Grounded in Greek

Konstantinos Vlachos is a linguist, Ph.D. candidate, and the CEO of Glossonauts, a company that offers customized online lessons for people of all ages interested in learning Greek. Glossonauts teaches a brain-friendly methodology to learn Greek, called Suggestopedia. Konstantinos discusses where we’ve gone wrong with teaching all languages, how we can learn more easily, and how his passion’s origin is incorporated in what he does ...

Georgia and Nick Kandris have been married for almost 15 years, but have known one another for 50 years. They dated in the early 1970s, but went their separate ways. This episode is about rekindled love and goes through their journey: being young in the same hometown, branching off and individually wading through life’s ups and downs, marrying other people, and then reconnecting decades later. They share how they reconnected and th...

Georgette Boulegeris is the Grand President of the Daughters of Penelope organization, one that was started in 1929 by women who immigrated from Greece to the United States. It’s rooted in promoting Hellenism, Education, Philanthropy, Civic Responsibility, Family and Individual Excellence. Georgette shares why she wanted to lead the large organization at this time and what she brings to her presidency, from her Greek background and...

Platon is a photographer who has captured numerous portraits of famous individuals including Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, Mark Zuckerberg, and Adele. He’s won countless awards and shot for many international publications including Rolling Stone, the New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, Esquire, GQ, Sunday Times Magazine, and Time magazine. He’s published four books, teamed up with Human Rights Watch, founded the non...

Giovanni Prete is the All for Blue Greek NGO social media manager and founder and leader of the Corfu (Kerkyra) team of the organization. All for Blue’s mission is to protect the seas and oceans through educational programs and experiential cleanup actions. Giovanni and Brigette talk about what’s the most common and craziest waste found through cleanups, facts on global warming/climate change, and how consumers can help protect our...

Two friends from Canada, Athena Dimaras and Katerina Theodorelos, started a Greek-themed dog toy company in October 2022 to bring a little Opaw! home to pets. Their company, Opaw! is still growing and they share how and why the company started, including their toy creation process. The women also talk about why the older generations were against dogs in the home and how much that is shifting.

Website: https://opawpets.com

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Ellen Karis is a comedian who has been gifted the title of “Greek Goddess of Comedy.” She transitioned from a career on Wall Street to one on the stage in New York and has been hustling in the industry ever since, mixing performing mainstream comedy shows with Greek-specific shows. She talks about the struggles, especially for women, what’s involved in her preparation, and how she pulls from the Greek work ethic she learned growing...

Brianna Koucos Midgley is the author of Yiayia's Kitchen Children's Book Series. Her and Brigette talk about the process of writing a children’s book as well as the challenges of finishing projects that mean so much to us. They also discuss facing criticisms and Brianna shares how she’s grown through it all by remaining authentic to herself. 

Find her books, gift items, blog, and social media links at: yiayiaskitchenchildr...

Libby Nicholaou is a certified yoga and meditation teacher. She and Brigette talk about the benefits of yoga and meditation, especially during stressful times and in recovering from traumatic brain injuries. Libby shares how yoga and meditation have helped her connect with her Greek ancestors and the steps she’s taken to learn more about her heritage. 

Resources referenced in this episode:

Website: https://www.libbynicholaou.com

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Peter Scobas is a data scientist, writer, and most importantly the host’s younger brother! They chat about growing up Greek, the dynamics of their family, sibling memories, and the growth in their relationship as well as their personal growth through the years. November 27th is Peter’s birthday, so Brigette saved this episode slot just for him.

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Theodore Pitsios is an author of 3 fiction books about Greek immigrants including, Bellmaker’s House, Searching for Ithaka, and his newest novel, Walking in the Light. As an immigrant himself, he shares where his inspiration is from, what sparked his writing, what his process is and what’s next (memoirs). You can find out more at theodorepitsios.com.

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George Stroumboulis is the co-founder of a custom lighting company, Ideoli Group and the podcast host of “Invigorate Your Business with George Stroumboulis.” George and Brigette talk podcasting, starting a business, the lighting industry, and what embarrassed them growing up that they now think is beautiful.

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Konstantine “Dean” Karnazes is an ultramarathoner, speaker, best-selling author, and entrepreneur, as well the “Top 100 Most Influential People in the World” according to TIME magazine. He’s run 50 marathons, in all 50 US states, in 50 consecutive days and he’s run 350 continuous miles. The host and him discuss snippets from his book, The Road to Sparta: Reliving the Ancient Battle and Epic Run That Inspired the World's Greate...

Presbytera Maria Koulianos, St. Raphael School's Principal and Scholé Academy's Lower School Academic Dean, is a delight, her laugh is infectious, and her stories are insightful. She discusses how her vocation as an educator was sparked from a young age and the host and her reminisce on impactful educators, both the positive and challenging ones in their lives. She also shares what the role of Presbytera means to her, inc...

Kosta Sakellariou is a radiological technologist at a major healthcare system in the East Bay. The host geeks out with him on anatomy and Kosta shares insights into the field he’s been in for the past 14 years, CT scans, and radiation safety. He discusses how his Greek upbringing impacts his approach to work and how the Greek language aided him in studying the medical terms in school.

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Elizabeth Chiarel and Maria Diamond are a mother-daughter duo who started and grew a Greek ceramics importing business, So Blue Greek Ceramics and Gifts. They discuss starting a business pre-mass-Internet usage, what’s involved in sourcing products, how they’ve split up their roles, and the joys of all the Greek connections they’ve formed. Their business has allowed those across the world to treasure Greek artists’ creations.

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Julie Karatzis founded Cartoules Press, a letterpress and design studio in 2010 after she couldn’t find the right bilingual wedding invitations that worked for her and her husband’s wedding. It morphed into her full-time business today. We talk about that process, including the joys and challenges she faced, what inspires her designs, and the steps she takes to deliver fresh ideas. 

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Father Konstantinos Koutroubas was ordained a priest a couple years ago and is the Presiding Priest at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Father Konstantinos shares his path into the clergy, his experience in sharing the joys and hurdles of his parishioners, if chanting in front of people makes him nervous, and what inspires him to write sermons. Since this episode launches on Greek Orthodox Easter, he a...

Amber Theoharis has been in sports broadcasting for over 20 years at places like the NFL Network and Fox Sports, winning herself an Emmy along the way. She talks about how lately she’s been focusing a lot more on storytelling and producing, with HBO’s “The Weight of Gold” documentary under her belt. Amber and Brigette also discuss growing up in households with mothers who are not Greek and what that dynamic was like, in addition to...