Faculty Bios
Nektaria Glinou
Emotional Intelligence Workshops
Ph.D., Education, Health and Behavior Studies, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York
M.Phil., Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York
Ed.M., Instructional Practice, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York
M.A., Special Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, New York
B.A., Psychology, The American College of Greece-Deree
Dr. Nektaria Glinou received her Bachelor of Arts with a major in Psychology at the American College of Greece in 1994. Subsequently, she moved to New York City where she completed, on full scholarship, a Masters of Arts, a Masters of Education, a Masters of Philosophy, and her doctorate (PHD in Education), at Teachers College, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY. Her dissertation received the National Dissertation Award by the Academy on Mental Retardation. During the 11 years she resided in New York City she worked as a special education teacher, developer of innovative educational programs, conference coordinator, researcher, founder of an experimental school, and as an Assistant Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University. While in New York she also received intensive training in therapeutic techniques through dance, theater and public art. She has created the parent-child kinesthetic program entitled dance together ©. She has performed or participated in numerous dance-theater productions. She has organized seminars and festivals that blend education, community contribution and the Arts. Upon her return to Greece in 2006, she started working at the American College of Greece as the PIERCE school psychologist with responsibilities ranging from individual psychotherapeutic evaluation and intervention for students and parents, to in-class seminars to teacher training programs. In 2010, she took upon an additional responsibility at the American College of Greece, namely Developer of International, Community Contribution, Art and Education Programs.
Yannos Tsatalis
Theater & Drama Modules & Workshops
Ptychion in Modern and in Ancient Greek Literature, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Mr. Tsatalis has been a member of the Pierce faculty since 1991, teaching Modern and Ancient Greek Language. He is creator of the “Greek Drama Club”, of the Days of the Arts Club and of the festival by the same name at Pierce. He is head of the Ancient Greek Language Department at Pierce. During his studies, he has delved into theater (Ancient Greek drama and modern theater) and has participated in many theater conferences. He is currently pursuing his MA in Communication & PR strategies at Deree-The American College of Greece.
Maria Korda
Human Rights Session
BA in Greek Philology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
MA in Trilingual Professional Translation (French-English-Greek), Marc Bloch University of Strasbourg
Maria Korda has been a member of the Pierce Faculty since 2015, teaching Modern and Ancient Greek Language and Greek History. Currently, she is the Faculty Advisor of the Greek Sunny Days Publication for the Pierce Gymnasium. She is participating at the educational programs of the UNESCO Associated Schools Network (ASPnet), as well as at the educational program for human rights “Speak Truth to Power”. In 2012-2015, she worked as a translator in the Editions Department of the European Public Law Organization (EPLO). In 2007-2012, she worked as a Scientific Assistant in the Hellenic Parliament, where her work focused mainly on human rights issues.
Chrysanthi Agrafiotis
BA, in English Literature and Classical Studies, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, USA.
Chrysanthi Agrafiotis has been an English Teacher at Pierce – The American College of Greece since 2018. During this period, she has been teaching English Language and Literature, IELTS Preparation, Current Affairs, and Public Speaking. She is also the Teacher Advisor for the Junior Forensics Club, a certified Socratic Seminar Instructor and has had training in the Middle Years Program of the International Baccalaureate (MYP IB). Being bilingual and bicultural, she shares insights, and gives students the opportunity to understand and learn from the American culture and way of life. As an avid supporter of Professional Development, updating her knowledge and becoming familiar with Best Practices in Teaching in areas such as differentiated instruction, oral efficacy, blended learning, project-based learning (PBL), social-emotional learning (SEL), and student engagement, is a priority. In addition, she always shares the acquired knowledge with colleagues through workshops, seminars, and daily interaction.
Jake Delatolas-Saveris
Jake Delatolas-Saveris has been teaching English since 1991. He joined Pierce in 2016, teaching ESL courses in both Gymnasium and Lyceum. Prior to joining Pierce, he taught in other private schools and institutions where he served as Director of Studies and Department Head. In 2018, he taught an online Practicum course in the Department of English Language and Literature, University of Athens. In 2019, he taught courses in the B- level In-service Training of Teachers in the utilization and application of ICTs in the teaching practice, provided by the Open Training Centers of Greek Universities.
Jake holds a B.A. in English Language & Literature (University of Athens) and an M.Ed. (Distinction) in TESOL (Hellenic Open University). In 2022, he was nominated by the U.S. Embassy in Athens to attend a professional development course on Using Educational Technology, offered by the University of Iowa as part of the Online Professional English Network and sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. In 2024, he participated in Athens Inclusive Education Project organised by George Mason University and the American College of Greece, and funded by the US Embassy in Athens.
Jake is particularly interested in 21st century skills and integrating technology & innovation into the daily classroom practice. These interests are reflected in the presentations he has given at international conferences in Greece, Turkey, Ireland & Malta. He has written articles for TESOL Greece Journal, ELT News, and Humanising Language Teaching Magazine. He has served on the Board of Trustees of TESOL Greece and has been a Presenter for Cambridge Assessment in Greece since 2015.
George Dres
George Dres is a Computer Science teacher at the American College of Greece (Pierce), with extensive experience in teaching, academic writing, and educational administration.
He holds a degree in Computer Science and Telecommunications from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, an MBA from the University of Piraeus, and has also studied Natural Sciences and Cognitive Science.
He is particularly interested in interdisciplinary learning and in how concepts such as information connect Computer Science with the Natural, Cognitive, and Social Sciences. His work focuses on helping students see knowledge as a unified, living system rather than as separate subjects.
Maria Mytilinaki Kennedy
Maria Mytilinaki Kennedy has taught Theatre, Speech Communication, and Creative Writing in primary, secondary, and higher education. Her teaching and research record in higher education include Baruch College, Hunter College, and the College of Staten Island in the US, UCL in the UK, and the Hellenic Open University (EAP) in Greece. She received her BA and MA from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, her MA from the University of Warwick, and her MPhil and PhD from the City University of New York, as a Fulbright Scholar. At the American College of Greece, she serves as the Director of US College Counseling and Student Development Initiatives at Pierce, as well as the Precollege Program Coordinator at Deree.
Pavlos Ladias
Pavlos Ladias is a Technology teacher in secondary education, specializing as a Civil Engineering Technologist. He holds a degree from ASPETE, with a specialization in Hydraulic and Transportation Engineering Works, as well as a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in European Management in Construction from Kingston University in the United Kingdom. His undergraduate thesis focused on the theory of Discovery Learning and its application in Technology Education.
He has extensive professional experience both in industry, where he worked in quality control and R&D laboratories in the fields of chemicals and construction materials, and in education. Since 2023, he has been teaching at The American College of Greece – Pierce. He also has experience in adult education, combining theory and practice in the learning process.
Mr. Ladias has attended numerous professional development programmes in areas such as Special Education, Intercultural Education, School Psychology, Human-Centred Artificial Intelligence, and STEM Education, as well as 21st-century skills workshops in collaboration with leading universities and educational organizations.
With a strong focus on innovation, collaborative learning, and interdisciplinary teaching, Pavlos Ladias enriches the learning experience and prepares students and adult learners for the challenges of the future.