OUR TEAM
Eva Konstantakos
Director of Y2AM
Eva Konstantakos is the Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministries (Y2AM) for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. She brings to her role over 20 years of experience in youth and young adult ministries, including her service as the Y2AM Director for the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Detroit from 2003-2022. During that time, she participated in and contributed to a number of parish, Metropolis, Archdiocesan, and Pan-Orthodox youth and young adult ministries and initiatives. These included parish youth and young adult ministry development, campus/college ministry, summer camps, youth worker training, youth safety, and curriculum development.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Ball State University and a Master of Theological Studies from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. She is originally from Anderson, Indiana, and currently resides in Windsor, Ontario with her husband.
Dr. Athanasia Kostakis
Cohort Director
Dr. Athanasia Kostakis is the Effective Christian Ministry Cohort Director. She is inspired by Christ’s commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself” and motivated by Christ’s admonition that we are responsible for even the smallest gift in the Parable of the Talents. She is dedicated to supporting life giving relationships and lay ministry in the Orthodox Church.
Dr. Athanasia is an established ministry leader with extensive experience in youth and young adult ministry. She holds a Masters of Divinity from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (2007), a Master of Social Work from Boston University (2013), and Doctor of Ministry from Boston University (2018). She is also a Licensed Master Social Worker.
Dimitra Chronopoulos
Cohort Coach
Dimitra Chronopoulos enjoys working with others to create value and beauty, in objects and experiences. She is thankful for the opportunity to serve the Church as a coach with the ECM Cohort, where she excels at asking good questions and rejoices over the growth she witnesses in teams, team members, and her fellow coaches.
Dimitra has served as a Sunday school teacher and director at her home parish in Toronto for over a decade. She works as a freelance editor and a member of the events team at the Centre for Social Innovation, Canada’s largest social innovation community. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Science from McMaster University (Hamilton, Ontario) and a certificate in event and meeting management from George Brown College.
Alexis Pappas
Cohort Coach
Alexis Pappas is an Effective Christian Ministry Coach with Y2AM. As a young adult, the verse from the Holy Scriptures "Come to me all you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest" spoke meaning into her life. She is thankful for the group of Young Adults that assembled in Birmingham, Alabama her home parish, Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral in 1993 to study the Holy Scriptures, to practice Fellowship and to hear Testimonies. That Young Adult group inspired her to pursue her dream of serving the Orthodox Church. For twelve years, Alexis served as a Pastoral Assistant working alongside gifted young people, parents and clergy. Alexis enjoys co-chairing the annual parish Lenten Retreat, teaching Sunday School and serving on the Philoptochos Board. She also has a Master's in Business Administration and a Master's in Health Services Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (1995). She is inspired by the faithful volunteers and clergy that have blessed her life beyond measure.
Sarah Ickes
Cohort Coach
Sarah is grateful to have found her way to the Orthodox Church and is blessed to be married to her best friend and partner in salvation, Chaz. Sarah and Chaz joyfully welcomed their first child in September 2022. They are currently located in Yonkers, New York, as Chaz pursues his Master’s of Divinity at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary. Being involved in the community and liturgical life at seminary continues to be a blessing and privilege for them both.
Sarah has a B.A. in Communication from Ohio State and a Master's of Education from Ashland University. She has served as an English teacher in South Korea, a middle school teacher in Ohio, and a fourth-grade teacher in New York. Working with children has been a continual reminder that the greatest thing that we can teach anyone is to know and love the Lord! Sarah finds strength in the words of Dr. Albert Rossi, that we are called to be a healing presence to others, and Christ is that healing presence in us.
Emmanuel Maginas
Cohort Coach
Emmanuel grew up in the Church. He holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from Hellenic College (2014) and an M.Div. from Holy Cross School of Theology (2018). In 2014-2015 he lived in Greece and visited many churches and monasteries, including spending Christmas, Holy Week, and Pascha on Mount Athos. From 2018-2021 he worked as the pastoral assistant at a parish in the Pittsburgh area, where he resides with his wife Melissa. He has worked for the ECM cohort since August of 2021. In his spare time, he reads and compares service rubrics from various Orthodox liturgical traditions.
Christina Stavros Kidonakis
Cohort Coach
Christina T. Stavros Kidonakis is a Coach for the "Effective Christian Ministry" 2022-23 Cohort for Y2AM. She is motivated by a vision for ministry that puts the boundless depth and beauty of the Orthodox Christian Tradition to work as profoundly practical and effective at meeting the needs of those who are seeking Christ and His Church at every age.
Christina has a strong background in parish ministry and youth ministry across several Orthodox jurisdictions. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Religion from Hope College (2001), Masters of Divinity from Regent College - Vancouver, BC CANADA (2005), a Certificate in Byzantine Music from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (2014), and is Certified in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) and Hospital Chaplaincy at levels 1, 2, 3, and 4.
She serves her home parish of All Saints Greek Orthodox Church in Joliet, IL as Protopsaltria (Lead Cantor) and she is the instructor in Religion for grades 6, 7, and 8 at a suburban Chicago Greek Orthodox parochial school.
Angela Ferreira
Cohort Coach
Angela Ferreira is a Coach for the "Effective Christian Ministry" 2022-23 Cohort for Y2AM. Angela is passionate about sharing Christ's unconditional love for each of us, no matter where we are in our lives or how far we may have strayed. There is always hope with our Lord, even when we may not always feel like He is there.
Angela earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Drew University and has a marketing and program development background. She has been an active member of her Church community from a young age. She has taught Sunday School to the upper grades for over 30 years including 10 years as director and being responsible for curriculum and special projects development. She has been involved with many other church ministries including GOYA, volleyball coaching, Philoptohos, church bookstore managing, prosforo/artos baking, koliva preparation, church beautification and more.
She and her husband, Jorge, currently attend St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church in Flemington, NJ, and are blessed to be parents of three precious young adults -- Aleena, Phillip, and Stefania.
David Potts
Cohort Coach
David Potts is a Colorado native with a passion for youth ministry. David is a graduate of the St. Stephen’s Course with a concentration in youth work. Over the years, David has been involved in various outlets that serve the local church and their youth. David previously served as a summer camp coordinator for St. John the Compassionate Mission in Toronto. There he helped at-risk youth and newcomer youth with integration and food security issues. He also worked with an Orthodox-based pay-as-you-can cafe called Thelma's Kitchen in iinner-cityKansas City. Through his house painting business, David employed at-risk youth equipping them with useful leadership and occupational skills. Presently, David serves as a mentor for young men in Saskatoon, SK Canada where he currently resides with his wife and two young daughters. In his free time, he enjoys snowboarding, rock climbing, and action sports.
Danielle Rallis
Cohort Coach
Danielle Rallis serves as an “Effective Christian Ministry” coach for Y2AM. Her home parish is Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church in Port Washington, NY. She is passionate about cultivating open and loving spaces where Christ-centered relationships can grow for young adults. The emphasis on listening within the ECM course has become fruitful in her own life, and she hopes to share this skill with other leaders of the church. She has a desire to maintain ministry efforts in her life as she commences her career as a dentist.
Recently, Danielle graduated from Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Science in Human Science (2022) where she first became involved with youth ministry. She served in various leadership roles in her Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) campus chapter, as well as on the OCF’s National Student Leadership Board. She will continue to pursue her studies at dental school at Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine (Class of 2027).
