by the Consul General of Greece in New York, Ifigeneia
Kanara, who underscored the importance of International Women’s Day as an opportunity to recognize the
achievements and contributions of women. Ms. Kanara emphasized that the central aim of the event was to
showcase the dynamic coexistence of two generations of Greek-American women within the diaspora. She
noted that the event was designed as a cross-generation initiative, seeking to bridge the experience of established leaders with the energy and dynamism of younger professionals, while encouraging the younger
generation to remain actively engaged and closely connected to their Greek heritage.
Throughout the evening, two thematic panel discussions took place, bringing together accomplished women
from a wide range of professional fields — from entrepreneurship and banking to science and media — who
shared their experience, insights, and vision while illustrating the link between experience and innovation.
The first panel discussion, “Women in Leadership,” focused on the challenges and achievements of
women in business and science. Distinguished participants included Eftihia Pylarinou-Piper (President,
Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce – HACC), Dr. Evelyn Bilias Lolis (President, Hellenic
Professional Women – HPW), Dr. Lorraine Chrisomalis-Valasiadis (Advisory Board, Hellenic Medical
Society – HMS), and Nancy Papaioannou (Lifetime Member, HABA/ Advisory Board, HACC), who
shared valuable professional experiences and personal stories. The panel was moderated by Nomiki
Kastana.
generation to remain actively engaged and closely connected to their Greek heritage.
The second panel, “NextGen Leadership,” highlighted the emerging generation of Greek-American
professionals and featured Vanessa Diamataris (Co-Editor and Publisher, The National Herald), Dr.
Theofano Orfanelli (Advisory Board, Hellenic Medical Society), Maria Christodoulou (President,
Cypriot Young Professionals, Cyprus-US Chamber of Commerce), and Anastasia Aktipis (Events
Manager, Kellari Hospitality Group), who demonstrated the dynamism and promising future of the Greek-
American community. The panel was moderated by Christina Salvoudi.
The Consulate General expresses its sincere appreciation to all supporters and participating organizations for
their valuable contribution to promoting women’s leadership and strengthening the bonds of the Greek
diaspora.
The event concluded with a reception, offering participants the opportunity for further networking and
exchange of ideas among members of the Greek-American community in an atmosphere of unity and
collective progress.
