Leonidas Raptakis (USA)
PresidentLeonidas Raptakis is the President of PADEE-WHIA. He has previously held Board positions including 1st Vice President, Treasurer and USA representative.
Leonidas is a Senator in the USA State of Rhode Island representing the Democratic Party. He has previously been a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives and was a candidate for Secretary of State in Rhode Island in 2010.
Effie Triantafilopoulos (Canada)
1st Vice-PresidentEffie Triantafilopoulos was elected as a Vice President of PADEE-WHIA at the 2019 General Assembly.
Effie is a member of the Ontario Provincial Parliament, representing the riding of Oakville North-Burlington since 2018. She is the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister for Long-Term Care, a member of the Standing Committee of Justice, a member of the Standing Committee of Social Policy and member of the Select Committee on Emergency Management Orders. She is a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario.
Steve Georganas (AUSTRALIA)
2nd Vice PresidentSteve Georganas is the Australia representative on the PADEE – WHIA Board and was elected as a 2nd Vice President at the April 2021 re-organization. He has previously served as Treasurer.
Steve in the Member for Adelaide in the Australian Parliament, where he previously served as the Member for Hindmarsh. He is a member of the Australian Labor Party. He is the Deputy Chair of Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services.
Stephan Pappas (USA)
USA REPRESENTATIVE AND TREASURERSenator Stephan Pappas was elected as Treasurer at the April 2021 re-organization and one of two United States representatives on the PADEE-WHIA board.
Stephan is a member of the Senate of the State of Wyoming, USA. He is a member of the Republican Party. He sits on the Senate Revenue and the Senate Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Committee and is the Chairman on the Select committee on School facilities..
Stephan was formerly a Brigadier-General in the United States Air Force and has had a long career as an architect in Wyoming.
Marietta Karamanli (France)
EU REPRESENTATIVEMarietta Karamanli was elected to the PADEE-WHIA Board in 2021.
Doctor in Political Science, Marietta Karamanli is a member of the National Assembly of France since 2007 representing the 2nd district of the department of Sarthe. As Deputy in the French National Assembly, Marietta Karamanli is Vice-President of the European Affairs Committee, and member of the Law Commission in charge of the European monitoring.
EMMANUELLA LAMBROPOULOS (CANADA)
CANADA REPRESENTATIVEEmmanuella Lambropoulos was elected as Canada representative on the PADEE-WHIA Board in 2021.
Emmanuella has been proudly representing the people of the riding Saint-Laurent she calls home in the House of Commons since she was elected in the 2017 by-election.
MARIA TZANAKIS COLLETT (USA)
USA REPRESENTATIVEMaria Tzanakis Collett was elected as a USA representative on the PADEE-WHIA Board in 2021.
Senator Maria Tzanakis Collett is a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate who represents the 12th District.
MARIA VAMVAKINOU (AUSTRALIA)
AUSTRALIA REPRESENTATIVEMaria Vamvakinou was elected as Australia representative on the PADEE-WHIA Board in 2021.
Maria was elected the Federal Member of Parliament with the Australian Labor Party in the Division of Calwell in 2001 and has been the MP for this electorate for eight consecutive terms.
Maria is the Deputy Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration, and has been a member of this committee since 2010. She is also a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade – and is a member of the sub-committees for Human Rights and Foreign Affairs and Aid.
VANGELIS DOULES (ALBANIA)
NON EU REPRESENTATIVEVangelis Doules was elected as a Non EU Representative on the PADEE-WHIA board at the 2021 General Assembly.
Since 2001 he is a Member of the Federal Parliament of Albania.
Past PADEE-WHIA Presidents
Nikos Papadopoulos (1996-2002)
Giannaros Demetrios (2002-2009)
Pandazopoulos John (2009-2015)
Thomas Katsiantonis (2015-2016)
Peter Katsambanis (2016-2021)
Alternative Board Members
At the 2021 General Assembly it was resolved to appoint Alternative Board Members from regions to ensure the broadest and best possible representation across the globe. The Alternative Board Members for 2021-2023 are:
Nicole Klarides-Ditria (USA) , John Spiros (USA), Leonidas Stavrinakis (USA), Spiros Mantzavinos (USA), Demetrios Nicolaides (Canada), Annie Koutrakis (Canada), Esther Passaris (Kenya)