Meet This Year's Staff

Anastasia is more than ecstatic and thrilled to return to Ionian Village and serve as a staff member this summer. Ever since she was a camper in 2016, Anastasia has been yearning to go back to IV. She is so excited to share the breathtaking and life-changing experience that is Ionian Village with the campers and play a role in what will be the best summer of their lives. Anastasia Staurulakis is from Mclean, Virginia, right outside Washington D.C, and grew up attending St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Bethesda, Maryland. She just graduated from Tulane University with a degree in finance and is pursuing a master’s degree in accounting. Anastasia is a movie and TV fanatic who can make a mean frappé and loves playing tennis in her free time. Anastasia is looking forward to meeting and Greek dancing the night away with all of you in just a few short months, and, if you ever need her, you can find her at the IV periptero getting a motion juice and Papadopoulos Digestive cookies.

“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance. Who, being loved, is poor?”

     - Oscar Wilde

Andreas, Andy, Dr. Dre; a man of many names and a lover of good times. Johnny Cash actually preemptively wrote the song “I’ve Been Everywhere” to describe his escapades across the USA, Greece, and the globe. He is the designated grill master at family parties. As one of five boys, he knows a thing or two about being mischievous, although his pranking days are behind him…mostly!

In 2017 as an IV camper, Andreas met some of his best friends AND gained religious experiences he carries with him daily. While all the campers can’t wait for summer in Greece, Andreas is just as excited for camp to start! Let’s have the BEST SUMMER EVER!

“The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena”

     - Theodore Roosevelt

Andrew Vellis is from Burlingame, California and attends Annunciation Cathedral in San Francisco. In 2019, Andrew attended Ionian Village as a camper. It was the best summer of his life and is excited to come back now as a counselor. Andrew brings enthusiasm and lightheartedness to make IV a great experience for campers just like his counselors did.

Anyssia (Sia) Kokinos is from Los Gatos, California, and grew up attending St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in San Jose and Greek Village Camp. She attended IV as a camper in 2016 and cannot wait to return this summer! Sia graduated from Washington University in St. Louis and plans to attend law school in the future. She has been traveling, both on her own and with family, since August of 2022, and Ionian Village will mark the end of her year-long journey! Sia is most excited about dancing into the night, planning fun activities for campers, and making countless memories! 

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

     - Mary Oliver 

Aria can't wait to meet each and every one of you this summer, she can't hold back all that KEFI! She loves going on new adventures, hiking, surfing, baking and anything art related. She's a proud plant mom, has an addiction to collecting shells and is always taking pictures of everything. She feels so blessed to be going back to the place that brought her life long friendships and strengthened her relationship with God. :)

“Go as far as you can see; when you get there, you’ll be able to see farther.”

     - JP Morgan

Dallis began her IV journey in 2017, where she traveled to Greece for the first time, attending Session 1 as a member of Cabin Crete. While at Ionian Village, she went with many of her Metropolis of Boston friends and her older brother, Patrick. Her most valuable takeaway from IV '17 was rediscovering the ability to let go and trust in God, herself, and others. Dallis is SO excited to serve on staff this summer and cannot wait to make IV 2023 one of your life's best and most memorable summers. Dallis graduated from Wellesley College in May with a degree in Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies, and she hopes to go to law school in the near future. You can find her talking, debating, frolicking, admiring the moon, or getting active in her free time. Dallis is a PROUD Bostonian who is energetic, enthusiastic, and extroverted (though she identifies more as an ambivert). Dallis loves watching shows like The Vampire Diaries, Arrested Development, and Attack on Titan.

"If you can’t beat fear, just do it scared."

     - Glennon Doyle, American author and activist

Now we will introduce Eleni Gulas, she is 22 years old and from Birmingham, Alabama. Eleni was previously a dancer and enjoys all kinds, but especially Greek dancing! She also loves music and singing even if she is a little off key most of the time. Three words to describe her would be energetic, passionate, and playful. Eleni attended IV back in 2019 and cannot wait to return and relive the life changing experiences alongside the campers and creating new memories with everyone! She also is really good at braiding hair for those hot summer days!

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style.”

     - Maya Angelou

Eleni Kouzounis is from Houston Texas but currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia where she attends Annunciation Cathedral. Ever since being a camper in 2017, Eleni has been eager to return to the best place on earth (even attending IV Next in 2019). Eleni loves spending time with her 2 year old golden retriever Reese, rewatching Gossip Girl for the 100th time, and jamming to old Taylor Swift at any chance she gets! Eleni is most excited to enjoy Kyria Sophia’s world class cooking, grow in her faith, and meet all of the campers!

"Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart."

     - Psalm 37:4

Ellie is a 21 year old born and raised in Dallas, TX. She first went to Ionian Village in 2019, and fell in love with the fellowship and experience she gained there. After that summer, she felt called to serve others, which led her to apply to be an IV staff member in 2023. Ellie is a friend to all, and is passionate about building confidence in her peers. She is looking forward to this summer, and being apart of the 2023 IV staff!

“Never doubt yourself. Never change who you are. Don’t care what people think and just go for it.”

     - Britney Spears 

George Gregory Papadeas is a 22 year senior old from Denver, CO and attends the Assumption of the Theotokos Cathedral. He has been actively involved in the church from a young age having attended metropolis camp, GOYA basketball tournament, and Ionian Village on numerous occasions. George humbly served as Butler University’s OCF President, HSA President, and as a counselor at the Metropolis of Denver camp. Outside of the church, he is an avid Greek dancer and skier and looks forward to somehow combining the two during his time in Greece! George has always dreamed of being an IV Staff Member and could not be more ecstatic to not only see the campers grow in faith and fellowship but to do so alongside them! 

"Every hero has an origin story."

     - Tyler the Creator

Jack McClure is a 22-year-old from Atlanta, Georgia who loves being active and playing sports while learning and practicing the Greek culture with Greek dancing, learning to speak Greek, and hopefully soon learning to play a Greek instrument. Jack plans to graduate in May 2023, but he can’t wait for the month of June when he gets to return his favorite place on Earth, Ionian Village! Some of Jack’s unique talents are his athletic ability, his leadership qualities, and his deep care for others. He can also twist a pencil between his fingers and can whistle 4 different ways.

“Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try.”

     - Yoda

Joanna, or as some like to call her, Jojo, is thrilled to be heading back to Glyfa Beach to serve on your 2023 staff! She has been involved with IV since her time as a camper back in 2016, most recently assisting the office staff for IV2022. Joanna grew up in Marietta, GA at Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church, Greek dancing, working the festival, and as an active member of GOYA. She now lives in Manhattan, NY living her dream of working in fashion! When she is not drinking μέτριο frappes, Joanna can be found helping you style the cutest dress code appropriate outfits and attempting to Greek dance to Taylor Swift songs. Joanna cannot wait for the campers to experience the magic of Ionian Village and fall in love with the camp as much as she did!

"Whoever said that money can't buy happiness, simply didn't know where to go shopping."

     - Bo Derek 

Julia Krantz is a Junior at Michigan State University majoring in Kinesiology. From the age of nine Julia has had the honor to attend the Metropolis of Detroit Summer Camp as a camper and camp counselor. Julia is known for her bubbly personality, and adventurous mindset, you will definitely find her breaking it down on the dance floor this summer! A fun fact about Julia is her love for Dominos pizza, she is proud to say she can devour a whole pizza by herself in one sitting. Most importantly, Julia can’t wait to meet the campers and her fellow staff members as she is ready to make IV 2023 THE BEST SUMMER EVER!!! 

"Start your day with a smile, and end it with a laugh."

     - Robert Doumas 

Lily is from Chicago and is so excited to drink Fanta, attempt to Greek dance, and eat loukoumades with you all! At camp you’ll probably find Lily trying to go on a run, doing fun accents, and contemplating breaking her vegetarianism because of Kyria Sophia’s amazing cooking. Lily loves to draw, dance to Bad Bunny and Shakira, and can devour a bag of oregano chips. She is so excited to meet you all and spend the summer together!  

“Do it alone. Do it broke. Do it tired. Do it scared.” 

     - Meryl Streep 

Luke is graduating from the Boston Conservatory in May, where he is studying Musical Theater. He’s spent the last four years performing around the city of Boston, but now he’s ready for the best summer of his life at Ionian Village. Luke attended Ionian Village as a camper in the summer of 2019. His friends describe him as the life of the party and he’s always ready for an adventure. He can’t wait to see the campers bring all the Kefi to camp. 

Maria Manolias is beyond excited to spend summer 2023 traveling around the Ionian Sea with you! A proud Michigander, professional older sister, and devoted Greek Orthodox Christian, Maria attended Session 2 in 2018—an experience that ultimately changed her life. She is most excited to guide you on your spiritual journey, but she also cannot wait to: 

1. Introduce you to the wonders of a Papadopoulos Dark Chocolate Digestive cookie. 
2. Host sing alongs and share fun facts on the bus. 
3. Build sandcastles and play Spike Ball. 
4. Greek dance the summer away!

“You play with fire, you get burned.”

     - Maria’s Yiayia Georgia 

Maria is so excited to serve on staff for Summer 2023! She is ready to head back to Ionian Village after 4 long years since being a camper in 2019. Maria grew up in Connecticut and is graduating from the University of Connecticut this year. She is most excited about Greek dancing, connecting with our faith, and helping the campers have the time of their lives! She cannot wait to meet her campers and see them have the same life changing experiences and memories as she did!

"If you want something you've never had, you must be willing to do something you've never done."

     - Unknown

Marina is from Chicago, 21 years young, fun-loving, responsible, and highly passionate about movement. She loves practicing yoga, swimming, hiking, running, and every activity to get her body moving! She craves exploration and follows adventure wherever it may take her; last summer, she lifeguarded on the beaches of Cape Cod, and she can’t wait for this next adventure at Ionian Village!

“Live like you’re dying”

     - Kenny Chesney

Morgan Lilly first experienced IV in 2019 as a camper in Kerkyra where he truly had the best summer of his life. He is honored to share in the blessing of this camp and return to help serve all of you in 2023. Morgan just graduated from the University of Georgia (Back-to Back National Champions) where he majored in Political Science and International Affairs and intends on going to law school. He loves vintage clothing and anything with some history (like Greece, the cradle of civilization and birthplace of democracy btw). With a passion for Greek dancing, he can get carried away sometimes doing the Zembekiko (see picture for proof of chipped tooth from IV 2019). Even without frappes, he is very energetic and loves playing sports and getting active. Morgan also loves reading and watching shows like Game of Thrones, One Piece, and Peaky Blinders. He can’t wait to give it his all to help you enjoy this once in a lifetime experience!

“The best revenge is not to be like your enemy.”

     - Marcus Aurelius

Peter is originally from Kansas City, MO and grew up attending St. Dionysios Greek Orthodox Church, part of the Metropolis of Denver. In the church he is involved as an altar boy and enthusiastic Greek dancer. He attended Ionian Village as a camper during the second session of 2019. Peter is excited to be on IV grounds again and enjoys joy chanting and storytelling with campers, and is looking forward to eating Kyria Sophia’s food!

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people's thinking."

     - Steve Jobs

Photi grew up in and resides in Denver, Colorado. He loves being outdoors, whether that involves hiking, backpacking, hammocking, skiing, yard games, or going on his daily walks with his dog Meli. In love with deep conversation, Photi loves diving into topics relating to God, how we can grow closer to God, and the purpose of life. He is ecstatic to have the opportunity to go back to IV for 2023, and can't wait to get to know the wonderful people there!

"We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience." 

     - Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Sophia Afendoulis is from Grand Rapids, MI, and recently graduated from the University of Michigan. Sophia attended Ionian Village as a camper in 2018 and has wanted to return ever since. She has an intense obsession with Trader Joe's soup dumplings, and is always found with a camera in one hand and a Diet Coke in the other. Sophia is committed to the bit, and is not afraid to be silly. Sophia has been attending summer camp since she was eight years old and has served as a counselor and as the Media Director at the Metropolis of Detroit Summer Camp. Sophia cannot wait to meet the campers and be a part of the true magic that is Ionian Village. She is ready for endless laughs, kefi, faith, friendship and LOTS of singalongs this summer! 

“I don’t love phones, I don’t love material things, I love people.”

     - YiaYia Mary

Sophia is an IVXIX (2019) alumna from Boca Raton, Florida and her home parish is St. Mark Greek Orthodox Church. She will graduate this Spring from the University of Florida (GO GATORS!) with a degree in Political Science and International Studies with a focus on Greece and the European Union. Her biggest flex is that she gave Prime Minister Mitsotakis a fist bump during a meeting on a Greek foreign policy trip! When she’s not dancing to Athina Mou or calling her mother (again) for her famous Pastitsio recipe, you can find her cheering on the McLaren Formula 1 team, listening to Lorde and Bad Bunny on repeat, and getting way too competitive with her intramural beach volleyball team. She is so excited to return back to Ionian Village to give campers the best summer of their lives and help them grow in their faith.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.”

     - Josiah Bartlet, The West Wing

Stephanie is so excited to be back for her third summer at IV! She attended IV as a camper in 2016 and as a participant at IV Next in 2021. She can’t wait for the campers to experience the magic of Zakynthos, cabin Olympics, and Kyria Sophia’s amazing cooking! Coming from the best city, Chicago, Stephanie is a huge Chicago sports fan! She loves all things Taylor Swift and speech pathology. In her free time, she enjoys binge watching reality TV dating shows and cheering on the Iowa Hawkeyes! Stephanie cannot wait to meet the campers in a few short months!

“Faith is taking the first step even when you can’t see the whole staircase.”

     - Martin Luther King Jr.

Yianni is so excited that after being a camper at Ionian Village in 2018 he will be able to return this summer on IV Staff! He likes to fish in the spring, go to Greece in the summer, watch football in the fall, and hang out with his friends in the winter. Yianni is easily entertained and can also easily entertain others. He laughs at just about anything and often will either break out into dance or start singing a song. Yianni also loves debating sports and he cannot wait to be there for the best summer of your life.

"Two major things to remember in life is: One, don't sweat the small stuff and two, it's all small stuff."

     - My Papou (Yianni Gormanos)

Fr. Anastasios and Presvytera Nicoletta serve the Cathedral of the Annunciation of Baltimore Maryland. Fr. Anastasios first became a part of Ionian Village in 1980 where he attended as a camper. Fr. and Presvytera have been on staff when their 3 daughters were campers at IV in the past years. They enjoy camping ministry and proclaiming the faith to the youth of our Orthodox Church.

Father Demetri Costarakis is the sixth generation of priests in his family. He was born in New York yet was raised his entire life in San Bernardino, Ca.

During his time at Hellenic College Holy Cross, he held leadership positions at various summer camps (St. Sophia Camp, San Bernardino, Ca; St. Nicholas Ranch, Fresno, Ca; Camp Axios, San Bernardino, Ca; Metropolis of Boston Camp, Contoocook, Nh).  Fr. Demetri graduated from Hellenic College in 2000 and from Holy Cross Seminary in the fall of 2003, After graduation he served as the pastoral assistant/youth advisor at the St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Weston, Ma. He was Ordained a Deacon on January 23, 2005 and a Priest on February 20, 2005. He continued to serve as the Assistant Priest at St. Demetrios until he was assigned as the Presiding Priest at the Transfiguration Church in Lowell, Ma in January 2006. In November of 2008 he was assigned to the Parish Family of St. Nicholas in Lexington, Ma where he served as the Presiding Priest for 13 years. On September 15, 2022 His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios assigned him to serve as the Presiding Priest and Dean of the St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Manchester, NH.

Fr. Demetri and his wife Gloria have two boys and all of them are excited for the best summer of their life!

Fr. Kyriakos Hambos (formerly known as Charlie) was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. He spent the formative years of his spiritual journey at St.John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Tampa where he also worked as a pastoral assistant for 7 years. A year and half ago he moved to Orlando, FL to start work at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. He was married in November of 2021 to Elefteria Hambos and was ordained to the priesthood in September of 2022 at Holy Trinity in Orlando. He has been involved in camp ministry for the past 15 years at St.Stephens Orthodox Camp in South Carolina, where he met and became friends with his wife. He has never been to Ionian Village and is incredibly excited to experience this heaven on Earth!

Father Michael Prevas was born and raised in Chicago, IL and has been living in California for the last 19 years with his wife (Matia) and four children (Kosta, Niko, Yioryia and Yianni).  He currently serves at Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Northridge, CA.

Father was blessed to attend and serve as a counselor at Ionian Village in 1999.  This transformative experience has always been a guiding light in his ministry and he looks forward to giving back this summer as a Clergyman. 

Father has extensive experience serving at summer church camps, working with youth at his parish and also guiding young people at his church’s robust Parochial School in Southern California.

He looks forward to meeting you all this summer.  Ionian Village is the greatest and most rewarding camping ministry in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America!

Fr. Michael is the parish priest at Saints Constantine and Helen in Cheyenne, WY. Having attended IV in '04 and '08, as well as having served as a staff member in '11, he is an IV super-fan who couldn't be more excited about returning this year as Clergy. When you catch him hanging out in the Trap playing tavli, challenge him to a game... or feel free to pick his brain about the amazing saints and iconography in the chapel! IV'23 is going to be EPIC. He can't wait to meet you at the chapel!

I am Fr. Peter Thornberg and serve the Parish of St Sophia, Ss Faith , Hope,and Agape in the Philadelphia suburbs.This will be my first time as a clergyman at IV. I'm looking forward to spending this summer with our staff and campers growing in our faith and having fun doing it. We have such amazing faith centered on Jesus Christ and a culture that is worth celebrating!

Father Simon Thomas is originally from California, where he was born, raised, and served as a parish priest, before moving to Memphis to serve the Annunciation. He has been a camper, counselor, and priest at multiple camps throughout the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, including Ionian Village in 1998.

Carol Bafaloukos is a Nurse Practitioner who is certified in both family and women's health.  She is very familiar with being camp medical staff as she has done it most summers since 2005.  She has been medical staff at IV in 2019 and both sessions of 2022.  Carol is very dedicated to Orthodox youth ministries as she feels there is no better way to teach our youth about our faith and culture than camp.  Carol is married and has three adult children.  She enjoys spending time with family, reading and spending time at the beach.  

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

     - Maya Angelou

Nurse Nicole is thrilled to return to Ionian Village for the Summer of 2023! She hails from the Northeast and grew up in MA in the St. Athanasius Parish. She is also very involved with the Metropolis of Boston Camp and has been fortunate enough to spend many summers there as a camper, staff member and medical staff. Nicole loves making music, long walks on Glyfa Beach and believes laughter is the best medicine. She is ready for another summer of trading in her hospital scrubs for IV polos and monastery skirts. You can find her bee-bopping around with her first aide backpack in hand ready to take on all the adventures of IV2023! 

"Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier."

     - Mother Teresa

Olivia can’t even put into words how stoked she is to be at IV for her fourth summer! Having been a camper in 2010 and staff member in 2015 and 2017, she’s looking forwards to a new role at camp on medical staff! When not dressing up as a spotless Dalmatian at camp, you can find Olivia working as a nurse in the cardiovascular ICU or the OR in Open Heart Surgery. 

Zoe Palmos is very excited to experience Ionian Village this summer. She loves to hike, ski, swim and travel. As a primary care physician and mother of three active teenagers, she is very capable of caring for all health-related needs. In her free time, she loves reading, listening to Greek music, and watching movies with her husband and children. 

"Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy." 

     -T. Merton 

Marina Floratos is excited for her 6th summer at Ionian Village and her FIRST as Director. Flo, as she is lovingly referred to, originally hails from Philadelphia where she grew up attending Camp Good Shepherd in the Metropolis of New Jersey as a camper and counselor. She was an IV camper in 2009 and on staff in 2014, before holding multiple positions in the office from 2015-2018. Her love for blazing hot temperatures, and ability to actually physically be in multiple places at once allows Marina to thrive at camp. With deep family roots in Kefalonia, also known as Greece’s most beautiful and most impressive island, Marina feels lucky to be able to share her passion of Greek culture and history with campers and staff again this year. Some of her other favorite things include Disney World, when they get her name right at Starbucks, and running around in the 100+ degree Grecian heat.  She LIVES for the summer and is thrilled to return to the best place EVER!!

"If you feel like you don't belong, just make space, because there's room."

     - Nigel Xavier

Fr. Elias Pappas was raised in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, at the parish of the Church of the Ascension in Fairview, NJ where his father has been the presiding priest since 2001. Fr. Elias studied at Hellenic College Holy Cross where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Religious Studies with a minor in Classics in 2019 and his Masters of Divinity Degree in 2021. One of the most important experiences he had was being selected as a steward of the Great and Holy Council which took place in Crete, Greece in 2016. He spent two months preparing for the Synod and he was involved with the logistics and security details of the Council. Fr. Elias currently serves as the Assistant Priest at the Cathedral of St Paul in Hempstead, New York.

Konstantine’s experience of Ionian Village began when he and his parents visited the camp just after his first birthday. He reconnected with IV as a staff member in 1997. He has served under all of the Directors since then and is excited to help all those involved make memories that last a lifetime.

"Disconnected. Rejuvenated."

     - Konstantine Salmas

Maria is deeply in love with everything Greece, and is especially inspired by the intimate details of our art, faith, and traditions. Driven by an irresistible urge inherited from her Yiayia to share her passion for our heritage, Maria has been involved in Ionian Village almost her entire adult life. Her mission each summer at IV is to create endless opportunities for joy and discovery; her hope is that campers and staff walk away with the fullest experience of Greece, and love and passion of their own.

Maria and her husband Father Evagoras along with their two boys, Christopher and Yianni, are members of the Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Brooklyn. During the year, Maria is an artist and designer, always dreaming of Greece.

«πάντοτε χαίρετε»
“always be joyful”
1 Thessalonians 5:16

Steph is BEYOND excited to be serving as Camp Life Coordinator for IV2023! After attending Ionian Village as a camper in 2015 and having the opportunity to serve as a staff member in 2019, she could not pass up the chance to experience another #BestSummerOfYourLife again this year. Steph lives in Atlanta, Georgia working as an individual and family therapist with children and adolescents. In her free time, she loves cheering on UGA football (back-to-back natty champs thank you very much – go dawgs), listening to every Taylor Swift song, or rewatching the same sitcoms for the 87th time in a row. With a love of Marvel, Tiktok, and all things youth work Steph can’t wait to help campers and staff experience the magic of Ionian Village this summer!

“Sometimes you gotta work a little so you can ball a lot”

     - Tom Haverford, Parks and Rec

Crissy loves Ionian Village. A LOT. She was a camper in 2008, a staff member in 2014 and 2015, and cannot wait to return as Program Coordinator this summer. When she's not at IV, Crissy lives in Maine with her husband Ben and dog Cannoli. There, she spends her days working as a speech-language pathologist, walking at the beach (whether there's snow or sun), reading the latest thriller, trying to recreate her yiayia's recipes, and dreaming of all of the fun she's going to have this summer at IV23.

"live in the sunshine. swim in the sea. drink the wild air."

     - ralph waldo emerson 

Back after winning the Kefi Cup in 2015 and 2019, Peter is absolutely pumped to return to IV!  Born on Long Island but raised in small-town Redding, CT, he found a home at St. Barbara's parish in Orange. When he's not spending time studying for his masters in social work, he loves playing piano, losing games of League of Legends, and caring for his pet axolotl named Gizmo who, unfortunately, will not be able to travel to camp with him. Peter would like to use the rest of his bio to provide everyone with some hot takes he will defend if asked about: all foods can be categorized as a salad, Sasuke is the best Naruto character, stick shift cars are more fun than automatics, and water is wet.  

“God changes his appearance every second. Blessed is the man who can recognize him in all his disguises.”

     - Nikos Kazantzakis

Marissa is no stranger to Ionian Village as she is back for her 6th summer! She loves IV and the impact this ministry has on campers  and staff.  Each experience at IV has been unique and eye opening as she has seen IV through many different lenses: as a camper in 2013, a staff member in 2016 and as a member of the admin team in 2019,  2021 and 2022 as the Wellness Coordinator. For the past five years Marissa has worked as a school social worker at an elementary school in Chicago. One of the many perks of her job is having summers off and being able to come back to Ionian Village! Marissa is known as the “energizer bunny” around camp as she has endless amounts of energy and can be found awake all hours of the night. She enjoys ferry rides, showing campers her favorite monasteries & jewelry shops, and can frequently be found with gyros in hand! She is  looking forward to seeing you this summer!

“Recognize that every interaction you have is an opportunity to make a positive impact on others.”

     - Shep Hyken 

All the way from Northridge, California, Kosta Prevas is looking to help provide the best summer ever for the campers of Ionian Village. As the Logistics Coordinator this summer, he is beyond excited for the opportunity to serve all of you. Kosta has played basketball since he was eight years old and brings a sense of enthusiasm and elation to Ionian Village. He is eager to continue sharing the great faith of the Orthodox Church as well as the opportunity to learn more about it. June cannot come quick enough and he is excited to get to work for all of you!

"Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it."

     - George Halas

The Staviski family originates from Skopelos (better known as the Mama Mia island).

Having adventured to the Great Pyramids, Great Wall of China and Taj Ma Hal, his favorite place in the world is the eighth Great Wonder of the World - Ionian Village!!!  This is where some of his fondest memories exist, and this November he will be the best man for one his bunkmates when he was a camper.  There’s just something magical about the relationships you build while at IV that you carry throughout your life.

Only 114,168 more minutes until Ionian Village 2023 - can’t wait to help make this the BEST SUMMER EVER!!!

"If you don't sacrifice for what you want - what you want becomes what you sacrifice..."