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We welcome Father Anthony Tandilyan to the show! Fr. Anthony is the presiding Pastor at St. Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church in Peabody, MA. His journey from Armenia to Pastor has been interesting, and his use of media throughout his life plays a key role in his connection to his followers. As stated on his YouTube channel, "This channel introduces the Truth about God's relationship with humanity for the salvation of all. Daily Gospel readings are interpreted according to the Eastern Orthodox Tradition from patristic perspective." Join us in welcoming Father Anthony!https://www.stvasilios.org/https://www.youtube.com/@Fr.AnthonySTandilyanhttps://www.facebook.com/Franthony.tandilyan/https://www.instagram.com/franthonythepriest/https://www.tiktok.com/@fr..anthony.s..taSee more on GreekAF!

We welcome the entrepreneurial force of Chris Lambros to the podcast! Chris is the founder of Rhody Sports Cards LLC, a successful sports card business he built and grew while attending Bryant University. He developed a multichannel business that connects with collectors through an online store, digital marketplaces, and in-person card shows. His experience includes setting up at iconic venues such as Fenway Park and TD Garden, as well as casino-hosted shows. Christopher manages sourcing, pricing, marketing, customer relationships, and fulfillment, applying his entrepreneurship and marketing education to grow a recognizable brand. Through Rhody Sports Cards, he combines his passion for collecting with hands-on experience building and running a business. In addition to Rhody Sports Cards LLC, Chris is Chief Operating Officer of Lambros Law Office LLC, where he leads business operations and helps shape the growth of his family’s estate planning, probate, and trust administration firm. Having worked within the firm from a young age, he combines firsthand knowledge of the business with an entrepreneurial approach to modernizing a law practice. Chris oversees team management, hiring, financial operations, billing, and workflow improvement. He led the firm’s rebranding and office expansion and growth and continues to guide its technology adoption, marketing, and business development. His work focuses on creating systems that support employees, improve the client experience, and position the firm for long-term growth. Across both businesses, he brings a practical perspective on entrepreneurship, leadership, and turning classroom knowledge into real-world results. Learn more: https://www.rhodysportscards.com https://lambroslawllc.com Listen & watch to more on GreekAF >

We welcome back Alpha Omega member and head of the Konstantinos Argiros concert Bill Galatis to discuss the big Alpha Omega 50th Anniversary weekend including the Friday night Gala event, the Sunday luncheon, and of course the main event on Saturday - Konstantinos Argiros live at the Agganis Arena at Boston University! Join us! Alpha Omega Council WebsiteKonstantinos Argiros TicketsBoston Greeks Website

The spirit of Hellenism, achievement, and community takes center stage on this week's Boston Greeks Podcast! Join us as we sit down with Nick Kourtis, proud member of the Alpha Omega Council and board member of the 26.2 Foundation, who sits on one of the dedicated chairs of the prestigious Marathon Essay Awards Program. In this inspiring conversation, Nick shares the impact of this remarkable initiative, which celebrates academic excellence while connecting young people to the enduring values and legacy of Greek culture. Alpha Omega Council and the 26.2 Foundation proudly collaborate on the Marathon Education Program and the Wreath Ceremony, united in their commitment to preserving the marathon’s rich history and advancing the principles of Hellenism. For more information about these organizations please visit Alpha Omega Council and 26.2 Foundation - Promoting the Sport of Marathoning. Watch more on GreekAF.

It's a Greek Celebration with custom Greek Jerseys at this year's Greek Heritage Night at Fenway Park, Boston! Get ready to channel your inner warrior because Boston’s biggest Greek celebration is taking over Fenway Park! In this high-energy episode, we sit down with John Mokas, the powerhouse from the Alpha Omega Council and Chairman of Greek Heritage Night, alongside committee dynamo Costas Sideritis. We are breaking down everything you need to know about the massive upcoming game on Tuesday, June 2nd, as our Boston Red Sox clash with the Baltimore Orioles. From the thrilling pre-game cultural performances to the unmatched stadium energy, John and Costas share exclusive behind-the-scenes insights on how this spectacular night comes together. Grab your komboloi, warm up your vocal cords, and let's turn the stands into a sea of blue and white! Hit play to hear why you absolutely cannot miss this unforgettable evening of culture, community, and baseball—Opa! Get tickets at: https://alphaomegacouncil.org/greek-heritage-night/

We had the honor and pleasure of welcoming the great Mike Manatos to the show! Mike serves as the Executive Director of The Hellenic Initiative (THI). He stepped into this leadership role to mobilize the global Greek diaspora and Philhellene community. THI focuses on driving sustainable economic recovery, entrepreneurship, and crisis relief for Greece and Cyprus. Before leading THI, Manatos built a 35-year career in public policy and government relations. He previously served as President of the prominent boutique lobbying firm, Manatos & Manatos. This made him the third generation of his family to cultivate deeply rooted, bipartisan relationships with top U.S. policymakers. A dedicated philanthropist and advocate for Hellenic causes, his notable accomplishments include: Co-founding the Washington Oxi Day Foundation, where he served as Executive Director to establish the globally recognized OXI Courage Awards; Raising over $2 million and granting more than 250 wishes during his 26-year involvement with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic; Advocating pro-bono for religious freedom, specifically supporting the Ecumenical Patriarchate before the White House, State Department, and Congress; Serving on major nonprofit boards, including the Executive Committees of Leadership 100 and the National Hellenic Society. Join us in getting to know this fantastic Hellene with us! Learn more at: https://thehellenicinitiative.org/ https://thehellenicinitiative.org/ithaka/

We welcome the awesome Panos Coufos to the show! Panos is the director of the wonderful Metropolis of Boston camp, which he first attended when he was eight years old and has taken part in every single youth and young adult ministry offering of the Metropolis of Boston. For 8 years, he has served as a staff member with about half of those years serving as Program Director. Camp was the most influential place and most formative experience of his childhood and young adulthood, and he is dedicated to ensuring that all who step foot onto the camp grounds leave feeling like MBC is their home. Join us! MBC Camp: https://www.metropolisofbostoncamp.org/ Saint Methodios Faith & Heritage Center: https://www.saintmethodios.org/ See more on GreekAF: https://www.greekradio.app/

We welcome the awesome Eleni Vidalis to the show! Eleni is a respected Greek American community leader, media professional, and civic advocate based in Boston, Massachusetts. She is widely recognized for her decades-long commitment to the preservation and advancement of Hellenic culture, faith, and public engagement in New England. She serves as President of the Federation of Hellenic American Societies of New England (FHASNE), an umbrella organization representing Greek and Greek American societies throughout the region. In this role, she has overseen major cultural and national initiatives, including the Boston Greek Independence Day Parade, one of the largest Hellenic celebrations in the United States, as well as educational, philanthropic, and youth-focused programs that strengthen diaspora ties across generations. Eleni is also the creator, host, and producer of The Greek Program, a Greek American television program that aired for more than 25 years on Boston community television. Through this platform, she interviewed prominent figures from Greece, the United States, and the Greek diaspora, while also forging a deep connection with her audience by sharing aspects of her own personal life—family, faith, and lived experience—bringing authenticity, warmth, and relatability to public discourse. In parish life, Eleni made history as the first female President of Saint John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Boston’s South End, one of the city’s oldest and most historic Greek Orthodox parishes. During her tenure, she oversaw multi-million-dollar capital improvements, including the installation of a center aisle in the church nave, a feature of deep symbolic and liturgical significance in the Greek Orthodox tradition, reflecting both reverence for ecclesiastical heritage and careful stewardship of the parish’s future. Professionally, Eleni served for many years with the Boston Water and Sewer Commission, holding senior leadership roles including Director of Facilities and Director of Support Services. In these capacities, she was responsible for the oversight of complex municipal operations, large-scale capital and infrastructure projects, and cross-departmental support services. Among her notable accomplishments was overseeing the installation of a large solar array on an active municipal building, a forward-looking sustainability initiative that was considered innovative for its time and demonstrated her commitment to operational excellence, environmental responsibility, and public service. Throughout her career, she has served as a trusted bridge between community organizations, the Greek Orthodox Church, diplomatic missions, and civic institutions. Her work has consistently emphasized volunteerism, cultural continuity, education, responsible governance, and advocacy for Hellenism in the diaspora. Eleni is known for her integrity, dedication, and ability to unite diverse voices in service of the broader community. Her leadership—across faith, media, public service, and civic life—has left a lasting impact on Greek-American cultural and institutional life in Boston and beyond. Visit the FHASNE website to learn more! Hear more on GreekAF!

We welcome Bill Galatis to the show! Bill studied cinema, animation, film production, photography as well as developing into quite a cinephile. Bill also paralleled as a rock musician; performing, writing and recording all over New England and New York. From 2006-2018, Bill was involved with a premiere, international music school organization called School of Rock (SOR). SOR is a nationwide chain of performance-based music schools for kids ages 7-18, as well as adults. After a few years as the Music Director for School of Rock Boston, he became franchisee of that location and opened an additional school on the north shore of MA. In addition to opening both schools from scratch, Bill’s Boston school was the first SOR unit to open in all of New England. As well as covering the day-to-day operations of both schools, Bill had a busy schedule of instructing weekly group rehearsals and private guitar and bass lessons. Around the end of winter 2014, Bill started to shift from the SOR day to day operations to more of an overseer. This allowed him to build his career in filmmaking, with a focus on acting, but still film editing and writing here and there. In the next 6 years, Bill booked lead and supporting roles on about 40 independent and studio films, both short and feature length. He worked closely with Karen Allen (Raiders of the Lost Art), John Fiore, Frank Santorelli, Armen Garo and Robert Funaro (The Sopranos) to name a few of the more well-known artists. By 2018, Bill made the big decision to sell both of School of Rock locations and go into the movie business full time. In 2020, Bill moved to Manhattan, New York. With the pandemic in full throttle, Bill’s film editing career became more of the main focus. In the last 5 years, Bill has edited about a half dozen independent short films and 4 independent feature length films. Bill has recently started studying at the Manhattan Edit Workshop and is aiming to break into editing for major film studio productions. Bill's Reel: https://vimeo.com/1121209032/3980bfe952 IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7113973/ See more on GreekAF: https://www.greekradio.app/

We welcome the great Bill Galatis to the show! Bill's resume and experience is so vast and impressive we would need another episode just to talk about his accomplishments. A quick summary includes his entrepreneurial skills as a Dunkin' co-franchisee and director of multi-unit network in Greater and Downtown Boston for over 30 years, a business advisor and mentor for entrepreneurial startups and emerging businesses, a former adjunct professor at Boston University and Suffolk University, a former PricewaterhouseCoopers manager, and currently, managing partner of Tresca Restaurant in Boston and co-owner of Red's Kitchen and Tavern in Seabrook, NH. He's also an executive board member of Meet Boston, director of the Boston Bruins Foundation and longtime Trustee at The Sports Museum. Bill was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 2001, Somerville, MA Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement recipient in 2022, and in 2024, he was bestowed the George Dilboy Humanitarian Medal of Honor. Finally, he was chosen as Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 2024. WOW! Join us in our chat about his co-chairing of the Alpha Omega Council's 2025 Honors Gala honoring the late great Harry Agganis. Learn more at https://alphaomegacouncil.org See more on GreekAF: https://www.greekradio.app

FREE CLASS AT RUMBLE BOXING: Go to rumbleboxinggym.com and select SINGLE CLASS, then use promo code BOSTONGREEEKS for your FREE CLASS! Irina Kapetanakis is a dynamic entrepreneur, wellness advocate, and award-winning business leader dedicated to transforming lives through community-driven fitness. As the powerhouse behind the expansion of Rumble Boxing studios across the Northeast, Irina has redefined what it means to blend purpose, passion, and performance in the health and wellness space. From a Hellenism standpoint, Irina serves on the Board of Directors for Hellenic Professional Women; is an investor and serves on the Board of Directors for KLEOS Mastiha Spirit; and has recently been awarded the ATHENA Award at the 34th Hermes Expo in 2025 in recognition of her entrepreneurial spirit, operational excellence, and commitment to women’s empowerment. Join us! Learn more about Rumble: https://www.rumbleboxinggym.com/ See more on GreekAF: https://www.greekradio.app/

We welcome the amazing Scott Kerman to the show! Scott, among his many credits, has authored a fascinating book about Michael Dukakis called, "The Duke: Weekly Conversations With The Last Honest Politician. A Political Giant And A Comedian Walk Into A Kitchen...". Join us as we chat about the great Michael Dukakis from his friend and confidant Scott Kerman. Book available on Amazon: https://a.co/d/gx2bpc4 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@scott_kerman_comedy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/the.duke.70058 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedukebook

We welcome the awesome Tim Kilduff to the show! Tim is the president and founder of the 26.2 Foundation, whose signature project is the building of the International Marathon Center. As race director of the Boston Marathon from 1983-1984 he organized and led a small team that saved the Marathon during a period of operational crisis, ensuring the success it enjoys today. His contributions to the race have continued for more than 30 years in creative ways such as broadcasting, fundraising and non-profit development, with each effort enhancing the Marathon. His experience includes corporate affairs, organizational management, internal and external communications, corporate philanthropy and community relations, working with technology companies, small businesses and community organizations. His background includes a focus on crisis communications, public relations, media, philanthropy, government relations and marketing programs to effectively and strategically position clients with internal and external audiences. His work has been recognized by the Reagan administration, Vice President Gore, and Massachusetts Governors Weld and Dukakis, as well as Massachusetts Lt. Governor Healy during the Romney/Healy administration. He was presented with the Philhellene Award in 2018 by the Alpha Omega Council of Boston and in 2021 was awarded the College of Education Centennial Alumni Award from his alma mater, Kent State University. Join us as we chat with Tim! Learn more at the 26.2 Foundation website: 26-2.org Listen and watch more of the Boston Greeks Podcast.

We welcome the wonderful Jay Samons to the podcast! Jay is Professor of Classical Studies at Boston University and Chief Academic Advisor and Executive Director of the Institute for Hellenic Culture and the Liberal Arts at The American College of Greece in Athens. Born in Arkansas and educated at Baylor University and Brown University, Samons has taught ancient history and classical languages at Boston University for 31 years, winning many teaching awards including the university’s highest honor, the Metcalf Award for Excellence. He has published numerous works on classical Greece, focusing in particular on the relationship between Athenian democracy and imperialism, the issue of national character, the relevance of ancient history for the modern world. His books include Empire of the Owl: Athenian Imperial Finance (2000), What’s Wrong with Democracy? From Athenian Practice to American Worship (2004), and Pericles and the Conquest of History (2016), as well as the edited volumes The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Pericles (2007) and Athenian Democracy and Imperialism (1997). Professor Samons has lectured at many institutions including Oxford University, The University of Edinburgh, the University of Pennsylvania, Brown University, Duke University, Pomona College, and the Getty Villa. Among other named lectures, Samons delivered the annual Bancroft Memorial Lecture at the U.S. Naval Academy in 2020. In 2018 Professor Samons was a Visiting Scholar at St John’s College, Oxford, where he continued work on a book-length study on the rise of classical Athens. Professor Samons’ outreach efforts have included lectures at many elementary and secondary schools, often in support of the Marathon Education Committee, as well as talks and seminars for teachers (including The Examined Life) and collaborations with the Greek Consulate in Boston, especially in conjunction with the Boston University Philhellenes. In various roles at The American College of Greece, Professor Samons has helped to implement the college’s strategic plan by creating new institutes and centers of excellence designed to foster research, international collaboration, and economic growth. Most recently he has focused on expanding undergraduate and graduate programming, especially in ways that emphasize Greece’s important historical and contemporary role as an intellectual and cultural leader. See more on GreekAF!

We welcome Chris Damianakos to the show! Chris has been a creating fun experiences as long as he can remember. Chris was born an only child, and a slew of imagination came along with him. As long as he can remember he kept creating experiences for friends - be it a game or some sort of theatrics just to see what the reaction would be. This all led to the creation of Cashunt, a top ranked urban competition in Boston, now in its 25th season. Cashunt hosts 200+ games in Boston alone and brings all types of people together, making them laugh, compete and have an amazing experience during this 2-hour urban adventure. See moreBoston Greeks on GreekAF!