Eleni Kounalakis
Eleni Kounalakis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States Ambassador to Hungary | |
| In office January 11, 2010 – July 20, 2013 | |
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | April Foley |
| Succeeded by | Colleen Bell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Eleni Tsakopoulos 1966 (age 57–58) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Markos Kounalakis |
| Parent |
|
| Relatives | George Tsakopoulos (uncle) |
| Education | Dartmouth College (BA) University of California, Berkeley (MBA) |
Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis (born 1966) is an American politician, diplomat and businesswoman who served as the United States Ambassador to Hungary from 2010 to 2013. She was sworn into office on January 7, 2010, and presented her credentials to President László Sólyom on January 11, 2010. On April 24, 2017, Kounalakis announced her bid for the office of Lieutenant Governor of California in the 2018 election and came in first place in the June 2018 primary election.[1] She is a member of the Democratic Party.[2]
Career
Before accepting President Obama's nomination to serve as a U.S. Ambassador,[3] Kounalakis was President of AKT Development Corporation, one of California’s largest housing development firms, which was founded by her father.[4] Kounalakis earned her undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and an Master of Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley's Haas School of Business.[5] In 2011, she received an Honorary Doctor of Law from the American College of Greece.[6]
Kounalakis and her husband, print and broadcast journalist Markos Kounalakis, founded two university chairs in Hellenic studies, the Markos and Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis chair at Georgetown University,[7] held by the scholar of late Classical and early Hellenistic Greek literature, Dr. Alexander Sens, and the Tsakopoulos Kounalakis chair in honor of Constantine Mitsotakis at Stanford University, held by Josiah Ober. Both chairs focus on the understanding of the origins of Athenian democracy. They also established the Tsakopoulos Kounalakis lecture series at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars to focus on democracy and international relations.[8]
Kounalakis served for nearly ten years as a Trustee of the World Council of Religions for Peace. In recognition for her work with the WCRP, she was awarded the medal of St. Paul, the Greek Orthodox Church of America’s highest honor.[9] San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom appointed her to serve as a Trustee of the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee appointed her to serve on the Port Commission Board.[10]
She served four times as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention and as an at-large member of the California State Central Committee. She also served as a member of the First 5 California Commission, and the California Blue Ribbon Commission on Autism.[11] She served as a Trustee of Robert Redford’s Sundance Preserve[citation needed] and on the Conservation Fund’s National Forum on Children and Nature. She is also a Senior Advisor at Albright Stonebridge Group.[12]
On April 24, 2017, Kounalakis announced her bid for the office of Lieutenant Governor of California in the 2018 election. She came in first place on June 6, 2018 in the top two statewide primary.[13]
Personal life
Kounalakis is of Greek descent. She and her husband have two children. She is the daughter of Angelo Tsakopoulos, a Sacramento developer.
References
- ^ https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Kounalakis-Hernandez-finish-top-two-in-tight-CA-12971869.php
- ^ Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis (1966–)
- ^ "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". White House.
- ^ "Land Developer to U.S. Ambassador". Retrieved 5 May 2012.
- ^ From real Estate Exec to Diplomat
- ^ "American College of Greece Commencement". DEREE.
- ^ Georgetown University Receives $1.2 Million Gift for Hellenic Studies Chair
- ^ "Southeast Europe Project Announces Scholars". Wilson Center.
The project features the Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis Lecture Series as a forum for world leaders and distinguished scholars who study, understand, and manifest democracy and reason as classical Hellenism's vital contributions to contemporary statecraft and society.
- ^ "Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis Receives Greek Orthodox Church of America's Highest Honor". PSEKA.
- ^ Mayor Ed Lee's Port Commission picks sails through board committee, sfexaminer.com.
- ^ Appointed Members of the Legislative Blue Ribbon Commission on Autism
- ^ Eleni Tsakopoulos, Albright Stonebridge Group
- ^ https://www.eleniforca.com/press-releases/eleni-kounalakis-wins-primary-for-lieutenant-governor
External links
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| National | |
| Other | |
