Connecting Greeks Podcast

We welcome the very cool Tony Kasandrinos to the show! Tony hails from Rochester, New York, but his heart has always had a special place for his father's village in Niata, Greece. Growing up, he split his time between the two, soaking in the vibrant cultures and building a unique blend of experiences. After graduating from the Aquinas Institute, Tony took on a new adventure by joining the Mari...

We welcome the awesome Nick Drossos to the show! Nick is the Krav Magia creator and actor, as well as a writer. He is distinguished as one of the most prized self-defense experts in the world and founder of Nick Drossos Defensive Tactics combining a plethora of practical self- techniques, ranging from civilians to law enforcements. Nick empowers his pupils with high-caliber skills that include awa...

We welcome Christine Scolinos to the show! Christine is the founder and creative force behind TheGreekend®, a modern Greek American community and lifestyle brand connecting Greeks through shared culture and experiences. What began as a grassroots idea to promote Greek events has evolved into a globally recognized platform spanning live events, media, travel, and community initiatives. Through TheG...

We welcome author Shelley Dark to the show! After a lifetime raising cattle on Queensland’s Granite Belt, Shelley and her husband swapped the bush for the Sunshine Coast of Queensland Australia. She's an award-winning Australian author who travels as often as she can and enjoys iPhone photography. She's a member of the ALLWRiTE Club and Writers on the Coast Noosa—a generous community of wr...

We welcome Tom & Nick from the Ouzo Talk podcast to the show! Ouzo Talk is a Sydney-based podcast for Greeks of the diaspora. They bring the Ouzo-fueled conversations of ‘kafenia’ the Greek world over, right to your ears. From music, history and culture, to science, philosophy and everything in between, Ouzo Talk is all about 'parea'. And with a bottle of Ouzo always on the table, there's no t...

We welcome writer, director, and actress Rachel Suissa to the show! Rachel has created something truly unique with "Greek Mothers Never Die" — a supernatural comedy inspired by her real-life relationship with her Greek mother, blending heartfelt themes with laugh-out-loud cultural quirks. We talk to Rachel about how this very personal film was born, what it means for Greek American audie...

Join us in our chat with Nicholas Syris of Lavida Habana Cigars. Nick started his professional life as a very successful audio video electronics specialist. Thankfully, it was his passion for good cigars that won him over and also led him to a side career on a radio talk program, “Smooth Draws” a weekly program dedicated to Cigars and the Cigar Lifestyle. It was also his love of cigars that opened...

We welcome the awesome Bill Pantazis to the show! Bill is a George Michael impersonator so convincing that many struggle to tell him apart from the original artist, an effect heightened when viewed face-to-face. In addition to their strikingly similar facial features and eyes, Pantazis and the late singer also share Greek heritage and the same Zodiac sign. Pantazis's uncanny physical resemblan...

We welcome the awesome and inspiring Yianni Kioussis to the show! "Asperger Dynamo" is the wrestling persona of Yianni, who has Asperger's Syndrome. Yianni uses the name to represent his wrestling persona, which embodies the underdog and aims to inspire those with disabilities. He embraces his social difficulties, such as a lack of filter and social cue issues, as part of his wrestli...

We welcome the fascinating Stelios Maltepes to the show! Raised by Greek immigrants, Stelios is the only one of his siblings born in America. Destined to be the golden child, he drops out of high school, ends up hustling on the streets, and falls in love with a Puerto Rican girl from the Badlands. From professional sports bettor to marijuana trafficker, Stelios has ties to the NBA betting scandal,...

We welcome the awesome Chris Mustakas to the show! Chris is a Canadian author, storyteller, and proud father of two. Born in Waterloo, Ontario and now living in Ottawa, he balances family life, endless creative projects, and a career rooted in marketing, communication, and leadership. Professionally, Chris is the Chief Marketing Officer for Ferrari & Associates Insurance and Financial Services...

We welcome the inspiring Leon Logothetis to the show! In today's increasingly polarized, digitized world, human connection and empathy seem to be drying up. Stress, animosity, and disillusionment are on the rise in many workplaces. Leaders face a "kindness crisis" - their people are craving more compassion, belonging, and purpose. Before becoming a renowned motivational figure, Leon...

We welcome family man and social media superstar Jimmy "the Greek" Ntebekos to the show! Jimmy is a father of two, Georgie and Yioanna, who share the spotlight with him on his many viral videos. Let's get to know this awesome Greek! Follow Jimmy on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jimmythegreek7 Instagram: https://instagram.com/jimmythegreek7 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/U...

We welcome the fantastic Christina Mavronas to the show! Christina is everyone's Greek Brooklynite friend! 🤌 She's an actress, creator, writer, and comedian and we had so much fun chatting with her! Join us! instagram.com/christinamavronas/ WTTNPod > See & hear more on GreekAF >

We welcome the awesome Aristotelis Rigas to the show! Aris is a writer, director, actor, and standup comedian. He is also a musician, and has written music for theater and has participated as a musical actor in theatrical performances. His first solo performance entitled "musicomedy" was presented for the first time at the 1st comedy festival of the theater "Avaton". He has participated in "standu...

We welcome Alexandros & Christophoros to the show! They are the founders of To Kinima Tou Ethnous, a Greek Diaspora organization that seeks to leverage Greece's greatest natural resource, its people, to influence Greek politics and involve the diaspora in the political process of Greece. Alexandros is a leading voice of Greek Diaspora politics and a practicing Orthodox Christian. He studie...

We welcome Maria C. Miles to the show! Maria is an attorney and the founder of an entertainment law practice with offices in New York. Her practice focuses on all areas of entertainment law, including film, music, literary publishing, and new media. She is the president of the board of the Hellenic Film Society USA and previously served on the board of New York Women in Film and Television (NYWIFT...

We welcome Demetri Thomas to the show! Demetri Thomas grew up in beautiful sunny Los Angeles, but you won’t mistake his songs for breezy summertime fare. Demetri writes from the point of view of a hard working Country Music artist, bringing a new perspective and incisive wit to his tales of relationships gone wrong as well as the joys of being in love. With an easy listening Greek voice trained on...

We catch up with the incredible Evangelia to chat about all things, especially her new US tour that is kicking off this summer! Evangelia is a Greek-American artist born in the US, and raised between the island of Crete and New Jersey. Known for her effortless blend of modern pop music with Greek elements, she has captivated sold-out audiences around the world. With multi-platinum hits in Greece,...

We welcome Dimitra of Dimitra's Dishes to the show! Dimitra grew up in a traditional Greek family in New York. All of their meals were homemade and every happy gathering took place around a table full of delicious food that was shared with loved ones. Her summers were spent visiting family on the beautiful island of Crete and are filled with memories of getting together with grandparents, cous...

We welcome Stella to the show! Stella is a proud mother of 2 boys, a wife, and a mom to her puppy Chloé! She is a banking executive, with over 30 years of experience, where her passion is to inspire the will to win & reach new heights! Leading by example & embracing a diversity of ideas is key! She's extremely passionate about the employee experience, business development, optimizing p...

We sat down with acclaimed photographer Nick Bourdo to discuss his life, his work, and what the Hellenic culture means to him. Through his amazing artistic photographic eye, Nick is one of the great promoters of Hellenism and we were happy to discuss all things Greek with him. Join us! See & hear more on the GreekAF app .

We welcome the very funny Peter Kypri to the show. Peter, also known as Cypriot Smurf, has a unique background and upbringing have had a profound influence on his perspective and creative endeavors. Born in London to a Greek Cypriot father and an Italian mother, he grew up in a multicultural household that was steeped in a rich tapestry of traditions, languages, and idiosyncrasies. However, it was...

We welcome the super cool Peter Nikkos to the show! Peter currently resides in Los Angeles with his lovely wife, RID Certified American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreter, Eva Tingley. Born in the small village of Karyes, near Sparta, Greece, he immigrated with family to Chicago and was educated in the Windy City's public school system attending Lane Technical High School and James Monroe Element...

Zafirios Georgilas is a writer, musician, voiceover artist, and content creator born in Vancouver, Canada, who spent part of his childhood in his father’s northern Greek village. He later moved to London, England, but returned to Vancouver in between sojourns in New York and Montreal. Georgilas has a BA in English Literature (with additional studies in Classical Greek and Latin) from the Universit...