In September 2017, Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, traveled to Greece, just prior to her official trip to Armenia with Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ).
American Hellenic Council Executive Director, Ioannis Fidanakis, spoke with her about her experience.
My interest in going to Greece was really centered on the ongoing refugee crisis. Obviously, there are other issues that we were able to talk about and cover as well. I met with our U.S. Ambassador to Greece, Geoffrey R. Pyatt, and the Minister of Citizen Protection, Nikolaos Toskas, and we covered a broad variety of issues pertaining to the different threats and challenges that the Greek people are facing, as well as opportunities to strengthen the relationship between the United States and Greece.
In the past few years, there have been historic levels of bilateral cooperation between Greece and United States, especially in the area of counter-terrorism. The fact that there have not been any serious incidents of terrorism on Greek soil is a strong testament to the work we are doing, but obviously serious concerns and areas of improvement still exist. Minister Toskas shared with us the need to remain ever vigilant, as some terrorists may attempt to exploit the refugee crisis for their own objectives. He also expressed concern about the geopolitical instability that comes with sharing a border with Turkey, especially due to Turkish President Erdogan’s recent belligerent actions.
I also had the privilege of meeting with religious leaders in Greece, such as Metropolitan Gabriel of Nea Ionia and Philadelphia and Father Antonios Maalouf. Metropolitan Gabriel shared with me about the humanitarian work he’s been doing to serve the refugee population, and to try to fill the gaps in aid and services wherever possible.
FATHER ANTONIOS MAALOUF MEETING WITH CONGRESSWOMAN GABBARD
Father Maalouf, a Greek Orthodox Syrian, was a good example of a grassroots leader who is taking action in his own community to help those in need. He opens up his Church daily to provide hot meals to Syrian refugees, and to provide clothing and other basic necessities.
Later, we visited the Impact Hub in Athens to experience firsthand the different social entrepreneurship opportunities that exist for young Greeks, and how they are empowering the millennial generation, in particular, to be self-starters and entrepreneurs – a key component needed to strengthen Greece’s economy for the next generation. The Impact Hub provides them with important resources, tools, mentorship, and networking opportunities to set young leaders up for success. I also met and heard from refugee children from places like Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Syria who were at Impact Hub for music and singing lessons.
Lastly, we visited the Eleonas Refugee Camp and spoke with some of the social workers and aid providers who have been working in the camp for quite some time. They shared about some of the progress being made, as well as the challenges that they confront within the community, and how they are continuing to try and provide better services to help refugees achieve some level of stability and normalcy in their lives.
Unfortunately, there is not one single place or cause that this crisis can be attributed to. I was interested to hear from those that are on the front lines working in these refugee camps. They talked about how they have people coming, not just from countries where there is an active ongoing conflict, but people from Pakistan, North African countries, and many other places in the region.
With that said, there is a lot more that the United States and the European Union can do to provide assistance and help with these humanitarian crises, both in Greece and in other parts of the world. But the most important thing we must do is to end the wars that are creating these refugees and causing people to flee their homes. I have been a strong advocate for ending the counterproductive regime change war in Syria that has caused so much loss of life and destruction, with many people being forced to flee their homes.
One immediate solution that we can take that would impact Syria, Yemen, and a number of these different conflicts that are causing humanitarian crises would be passing my Stop Arming Terrorists Act legislation, which would prohibit any U.S. taxpayer dollars, directly or indirectly, from going to fund terrorist groups like ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and those armed militants that fight alongside them. I’ve heard from many Syrian people that they would love nothing more than to go home, to get back some sense of normalcy and return to the country that they love and call home. That is why I’m calling on Congress to pass my bill because it will have a direct impact on this problem that we are facing.
First, one of the major takeaways from my visit to Greece was the strength of the U.S.-Greece partnership. In almost unprecedented ways, the United States and Greece are working together for the security of the region, which has benefited both Greece and the United States’ shared interests of security, stability, and peace in our home countries, and in the region. With that said, we are clearly facing many difficult challenges. It’s important that we continue to support and strengthen our relationship with Greece and to find other ways and opportunities to expand and increase our partnership.
Turkey holds a major presence in the region. I’ve been an outspoken critic of President Erdogan’s actions and the dangerous direction he is taking his country. For example, Turkey is responsible, along with countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United States, for providing direct and indirect support to terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS, and to armed militants who are fighting alongside them and under their command, in places like Syria and Yemen. This is absurd and it must end.
There are a lot of changes that I think are important to be made to U.S. foreign policy. My bill, the Stop Arming Terrorists Act, is an important first step towards ending the destructive interventionist regime change war policies that our country has held onto for far too long. We need to focus on actually defeating those who pose a threat to us – terrorist groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda – not continuing policies that result in strengthening these terrorist groups. Again, I think there are a lot of opportunities and shared interests between the United States and Greece and we should further explore ways to collaborate that will result in defeating terrorist groups that threaten us and create more long-term stability within the region.
I’ve signed on as a co-sponsor to House Resolution 220 which recognizes and condemns the Armenian, Greek, and Assyrian Genocide. It is unconscionable that the United States has not formally done this yet. My home state of Hawai‘i, along with 46 other states, have already passed resolutions condemning this atrocity – it is long past time that the U.S. Congress and the White House do the same. I heard from descendants of those who survived the genocide and saw the pain in their eyes. It’s important for the world to recognize, acknowledge, and condemn this Genocide, otherwise, we will continue to see atrocities continuing, as religious minorities in different parts of the world are being targeted and killed, and the danger of history repeating itself increases.
Dr. James and Virginia Kallins
Longtime stewards and servants of the Greek Community and Hellenism, Doctor James and Virginia Kallins have never forgotten their roots and an appreciation of blessings.
Doctor Kallins was the youngest of five children. He grew up on a small farm in the mountains of Arcadia in Greece, surviving multiple occupations during World War II. Seeing his village’s doctor caring for so many ill and injured inspired Doctor Kallins to study medicine at the University of Athens.
Hoping to become a surgeon, James then sailed to the USA and settled in Chicago, training in OB/GYN, surgery, and pathology at the University of Illinois School of Medicine, where he also served as an associate professor.
At a Greek Orthodox Church party, Dr. Kallins met his beloved wife, Virginia, nee Evgenia Lambropoulou, whom he married in 1957. Growing up in Chicago during the Great Depression, Virginia had lost her father and her older brother. Her mother spoke only Greek and supported herself and Virginia by knocking on doors, holding up a needle and thread to let people know she could sew. Fortunately, Virginia’s mother met and married Nicholas Mannos, loving stepfather to Virginia. Virginia’s mother encouraged her education, spurring her to become a Master Teacher mentoring others.
Dr. Kallins and his wife moved to California in 1959 where he launched his own medical practice. James encouraged his family to preserve their Greek culture, and honor charitable organizations in both the United States and Greece, which he fondly calls his “two countries and two mothers.” James and Virginia became the parents of three children (Barbara, George, and Nicholas) and now have five grandchildren (Anastasia, Evgenia, Dimitri, Nicholas and Eston).
Doctor Kallins retired from medicine in 1997, and continued the couple’s charitable initiatives, including serving as stewards for St. Sophia Cathedral in Los Angeles, Assumption in Long Beach, and as co-founders of St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Downey, named after Dr. Kallins’ father George Kallinteris.
Doctor Kallins was a member of the Cathedral’s Parish Council and a founder of the Hellenic Medical and Dental Society. He also founded the Alpha Beta Society – the Greek School – in Downey, and supported the Hellenic Library in Bellflower, California. Virginia worked closely with parents at St. Sophia Cathedral to reenergize the Greek Orthodox Youth of America.
When Turkey invaded Cyprus in 1974, Dr. Kallins joined the Save Cyprus Council, flying to DC to advocate for safety and justice for Hellenes in Cyprus and Greece.
The tragic and untimely passing of the couple’s son, Nicholas, was a time of great sadness. However, James and Virginia used that difficult time as an opportunity to honor Nicholas’ life by establishing the Greek Orthodox Memorial and Cultural Foundation of Southern California, and the Saint Nicholas Chapel at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, California.
The philanthropy of James and Virginia Kallins extended to the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco, the Archdiocese, and the Ecumenical Patriarchate. As an Archon Exarchos in the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Doctor Kallins served as the Regional Archon Commander. He has been a member of the Metropolis and Archdiocesan Councils and served with the Pan Arcadian Federation on a local and national level. He was elected as Supreme President of the Pan-Arcadian Federation, helping to raise funds for a hospital in Tripoli, Greece. The couple was honored with the Metropolitan Anthony Humanitarian Award at the FDF Festival in 2013.
The American Hellenic Council takes great pleasure in honoring Doctor James and Virginia Kallins with the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award. Doctor James Kallins and Virginia Kallins, thank you for your unwavering love and support of humanity and Hellenism, and for the promotion and preservation of our Greek culture and community in America.
Arianna Papalexopoulos
Yes, Hello, Hi! Arianna Papalexopoulos is a Greek-American actor, writer, producer, and comic based in Los Angeles, California. Both Arianna's undergraduate theatre degree from UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television and masters degree in Digital Media from USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism have synergized to expand her lifelong comedy skills into rewarding content.
Arianna has produced and starred in numerous short films that have premiered at various festivals around the globe. Her latest short films, Como, Ti Amo and Greek Enough display the tradition of excellence in filmmaking. Building on this success, she produced and acted in her first feature film, Jaunt, which took home the Audience Award at the 2024 Los Angeles Greek Film Festival.
Arianna is currently fresh off a Canadian, Midwest, and Florida stand up comedy tour where she opened for fellow Greek comic, Angelo Tsarouchas. In addition, she performed her comedy set and hosted the 18th Annual Los Angeles Greek Film Festival Orpheus Awards. Arianna recently received the Greek America's Forty Under 40 award in New York City and was also selected as a “Modern Muse” speaker at the
Hellenic American Women's Council in Los Angeles, which celebrated Contemporary Hellenic American Women in the Arts.
Arianna's popular digital content celebrates both her roots and the experiences of American immigrants and their first-generation children. Arianna’s most notable character, Greek Mom, has garnered her almost 1 million followers collectively across all her social media platforms and continues to generate dozens of millions of views.
Apart from performing, you can find Arianna on the islands or mountains of Greece, cheering on the Golden State Warriors, or getting lost off the 101 Freeway.
Instagram & TikTok: @ariannapapalexopoulos
Hon. Ambassador of USA in Greece, George Tsunis
Mr. George J. Tsunis was the United States Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic for 3 years. During is successful term, Greek officials/partners speedily approved American requests critical for U.S. and NATO operations in Greece. With the signing of a $3.54 billion agreement for 20 American F-35 fighters, Greece was able to modernize its military. Following multiple collaborations with governments in Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Greece became a leader promoting energy connectivity and resiliency in the EU. Mr. Tusnis efforts promoted the Greek Prime Minister’s almost two-year political rappochement with Turkey, enhancing peace and stability in the region. Mr. Tsunis was awarded the Order of Phoenix by the Foreign Minister to The Hellenic Republic, George Gerapetritis during his three-year tenure as Ambassador.
Mr. Tsunis is the Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Chartwell Hotels as well as an attorney, developer, philanthropist and public policy advisor with a strong interest at the intersection of economic and foreign affairs. Chartwell Hotels owns and manages Hilton, Marriott and InterContinental Hotels Group franchises across the Northeast and Middle Atlantic states. The firm also focuses community renewal, supporting tourism, business travel and investment dollars.
Mr. Tsunis’ public service includes time as a Legislative Attorney at the New York City Council, Special Counsel to the Town of Huntington (NY) Environmental Open Space Committee and Counsel to the Dix Hills (NY) Water District. He was appointed by Senator Alfonse D’Amato and served as an advisor to the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Mr. Tsunis served in the cabinet of the Governor of the State of New York and served on the Board of Directors of four New York State Public Benefit Cooperations.
Mr. Tsunis was a director of the New York Convention Center’s (Jacob Javits Center) Operating Committee and Director of the New York Convention Center’s Development Committee. Mr. Tsunis’ tenure as director came at a seminal time – during a 1.5 million sq. ft. expansion – transforming Javits into one of the world’s most modern and beautiful convention centers.
In 2021, His Eminence Elpidophoros, Archbishop of America, appointed Mr. Tsunis as the Vice-Chairman of the national coordinating committee for the 200th anniversary of the Greek revolution of 1821, organizing nationwide festivities and commemorative events to be held throughout the year to honor the revolution’s bicentennial. Mr. Tsunis was a founding trustee of the Hellenic Initiative, a global movement of the Greek diaspora, investing in the future of Greece through direct philanthropy and economic revitalization. The Hellenic Initiative empowers people to provide crisis relief, encourage entrepreneurs and create jobs. Mr. Tsunis was also a founding member of the Hellenic American Leadership Council, a national civic advocacy organization, and until recently served as the organization’s National Vice Chairman. HALC comprises a national network of Greek American community leaders to encourage an active form of citizenship committed to the Hellenic American ideals of democracy, rule of law, and philanthropy. Mr. Tsunis has also served on the Board of Directors of the Coordinated Efforts of Hellenes (CEH), a national umbrella organization for the major Greek-American advocacy organizations.
Mr. Tsunis was recognized by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios with the Saint Paul’s Medal, the Greek Orthodox Church of America’s highest recognition for a layperson. Mr. Tsunis is a member of the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, an Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the highest ecclesiastical honor that can be bestowed upon a layman by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
Mr. Tsunis was the recipient of the Cyprus Federation’s Justice for Cyprus Award, which was personally awarded to him by the President of Cyprus, Demetris Christofias, in 2010. In 2012, President Christofias presented Mr. Tsunis with a plaque of sterling silver olive branches, signifying peace. This award is traditionally reserved for heads of state. In 2013, the new President of Cyprus, Nicos Anastasiades, similarly honored Mr. Tsunis for his philanthropic efforts on behalf of the children of Cyprus.
In 2017, Mr. Tsunis was the recipient of the Athens-Wishner Award jointly presented by the American Jewish Committee (“AJC”) and Hellenic American Leadership Council (“HALC”) for his dedication to Greco-Israeli-Cypriot relations.
Mr. Tsunis received his Juris Doctor from St. John’s University School of Law. Mr. Tsunis established the James and Eleni Tsunis Endowed Distinguished Academic Scholarship at Hofstra University, the George J. Tsunis Scholarship at the Maurice Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, the James George Tsunis Memorial Scholarship at Pennsylvania College of Technology and the George James Tsunis ’92 and the Karloutsos Scholarships at St. John’s University’s School of Law and created the James and Eleni Tsunis Endowed Scholarship at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Mr. Tsunis also underwrote the James and Eleni Tsunis Library at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons in honor of his parents. In 2019, the Hellenic Lawyers Association of New York named Mr. Tsunis as its honoree for his dedication to professional development in the Hellenic community.
Mr. Tsunis and his wife, Olga live in Matinecock, NY, with their three children. It is a great honor for the American Hellenic Council to welcome Ambassador Tsunis to Los Angeles and our Annual Gala and award him the AHC Aristeion Award.
Christos Vassilopoulos
Christos Vasilopoulos was born and raised in Athens, Greece. He started acting at the age of 17 as a stage actor and graduated from the "Iasmos" Athens Drama School. Christos was one of the few young actors who worked professionally during his drama school years.
Two years after his graduation, he became a member of the National Theatre of Greece, where he performed for four years. After seven years of continuous work in theatre and TV commercials, Christos landed a series of regular roles on one of the biggest daily shows of that time, taking his career to the next level.
During the first 14 years of his career, having worked on major TV shows and collaborated with some of the most renowned theatre directors in Greece, he decided to transition to the United States. His credits in the U.S. include films, campaigns, commercials, recurring roles on the hit shows Banshee (created by Alan Ball) and The Last Ship, as well as guest-star roles on The Closer, Blindspot, Whiskey Cavalier, Warrior, and Kabul.
Christos holds a 3rd dan black belt in Tae Kwon Do and a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He served in the Greek Special Forces as a marine and attained the rank of sergeant. He rarely uses a stunt double.
Alongside his fellow actor and friend Yorgos Karamichos, Christos translated Ivana Chubbuck’s The Power of the Actor into Greek—one of the most influential books on modern acting techniques. He is also the only Greek-certified acting coach trained by Ivana Chubbuck.
For the past five years, Christos has been working as a creative producer on films and TV shows.
