Faculty Bios
Dr. iur. Matilda Chatzipanagiotou, LL.M.

Gerasimos Kouvaras
Human Rights, Sustainable Development: An IB-CAS-inspired leadership module
PhD candidate, Faculty of Management, Cass Business School, University of London; MBA in General Management, Nottingham Trent University; Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, Aritoteleion University of Thessaloniki
Gerasimos Kouvaras has over 20 years of engagement as executive director, instructor, advisor and volunteer in and for civil society sector at national and international level. Since 2007, he is the General Director of ActionAid Hellas, leading a committed team of 67 staff, recognized as Best Workplace 2015 in Greece. He has also served for two years as elected member of the Federation Leadership Team of ActionAid International. Before joining ActionAid, among others, he has served Amnesty International as Director for Greece and the Greek Ministry of Education as Special Advisor on Volunteering and Youth Sector. In that capacity, he led the National Office for Youth Policies and chaired the Working Group “Youth” of the Council of the EU during the Greek EU Presidency in 2003.
He is a PhD in Management candidate at Cass Business School of City University of London and his other academic background includes a MBA from Nottingham Trent University, and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Aristoteleion University of Thessaloniki. As an instructor, he has given several lectures and workshops in Greece and abroad within his areas of expertise to audiences including university post-graduate students, UN staff, public officials, NGO senior staff and youth leaders. His artistic background includes Opera Studies at the Greek State Conservatory and over 150 performances as member of the Greek State Radio Choir, an international distinction as Artist Photographer (AFIAP) from the International Federation of Photographic Art, and a publication of poetry collection of haiku poems in Greek language.
Nassia Kassela
Human Rights, Sustainable Development: An IB-CAS-inspired leadership module
MSc Engineering & Policy Analysis, Delft University of Technology; Dipl.Ing. Civil Engineering, Spec. Water Resources Management, National Technical University of Greece
Nassia Kassela is a Hydraulic Civil Engineer specialized in Water Resources Management and Policy Analysis working in a non-profit international organization that advocates water security. She is a licensed professional engineer and registered designer in hydraulics and environmental engineering. She has experience in engineering studies, technical projects, technical and policy research, in the fields of water resources management and policy, environmental management, natural hazards mapping and risk assessment and others. Previously, she worked in engineering consultancy and research within multidiscipline international teams and she graduated from the Faculty of Technology, Policy & Management of Delft University of Technology on a Faculty Scholarship. For her graduating thesis, she conducted research at the strategic centre of an internationally renowned pioneering water utility, studying ways to address the uncertainties of social and technological developments in water sustainability that could impact the water supply network. She is interested primarily in urban water management, sustainability and resilience, and she seeks to work at the interface of science, engineering and policy in water and environmental issues.
Zoi Stolaki
Human Rights, Sustainable Development: An IB-CAS-inspired leadership module
LL.B. from the Law School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece), Advanced Master of Laws in Energy and Environmental Law from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium).
Zoi Stolaki is Attorney-at-Law and works at the Legal Department of the Public Natural Gas Corporation (DEPA) S.A., in Athens, Greece. Prior to joining DEPA, Ms. Stolaki worked in Brussels in the international law firm DECHERT LLP in the fields of EU Competition Law and EU Energy Regulatory. Ms. Stolaki also worked as a legal advisor to the Greek Minister of Energy and Environment (until January 2015) and as an intern in the Brussels office of the international law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, the legal department of a major Greek bank and the legal department of the Permanent Representation of Greece to the European Union. She is a native Greek speaker and is fluent in English and French and has a basic knowledge of German.
Aspasia Kakari
Human Rights, Sustainable Development: An IB-CAS-inspired leadership module
Head of Communications, ActionAid Hellas
Aspasia Kakari is a communications expert with broad experience in the non-profit sector. She holds a degree in Mass media & Communication and a Master’s degree in International Cooperation for Sustainable Development. She has 20 years of experience in managing public-awareness projects in Greece and many other countries.