Eleni Kounalakis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eleni Kounalakis
|
|
|---|---|
Kounalakis in 2021
|
|
| 50th Lieutenant Governor of California | |
| Assumed office January 7, 2019 |
|
| Governor | Gavin Newsom |
| Preceded by | Gavin Newsom |
| United States Ambassador to Hungary | |
| In office January 11, 2010 – July 20, 2013 |
|
| President | Barack Obama |
| Preceded by | April H. Foley |
| Succeeded by | Colleen Bell |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Eleni Tsakopoulos
March 3, 1966 Sacramento, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Markos Kounalakis
(m. 2000) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Angelo Tsakopoulos (father) George Tsakopoulos (uncle) George Demos (brother-in-law) |
| Education | Dartmouth College (BA) University of California, Berkeley (MBA) |
| Signature |  |
Eleni Kounalakis (born March 3, 1966) is an American politician and businesswoman. She is currently the 50th lieutenant governor of California. She has held this important job since 2019.
A member of the Democratic Party, Kounalakis made history. She is the first woman and the first Greek American to be elected to this office. Before becoming lieutenant governor, she worked as a diplomat. She was the United States Ambassador to Hungary.
Kounalakis earned a degree from Dartmouth College. Later, she got a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of California, Berkeley. After college, she worked for her family's real estate company. She became the president of AKT Development Corporation.
In 2010, President Barack Obama chose her to be the U.S. Ambassador to Hungary. She served in this role until 2013. In 2018, she was elected lieutenant governor of California. She was reelected in 2022. In April 2023, Kounalakis announced she plans to run for governor of California in 2026.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Eleni Kounalakis was born in Sacramento, California. Her father, Angelo Tsakopoulos, was a real estate developer. Eleni grew up in a Greek family. She is a member of the Greek Orthodox Church.
She attended Dartmouth College for her first degree. Then, she went to the University of California, Berkeley's Haas School of Business. There, she earned her Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Career Highlights
Working in Business
Before 2009, Kounalakis was the President of AKT Development Corporation. This was her family's business. It was involved in real estate, farming, and land development. Her father started the company in 1964.
Eleni and her husband, Markos Kounalakis, support education. They helped create two special university programs. These programs focus on Hellenic studies, which is the study of ancient Greek culture. These programs help people learn about the beginnings of Athenian democracy. They also started a lecture series about democracy and international relations.
Kounalakis also worked with the World Council of Religions for Peace. This group promotes peace among different religions. For her efforts, she received the St. Paul Medal. This is a high honor from the Greek Orthodox Church of America. She also served on important boards in San Francisco.
Political Journey
Kounalakis has been active in politics for a long time. She was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention four times. This means she helped choose the party's presidential candidate.
In 2009, President Barack Obama asked her to become an ambassador. She accepted and served as the U.S. Ambassador to Hungary. This job involves representing the United States in another country.
In 2017, Kounalakis announced she would run for Lieutenant Governor of California. She traveled to all 58 counties in California during her campaign. Her campaign was known for getting many volunteers to text voters. In 2018, she won the election. She became the first woman ever elected as Lieutenant Governor of California. She and Governor Gavin Newsom started their terms in January 2019.
Kounalakis was re-elected as lieutenant governor in 2022. In 2023, she announced her plan to run for governor in 2026.
As lieutenant governor, she serves on the Regents of the University of California. This board helps manage the university system. In 2023, she voted on a project for a new student dorm at UCLA. She wanted to make sure the dorms were big enough for students.
She has also faced challenges related to her official duties.
Personal Life
Eleni Tsakopoulos married Markos Kounalakis in 2000. They have two sons together.
In 2011, she received an honorary law degree. This was from the American College of Greece. She is Greek Orthodox. She received the St. Paul Medal, which is a high honor from her church.
See also
In Spanish: Eleni Kounalakis para niños
- List of female lieutenant governors in the United States
- Greek Americans
Images for kids
-
Eleni Kounalakis's signature
