Olympia is a freelance Project Manager with notable experience in the FMCG sector, more specifically in Product Development and R&D. She has international work experience from the UK and Switzerland, however she recently chose to shift from the swiss corporate environment -after a 5 year stay- to the “simple” lifestyle her hometown Chalkida has to offer. Ever since moving back to Greece she took on the role of organizing TEDxChalkida along with other projects mainly involving property development. Her studies consist of a BSc in Software Engineering from the University of West Scotland and an MSc in Information Systems Management from the London Southbank University. She has travelled greatly and particularly enjoys summer in Greece which was the main reason she returned to her seaside hometown. Waterskiing and music have been her two passions for many years. Her lifetime motto is 'follow the leader or make up all the rules'.

Contact: olympia_gr@hotmail.com

Iraklis is a web entrepreneur and tech enthusiast. In 2013 he co-founded the web startup novoville.com, a civic engagement platform that aspires to bridge the gap between citizens and local governments. Passionate about social change through education and technology, Iraklis believes that Generation Y will change the world as we know it.
From 2004 to 2013 Iraklis was heading educational and international development activities of AIT, the best not-for-profit private tech institute in Greece founded by the Intracom Group. Since 2009 he has been actively involved in the emergence of the Greek Start-up ecosystem and has participated in several international business acceleration programs. He has been awarded the best mentor award of the Athens Startup Weekend powered by Google for Entrepreneurs in 2014 and with his team was among the finalists in the International Create Challenge innovation competition in Switzerland in 2013.
Certified technology product manager, with a BSc in International Relations and Economics (Univ .of Macedonia Greece), MSc in Digital Systems (Univ. of Piraeus Greece) and Executive Diploma in Crisis Management (Harvard University USA), Iraklis spends his free time (wind)surfing not the web but the crystal waves of the Aegean.

Contact: ibourantas@gmail.com

Mikaela is a foreign languages school owner and a passionate English language teacher who aims to teach her students to think outside the box. After leaving school she moved to Scotland for five years, where she obtained two Masters degrees, one from the University of Glasgow in English Language & Literature and one from the University of Edinburgh in Translation studies. When not teaching, she loves walking her dogs - especially by the sea -and reading books. She also loves taking pictures, which she believes are a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone.

Contact: mmik5@hotmail.com

Vasilis has studied Marketing Management in the American College of Greece and holds an MA degree in Communications Policy, from the City University of London. While in London, he worked as assistant manager for Donna Karan New York. Up until the day he simply missed the sun and decided to return to sunny Greece where he joined the marketing and public relations team of the Fourlis Group of Companies. After several years he is again involved in retail, as a co-manager in a kids wear store in Chalkida.
He is an extrovert and sociable, therefore he loves being with friends enjoying a good dinner. He is highly interested in theater, cinema, music, literature, arts in general, while his big passion is traveling. He strongly believes that “Travel is the only thing you invest in that makes you richer”.

Contact: Iosifvasilis2@gmail.com

George Mavrikis was born and raised in his beloved city of Chalkída. He is the first child of a Local Journalist and an Accountant and he has one brother and one sister, thus, you will hear him saying from time to time that being a brother is better than being a superhero.
He constantly tries to be multicultural by seeking new paths to follow around the world. George is a Political Scientist, a Lawyer and from his Masters in Sports Management and Marketing he attempted to enter the Sports Industry. Now he is living in Barcelona, Spain, working for the World and European leader in Sports, Euroleague Basketball. As for his TEDxChalkida journey, his goal is to keep on the endless process of the Exelixis. If you dream it, you can achieve it.

Contact: mavrikisgeorge@gmail.com

``Doing something that no one finds out about, is as if it has never been done. This is the power of communication``.
Christos has studied International and European Studies in Panteion University and holds an MSc in Environmental Governance and Sustainable Development. He is working in the Region of Central Greece in Chalkida and he has worked for the Ministry of Education, the Greek Parliament and a public relations company. The main object of these jobs...is communication. Chris, also loves painting and photography. Generally, he loves pictures! He speaks Greek, English and German.

Contact: moutsios@gmail.com

Chris has studied Business Management in entrepreneurship at the American college of Greece and is 35 years old. He is the owner of a menswear retail store. He loves organizing and participating in events that bring likeminded people together. He enjoys watching and playing basketball, doing yoga and reviewing every independent movie. He has a vivid imagination…

Contact: infasil@hotmail.com

Nikos is a freelance architect. During his studies at the NTUA he became involved with scenography – designing and constructing the scenery for amateur theatrical plays – and did research on the evolution of textile materials and their impact on architecture. In 2012 he co-founded nantarchitects, focusing on building design and interior design. Skills: photography and wandering around downtown Athens.

Contact: nantarchitects@gmail.com

Antonis holds one degree in Religious Studies and one in Law. He worked as a lawyer for several years before he decided to take over and expand the 41-year-old family business, an electrical supplies store. Having traveled to various countries he prides himself in his directorial approach to lighting and his expertise in LED technology. An avid traveler he loves collecting items from his trips. He is keen on good food, modern art and interior design. Being communicative and inventive, he believes that limits are set only to be overcome.

Contact: zaouris@yahoo.gr

Constantinos was born in Athens and grew up in Chalkida. He graduated AKTO College in the field of Graphic Design in 2013 and started working as a freelance designer. Early in 2016 he started working as an Art director at Bold Ogilvy & Mather. Clients include Cosmote, Germanos, Ikea, Ford, Mondelez, Trident & Western Union. He has been awarded by Ermis Awards, the Greek Young Designers Competition and obtained the 1st award for the “Best Viral video”. He loves snowboarding, camping and covering the empty city walls with his graffiti.

Contact: obilong@hotmail.com

Isaak is an Ecommerce Consultant and Small Business Developer. He holds a B.Sc. in Business Administration in Information Systems Management from the City University of Seattle.During his studies, he co-founded a tech startup and co-organized business events. He is currently working in retail as an Ecommerce Account Manager and completing his International MBA at Marconi University, Italy. He is passionate about new technologies, management, information technologies and business development, while he occasionally attends organizational and self-development seminars.

Andromachi grew up in the multi-cultural city of Thessaloniki. She received a degree in Ottoman and Balkan studies from the University of Macedonia. The thesis of her M.Sc degree was an unpublished ottoman manuscript of a list of proverbs dating back to the 19th century which she translated herself. Ever since her main interests are social anthropology and folklore studies. Painting and modern art are her two greatest loves. She cannot imagine her life without color or creative expression. Her favorite activity is cooking for friends. Her favorite word is “creation”. Andromachi thinks that the difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little “extra”…

Doros was born in Athens some time ago. As a kid he loved being a DJ for his friends and by a stroke of luck that was exactly what he did many times as a grown-up too. His first job came in 1992 for the first automated radio station in the country. This coincided with sound engineering studies for 2 years. Since then he has worked for several Greek music stations (POP FM, LAMPSI FM, PAREA FM, etc.) and for more than 10 years, SKAI RADIO, as a sound engineer both in the “on air” and “production” studios. He considers one of the best moments of his career was when he worked at the Olympic Games and Paralympics of Athens 2004, in the position of sound engineer. Over the last 6 years he has enjoyed being a DJ for his two sons. His motto in life is that: ’’Humans never stop surprising me.’’

Contact: dosotiriadis@gmail.com

Danny Panagiotou was born in Chalkis, Evia, in 1989. Rock was the kind of music that first inspired him. At the age of 14, he started experimenting with dance music when, by chance, he came across FL Studio. Since then, he has been heavily involved with djing and music production. Wanting to enrich his knowledge in this field, he decided to study Sound Engineering and Music Technology in Athens.Having acquired the necessary skills, he made his first music productions focusing on Tech-house music. Danny admires and is deeply influenced by Nick Curly, Gui Boratto, Robert Babicz, Christian Cambas, Nikos Diamantopoulos Stan Kolev, Oxia and Dubfire.

Contact: dannypanagiotou@hotmail.com

Aggeliki grew up in Chalkída. When she was 18 she moved to Athens for 5 years where she attended lessons in theatre studies. Further to this, her passion is ballet, which she has studied for 16 years. She also loves reading books and enjoys spending time with her friends.

Contact: aggeliki.nasiopoulou@hotmail.com

Eleni is a freelance journalist, fixer-producer and author of the book «Μπλε». She has studied Balkan studies in Greece and Social Anthropology in the UK. Eleni has lived and worked in Istanbul. She has worked for the most prominent Greek and foreign media (Athens Voice, The Press Project, Kathimerini, Vice, Kerdos, NPO, Politiken etc). She specializes in in-depth features on a variety of social issues including economic and environmental crimes, health, illegal labor, government corruption, social conflict and immigration. She is fluent in English, Turkish and Serbian. When not working she loves reading, working on her new book, traveling the world and listening to the “National”.

Contact: elenistamatoukou@gmail.com

Christianna was born in the early 90s as the first child of two accountants. The family business environment inspired her to follow the same path which took her to complete a BSc degree in Management and Business Administration in University Piraeus. As a uni student, she was active in many volunteer groups. After 4 years of studies, she decided to return to her beloved hometown and run the 30-year-old family company. She is specialized in Tax Consulting and Financial Accounting. When she is not involved with numbers, she is outdoorsy and finds peace in pastry making. Her dream is to find a powerful vision to change the world. Full of passion, faith and devotion to human power her motto is “If opportunity doesn’t arrive on your doorstep, you should seek and find it”.

Contact: varelasvchristianna@gmail.com

Thodoris has studied English Language Teaching in Scotland and holds a master's degree in Marketing from Strathclyde University. After working in the marketing department of a Scottish environmental company, he then moved back to Greece where he did PR for a lifestyle magazine. He is a passionate English teacher and the co-owner of Cell.edu.gr, a foreign language school. He is also actively involved in the promotion of Quality Language Services in Greece. He is a workaholic, a dreamer, a world traveller and a gourmand.

Contact: th_meletiadis@hotmail.com

Irini studied Marketing at the University of La Verne and worked for a few years in the field of Marketing & Accounting. However, deep in her heart she knew it was not her dream job. She found her own home of music at 89.1, as she is the Co-founder of Home Radio 89.1, while today she holds the role of the Commercial & Marketing Director. She is ‘on air’ on Home Radio Monday to Friday from 18.00 to 20.00. Her favourite quote is, “home is where our story begins”. She likes to travel, she loves watching movies, swimming, but what she really loves is music.

Contact: irinilouka@hotmail.com

Natasha holds an MBA from the University of Bolton, UK and is the co-founder and co-owner of the foreign language schools CELL in Chalkida. Being a dedicated professional who believes in the hands-on, inquiry-based learning, she involves her students in a variety of activities that provide them with opportunities not only to use the foreign language they are learning but also to find out more about the culture and customs of other people in the world. She is also a proud member of the QLS Education Team, working long hours in enhancing the quality of language learning. Natasha is also happily married to the dentist Tassos Skias and they have two lovely children, Artemis and Anthony. She believes that as there is no limit to the sky, there is no limit to the exciting journey of fulfilling your dreams!

Contact: nasa_touriki@yahoo.gr

Gerasimos is a graphic designer who was born and raised in Athens. In 2014 he founded, with Demetris Boukos, Zero Point Developers, a creative web and software development studio where he is committed to his craft. But wait, doesn't this guy have any hobbies at all? Well, Gerasimos, loves to go to the movies and eat delicious food. But, of course, he would like to travel all over the world. Also, his passion is to write and listen to music. Did we mention that he sings too?

Contact: hello@zeropd.com

Stratos has an extensive working experience in the Merchant Navy where he spent more than 10 years as a second officer and a Chief officer in VLCC Tanker ships of the Springfield Shipping company (Onassis group). Last year he decided to return to his hometown Chalkida and open his own diving center which has been his passion for years. He holds a Merchant Marine Chief Officer degree, a Diving Instructor certificate of PADI, a First Aid Instructor certificate of E.F.R., a Diving Instructor certificate for Disabled Divers of D.D.I. and a professional lifeguard certificate. He speaks Greek, English and French and he is volunteering in environmental actions.

Contact: stratos_sinodis@hotmail.com

After switching his university studies in Economics with Journalism, he made his first steps within the media in 1993. He worked as a journalist and moved on as a television network executive (news & talk shows editor, program director etc.) for more than a decade. He also loved writing and collaborated with important magazines (01, ΚΛΙΚ) and newspapers of Athens. He has also worked for a discography label in the early ’00’s and has been a producer for radio stations, based in Athens. In addition, he has designed and produced major music and TV events. He is one of the co-founders and “godfather” of Home Radio 89.1, a radio station that has been his dream for several years. Today he is the station’s Content Director and holds his own show- every morning from 10:00 to12:00- setting the daily pulse, with music and sarcastic comments about anything significant happening.

Contact: avgero@hotmail.com

Dimitrios Spyrou has combined a finance degree with art history studies following an early inclination and preoccupation with art. He started his academic career at Athens University of Economics and Business and then continued on to his studies at the American College of Greece where he majored in Art History with a minor in Archaeology. His postgraduate studies include prestigious UK universities and distinction degrees. He studied Museology and Curating at the Courtauld Institute of Art, Art Markets and Art Management at Sotheby’s Institute of Art and Art Theory at the University of Edinburgh. Currently he is preparing his PhD research in Contemporary Art Theory. Sharing his life between Greece and abroad, Dimitris works as a curator, art advisor and art critic independently and in a well known art advising company in Athens. He is accredited by the International Association of ArtHistorians and the Association of Greek Art Historians. Moreover, he is a member of the jury council of Cercle Artistique de Luxembourgand the European Council for the Arts. His professional experience includes International Art Fairs, like Frieze where he is a coordinator of the VIP program, Greek Art Fairs, like Art Athina, Sotheby’s Auction House, where he specialized in Modern and Contemporary Art, and the American College of Greece, where he taught Contemporary Art and Curating.

Contact: dimitrios.spyrou.s@gmail.com

Majoring in Graphic Design, Anta runs her own clothing retail store in the centre of Chalkida. She is in love with fashion; indeed, she would travel a way long to find the perfect coat. Her greatest passions are travelling and exercising. An affectionate and likeable person, Anta loves being around her friends, enlightening the paths of their lives.

Contact: antabrak@gmail.com

Nancy completed her studies in 2007 in the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Athens. She worked in Athens up until 2009, after which she returned to Chalkida where she now runs her own pharmacy. Nancy participates in a variety of voluntary activities and is a member and volunteer of the Social Pharmacy of Chalkida. She actively practices homeopathy and the experimental creation of natural and organic cosmetics, as she strongly believes that the treasures of nature can act beneficially on a number of infections. Nancy believes that creativity and imagination can turn any profession into a creative workshop. It is not a coincidence that the mortar and the stirrer are her favorite pharmaceutical tools…

Contact: nancyliopiri@gmail.com

Dimitra decided to return to her hometown Chalkida and manage the 40-year-old family business that exclusively distributes the products of a leading multinational tobacco company in the region of Evia. Before that she worked as a Junior Account Executive in well-known advertising agencies, such as DDB of Athens and Ashley & Holmes Worldwide. She holds a BSc in Advertising and Public Relations from the Panteion University, an MSc in Marketing Management from the University of Surrey and an MRes in Social Sciences from the Herriot Watt University in Edinburgh.
She likes to experiment and is certainly not afraid of change; as a result, she has lived abroad and worked in various environments from consultancy agencies in the USA as an Administrative Assistant to Universities in Scotland as a Tutor teaching undergraduate students in the field of business management. She loves to travel and learn foreign languages: therefore, she speaks (apart from Greek) English, German and Spanish. At the moment, she is trying to learn to communicate in “baby-ish”, a whole new language taught by her two-year-old.

Contact: dimitra.m.skoura@gmail.com

Andie grew up in Aliveri. Following her studies in Panteion University (BSc in Public Administration) and Cass Business School in London (MSc in Management), she worked for several years for Consulting and Shipping companies. Having obtained valuable experience, she decided to return to the retail family business with the vision of ongoing evolvement as in ‘Exelixis’ and she founded an online store and a new store in Chalkida. She is always in search of continuous development (personally and professionally) and she dreams of a life full of travelling and wandering unknown paths.

Contact: andie_kar@yahoo.gr

Catherine Contogianni obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Polytechnic college of Western Macedonia. She is fluent in Greek, English and a competent speaker of German. Her professional experience in General Accounting, Credit & Collection, IT Financial Applications integration within major multinational companies in the Financial Services and the shipping sector i.e. Lloyd’s Register Group, Palomar Maritime Inc, Diamlemos, has equipped her with deep knowledge on the matter and a variety of skills. In 2014 Catherine’s path led her to her hometown Chalkida. Her desire for lifelong learning, teamwork interaction, and communication with others make her a suitable member of the Chalkida TEDx team. This year she joined the local kickboxing team and achieved great success, however, Yoga is her passion, her sanity, her way of living.

Contact: kathrin.kontogianni@gmail.com

Gabriel was born and raised in Athens, but he decided to live in his favourite place, Chalkida. He works as a Team Leader & Sales Representative for a multinational FMCG company. He has studied Applied Informatics in Management & Finance and holds a master degree in Marketing and Communication, from the Athens University of Economics and Business. He loves cycling, discovering new destinations and in his free time, enjoys playing the guitar.

Contact: gmanos@icloud.com

Iokasti is an attorney at law and is currently working as an in house counsel in a credit institution. She studied law at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and is passionate about foreign languages, therefore she learns as many as possible. During her free time she thinks, she is a runner and eventually she will become a real one. Her next goal is to run the Tokyo Marathon. What she believes about life also determines her attitude towards things “If you want to keep your balance, you have to move.”

Contact: iokastithalassi@gmail.com

Sampatis Orfanakos is an Insurance & Investment Executive Advisor. He combines working with playing water polo, which led him to his participation in the Greek National Team. It excites him to interact with people through his job.

Contact: sampatis.orfanakos@gmail.com

Kostis was born in the summer of 1979 and - as all heroes - in August. He has been a restless spirit from an early age, both in sleep and games. Growing up, in his mind, all things were like a blockbuster movie (with special effects, crazy car chases and him in the end winning the girl). It came as a natural consequence that he wanted to realize all these things. And what could be better than becoming a director. He wants to hold the baton and feel the rhythm of ``life`` behind and in front of the camera and to actualize all his thoughts. These last 20 years were so fascinating (with ideas and challenges). Like the one of TEDx. He is ready for this journey... Are you?