TEDxDeree ACG

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Artemis Kyriakopoulos & Evi Lipiatou

  Artemis Kyriakopoulos Artemis Kyriakopoulos is a Greek singer, songwriter, and performer known for blending contemporary sound with social awareness in original releases like "Priority." Having gained national recognition on The X Factor Greece and with the polyphonic group CHORES, she has performed at major venues including Gagarin 205 and TedX Athens, collaborated with the ERT Symphonic Orchestra, and composed the original music for the CNN Greece PROSOPA 2024 Awards. Evi Lipiatou Evi Lipiatou is an emerging Greek composer, musician, and producer who bridges cinematic soundscapes, film scoring, and urban live performance. Known for co-composing the original music for the CNN Greece PROSOPA Awards alongside Artemis Kyriakopoulos, she also featured in the "Street Musicians" project at the Pallas Theatre, creating narrative-driven, authentic music across stage and screen.

• Christina Giakoumaki

  Dr. Christina Giakoumaki is an Assistant Professor in Communication at Deree–The American College of Greece and Graduate Program Coordinator of the MA in Digital Communication & Social Media. A researcher by training and a rule-examiner by instinct, she has spent over a decade studying how people are persuaded, manipulated, and moved; in advertising, on social media, and increasingly, by artificial intelligence. Her work has been published in Q1 and Q2 peer-reviewed journals and presented at the American Marketing Association and the British Academy of Management. She holds a PhD in Marketing and Communication from the Athens University of Economics and Business and has served as principal investigator on funded research examining how AI-generated imagery shapes consumer perceptions. As a long-standing member and chair of an Academic Integrity Committee and a peer reviewer for over a dozen international journals, Christina has sat on both sides of the boundary line in research. Christina is based in Athens, Greece.

• Christine Tokatlian

  Christine Tokatlian is a concert pianist, scholar, and educator. An award-winning artist honored by the Academy of Athens, she has performed as a soloist across Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. She has collaborated with distinguished ensembles such as the Komitas Quartet and the Aenaon String Quartet, and notably premiered Khachaturian’s Piano Concerto. Her acclaimed album Armenian Piano Images presents rare Armenian works, including several world premieres, reflecting her deep commitment to uncovering overlooked voices and expanding the piano canon. Christine’s PhD research explores how contemporary Armenian piano music reshapes cultural identity — work she has presented internationally in conferences and congresses. She is an Assistant Professor at Deree – The American College of Greece (where she also organizes the Piano City Athens festival), a sought-after jury member, and a dedicated mentor whose students have won prizes in international competitions. Beyond academia and performance, Christine is passionate about the Olympic Games, puzzles, traveling, and DIY home renovation and crafts — bringing the same creativity and curiosity to life that she brings to music.

• Edward Wingenbach

  Edward Wingenbach’s career has spanned three decades and centered on transformative academic leadership at liberal arts institutions committed to innovation and social impact. He became the eighth president of The American College of Greece in 2025. Wingenbach served from 2019–2025 as president of Hampshire College (Amherst, MA), a pioneering liberal arts institution founded in 1965 in cooperation with Amherst College, Mt. Holyoke College, Smith College, and the University of Massachusetts. Under Dr. Wingenbach’s leadership, Hampshire College experienced unprecedented growth and renewal. He spearheaded a multi-year strategic plan that drove significant enrollment increases, modernized operations, and launched a groundbreaking academic program focused on addressing the urgent challenges of the 21st century. Notably, applications to Hampshire have doubled since 2020, while total enrollment increased by over 50%. Dr. Wingenbach’s innovative approach also revitalized Hampshire College’s financial health. He restructured fundraising operations, launching the Change in the Making campaign that has already raised over $52 million in direct operational support, including the three largest gifts since the college’s founding. His efforts strengthened alumni engagement, increased the alumni giving rate to 35%, and secured over $13 million in state and federal support. In 2023 Hampshire became one of only 15 U.S. higher education institutions to achieve full carbon neutrality. At Ripon College (Ripon, WI), where he served as vice president and dean of faculty, acting president, and professor of politics and government from 2015–2019, Wingenbach guided the development of the Catalyst Core Curriculum, a unique approach to liberal arts general education in which every student earns a Concentration in Applied Innovation. He established new academic and career development programs, directed strategic financial planning, strengthened sponsored research, and secured major philanthropic support from national foundations. As acting president in 2019, he managed both presidential and CFO responsibilities, advancing institutional strategy while overseeing Ripon’s $26 million operating budget. Earlier in his career, Wingenbach spent fifteen years at the University of Redlands (CA) in administrative and faculty leadership roles, including associate provost, president of the Faculty Assembly, chair of the Department of Government, and director of the International Relations program. He expanded internationalization, enhanced community-based learning, improved sponsored research, oversaw significant graduate program development, and lead university efforts in accreditation and assessment. Students recognized his teaching and mentorship by selecting him as commencement speaker, and the University honored him with its award for distinguished service. A scholar of democratic theory and political philosophy, Wingenbach has published widely, including the book Institutionalizing Agonistic Democracy (Routledge) and articles in leading journals such as The American Journal of Political Science, International Philosophical Quarterly, and The Journal of Politics (where his work was named the best article published in 2001). His teaching and scholarship are deeply informed by Greek thought, and he has held a fellowship at the Harvard Center for Hellenic Studies. Wingenbach received his bachelor’s degree from Lake Forest College, designing his own program of study in an experiential liberal arts model. He earned both his master’s and PhD in government and international studies from the University of Notre Dame. Together with his spouse, Susan Rice, and their son, he resides in Athens, embracing ACG’s mission of advancing education that fosters individual potential and contributes to Greece’s cultural and economic vitality.

• Eri Ioannidou

  Forensic Psychologist (MSc), Personal Coach, Adjunct Faculty at HAU, instructor and writer at Supplementary Distance Education Programme (E-Learning) of the Center of Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, scientific associate at CSC & head of the Forensic Psychology Lab.

• Katerina Tasiopoulou

  Katerina Tasiopoulou is an accomplished leader in the cybersecurity industry who serves as the CEO of ThreatScene in Greece and Exelasis in the United Kingdom, while also holding the role of Executive Director of Thyreos Cyber in Greece. Her professional career began at IBM, where she gained significant experience handling complex security incidents. Today, she acts as a trusted security advisor to numerous global figures as well as members of the Greek Government, collaborating closely with intelligence agencies to provide critical support in cybersecurity. Recognized for her leadership and impact in the field, she has been included in the Fortune Greece 40 Under 40 (2025) and Forbes 30 Under 30 (2026) lists, and has been honored with several prestigious awards in the United Kingdom.

• Spyros Kottoris

  Spyros Kottoris is an International Learning & Development Strategist, Sustainability & ESG Expert, and ICF Certified Executive Coach with more than 20 years of international experience designing learning and business transformation solutions across 14 countries and 12 industries. As the founder of Conferia Academy Global, he specializes in leadership development, ESG awareness, business strategy, and people transformation for multinational organizations and senior executives. His work focuses on helping organizations strengthen human-centered skills, leadership culture, and sustainable growth in an AI-driven world. Through his coaching, speaking, and consulting work, he supports leaders and teams in building self-awareness, adaptability, and meaningful impact.