Eleni Papamichalaki is a Secondary School Teacher of English, an Adolescent Health Counselor and a lifelong learner. She holds a B.A. in Greek and English Language and Literature (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens), a M.Ed. in ELT Methodology (Hellenic Open University) and a M.Sc. in Adolescent Health (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Faculty of Medicine). She has completed multiple professional training programs on new technologies in education, internet safety, differentiated teaching, intercultural and refugee education and primary prevention. She also holds graduate certificates in School Psychology and Mentoring, and Counseling and Assessment in Education. During her undergraduate studies, Eleni was awarded with an Erasmus Scholarship (Universitaet Saarbruecken) and a DAAD Scholarship (Universitaet Freiburg). As an Ambassador of the European Antibullying Program Enable and a certified teacher trainer for School Violence and Bullying, she has made numerous presentations, seminars and workshops to awaken the whole educational community and raise awareness on socio-emotional learning, bullying, abuse, inclusive education and primary prevention. She has authored and coauthored relevant articles in scholar journals and conferences. Her pedagogical philosophy is fully aligned with the principles of democracy, equality, participation, inclusion and multiculturalism. She has been volunteering with prominent educational and health organizations for the implementation of school primary prevention programs to support her students and their families, especially those coming from underserved social backgrounds.

As a Fulbright Fellow in Greece in June 2022, Eleni will be hosted by California State University at Chico under the unifying theme of Liberty, Equality, and the American Dream. Through observation of best practices focusing on sociocultural understanding, equitable learning communities, and diversity, she anticipates to gain up to date knowledge of U.S. education and society and utilize this transformative cultural and academic experience to further cater for her students’ needs and aspirations.

Evgenia Berdesi is an EFL - English as a Foreign Language - Teacher in public, primary education in the region of Achaia, Western Greece. She has studied English Language and Literature at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, specializing in Linguistics. Evgenia Berdesi also holds M.A. degrees in Language Education for Refugees and Migrants from the Hellenic Open University and in Adult Learning and Global Change from the Linkoping University, Sweden. Moreover, She has worked as an EFL Teacher in both the private and public sectors for the last 18 years teaching English to young, adolescent and adult learners. Her active, volunteer action includes teaching Greek and English to migrants and refugees. Furthermore, Evgenia Berdesi has participated in programs, seminars and conferences regarding educational innovation, cultural diversity and differentiated instruction. Her research and teaching interests focus on language teaching to adult learners, cultural awareness, intercultural education and social inclusion.

Through her participation in the SUSI program she aspires to gain a first-hand understanding of the American culture and disseminate this knowledge to the Greek educational context through her teaching.

Stella Kroustalidou is a senior high school teacher in Irakleio, Crete, Greece. She was born and grew up in Alexandroupolis, Thrace, and received her B.A. in English Language and Literature from The Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 1992. She started working in private education in 1990 and also taught part-time ESP English for Accountants and Microbiology Lab Assistants at the Higher Technological Institute of Thessaloniki. In 1999, she received her appointment as a Teacher of English in Secondary Education in Crete by the Ministry of Education after successful ΑΣΕΠ exams (Higher Board for the Selection of Personnel). She has taught junior high school, vocational school (general and ESP) and senior high school students. In 2011, she received her M.Ed. in Teaching English from the Hellenic Open University - HAU. The topic of her dissertation was portfolio assessment and its implementation in the classroom. Since her appointment in secondary education in 1999, she has participated in a number of seminars, conferences and workshops on a vast array of topics (e.g. ICT, Social Media, Digital Classroom, Syllabus Design, Class Management, Multimodal Texts, Learner Motivation, Dyslexia, Mixed-Ability Classes, Bullying at School, Early School Leaving, Vocational Education, Drama in the Classroom, Gender Equality and Language, Consumer Training). She has participated in Erasmus programs that encourage the cooperation of schools, teachers and students from various European countries. She has organized cultural programs that include drama clubs, film clubs and has been in charge of the school library for 4 years. She is also a trained and certified assessor for the Greek Certification in Foreign Languages (KPG). She is the mother of two children (Mike, 17 and Niki, 14). She is also a movies and tennis fanatic.

She feels that her SUSI training can lead to a deeper insight of the U.S.A., the way of life, the institutions and the culture and can assist the initiation of her students and the facilitation of their contact with the country and its institutions.