Dr. Athina Nella has served as a Scientific Counselor at the Institute of Educational Policy (former Pedagogical Institute - Athens, Greece) for more than 6 years. During this period she was in parallel appointed as Coordinator of the Scientific Unit for Vocational Education (2016-2020) and Head of the Scientific Offices for: a) International and European Educational Policy (2018), b) Evaluation and Assessment of Educational Work (2018-2020) and c) Development of Curricula and Educational Material in Primary and Secondary Education (2020-2021). In this context, Athina has coordinated and implemented various projects and workshops for curricula development in the fields of Economics, Business Administration, Marketing and Civics, while she has also been actively involved in textbook writing and research concerning the apprenticeship institution and the evaluation of educational material. Additionally, she has organized and implemented various teacher-training seminars and workshops. Earlier, during her Ph.D. studies, Athina was a scholar of the State Scholarships Foundation while she was awarded with scholarships for both her undergraduate and graduate studies at Athens University of Economics and Business; she also holds a second Bachelor in Sociology and graduate certificates in Pedagogics and Vocational Counseling. Before joining the Ministry of Education in 2007, she acquired valuable professional experience in the private sector working for companies like Procter & Gamble and Hellenic Communications Organization. Her main research interests evolve not only around marketing, where she holds a Ph.D., but also VET, learning outcomes, school culture, management, entrepreneurship and leadership issues in education. Athina’s participation in the 2021 Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) for Secondary School Educators fills her with great enthusiasm and is expected to be a milestone in her career.

My name is Christina (Tina) Stavraki and I am from Greece. I am an EFL (English as a Foreign Lanaguage) teacher in public Primary Education. I live and work in Nafpaktos, a seaside town in Western Greece. I obtained a Bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature and a Master’s in Teaching of English as a Foreign/International Language. I am currently doing my second Master’s in School Health. I have been working as an EFL teacher both in the private and public sectors for the last 25 years. I have been teaching English at private language institutes and private schools as well as in public  Primary, Secondary, Post-Secondary and Tertiary Education. I have participated in numerous seminars and conferences regarding the use of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) in the EFL class, cultural diversity issues, differentiated instruction and class management. I have presented sample teaching EFL lessons to my colleagues and I take part in collaborative school programs and actions with other European schools on an annual basis. My academic and professional interests lie in Teacher Development, Cultural Awareness, Language Learning Psychology and School Health. Through my participation in the SUSI program I hope to gain firsthand understanding of American culture and society, which will help me enrich my teaching by developing culturally infused projects and syllabi. I also hope to create a network of colleagues from all over the world with whom I can exchange ideas and good practices and collaborate on a long-term basis.

Mentor Elissavet Pramateftaki holds a B.A. in English Literature and an M.A. in Applied Pedagogy (Teaching and Curricula) from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. She is a highly inspired, enthusiastic Secondary Education Teacher with proven experience in various pedagogic fields (exam preparation, general English, Model United Nations, mentoring of university students), whilst working in a challenging, multicultural environment in the Second Artemis Junior High School in Athens, Greece. She has been organizing and managing short-term and long-term projects at school such as Life Skills, Inclusive Schools, World Bank Food Waste Reduction Management, Breaking Stereotypes, and volunteering for the Athens Classic Marathon and Semi-Marathon while supporting students of all levels and abilities in their pursuit of knowledge. She has been aiming at creating an environment of mutual trust and respect allowing students to thrive.

As a Fulbright Fellow in Greece in June 2021 (first virtual component), Elissavet will be hosted by the Institute for Training and Development in Amherst, MA, focusing on the theme of Liberty, Equality, and the American Dream. Together with educators from different countries, cultures and educational backgrounds, Elissavet will aim at identifying the influences, challenges and prevailing notions that have shaped the U.S.A. of today and will explore the dynamics of pluralism and multiethnicity within a continually evolving environment. More specifically, she aims to identify the particular milestones and philosophical movements that have led to America being considered the land of opportunity and independence.

Maria Pitsaki has been teaching English as a foreign language for 20 years both in secondary schools and at university level. Her teaching experience at various levels and in different environments has enabled her to motivate and communicate effectively with a heterogeneous audience, adapting herself easily to new situations. She holds a Master’s Degree in Translation (Surrey University, 2000) and a Bachelor’s Degree in English Language and Philology (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 1997). She is fortunate to be working in the Model General Lyceum of Heraklion, a school environment which fosters cooperation among students and teachers, and joint projects are common. Co-teaching, project-based learning, flipped-classroom and game-based learning using technology has been the focus of her teaching during the last years. Her collaboration with other European schools through Erasmus+ and e-Twinning projects have molded her beliefs in equity, diversity and developing partnerships. The collaborative work with other schools has earned her European quality labels twice. What she constantly tries to instill into her students is a sense of inclusion, acceptance of the different and cultivation of other cultures. She is committed to teaching translation techniques to advanced students, instilling the love for languages even further in preparation for the Juvenes Translatores European Union contest, in which one of her students already won first prize for Greece in 2015. Last but not least, she is a proud mother of an 11-year-old daughter, a travel enthusiast, a film lover and an amateur tennis player. As a Fulbright Scholar she aims to develop her teaching skills on interdisciplinary education and exchange innovative practices about co-teaching. In the long run she wishes to continue to influence her students to follow their dreams and acquire solid foundations on languages.