Ms.Natasha-Natalia Antoniou was born in New York, USA and raised in Athens, Greece. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Physical Education and Sports Science from the International and Kapodistrian University of Athens specializing in Swimming and Waterpolo. She has a coaching license by the general secretariat of sports and she is a certified lifeguard (CPR, first aid for infant, child, adult). Moreover, she has a baby swimming certificate and has also been a physical educator for kids with special needs.
Ms. Antoniou has been a swimmer since the age of three; some years later she joined water polo and had been a member of the junior national team of Greece. Ms. Antoniou has worked as a coach for ten years at the club team Okeanos where she was also an academy supervisor. For the past two years she is a coach for the club of Panathinaikos (at the Olympic stadium). With both teams, Ms. Antoniou has participated in various competitions with her athletes all over Greece. Ms. Antoniou has been working at ACS Athens for the past three years during summer camp. As of this year she will also be coaching in the after school Swimming Academy.
Ms. Efi Karatopouzi was born in Greece having a Greek Australian citizenship (Australian mother) and was raised abroad until she finished first grade. Then, she came to Greece where she graduated from Greek High School and continued her studies at the School of Physical Education and Sports Science at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, where she earned her B.A. with specialization on Track and Field. In 2017, she earned her B.A. in Child Psychology at the University of the Aegean. She currently got her diploma in Mindfulness studies from the USMASS memorial institute of Massachusetts. She holds a Play therapy diploma, and she is also a Kids Yoga family instructor.
Ms Karatopouzi has participated in personal development courses regarding teaching methods for large classes as well as teaching physical education to kids with autism. She is an official Archery, Track and Field, and National Nordic coach.
Ms. Karatopouzi has a rich experience in physical education. She has worked as a fitness teacher for many years in several sports clubs for adults and children and as a volunteer physical education teacher at Zannia Institution, where she worked with abused children. She has been a member of the Greek National Track & Field team for 15 years and has competed in national and international competitions in Greece and abroad. She is co-founder and co-creator of Fitness Nordic. She is also the author of a children’s book on Role Exercise workout: A new way to make kids' fantasy work with creativity by listening and exercising.
Ms. Karatopouzi began working at ACS Athens in 2016 as a Physical Education Teacher in the Elementary School and has undertaken different posts in the Athletic Department in all three schools and ACS Athens Summer Camp since then. In 2017 -2018, she piloted a Mindfulness program for students in Junior Kindergarten classes, which has continued to run up to this year also. Her pilot Mindfulness research paper was presented at the International Mindfulness Convention, held in Slovenia. She has also offered her services voluntarily to the Youth-to-Youth Program at ACS Athens.
Ms Karatopouzi has done an action research in the MBS program that she has been working in ACS. School since 2017.She has published her research in books and magazines and presented as well in various conference in Europe.
Ms. Karatopouzi is also a member of the ECIS committee on Physical education.
Ms Karatopouzi is a certified Rescuer from the Greek political protection and a Certified BLS Instructor from ERC.
email: karatopouzie@acs.gr
Mr. Panagiotis Katsaitis was born and raised in Corinth, Greece and is currently studying Digital Systems at the University of Piraeus.
He started practicing archery at the age of 11 and he is a member of the Greek national team since 2013. Mr. Katsaitis has participated in international competitions, including the 2013 World Youth Championship in Wuxi, China. He has earned a lot of distinctions in the Greek national league as well as the Greek Cup and he is the national indoor champion for 2019. He is also a certified archery coach.
As of this year, Mr. Katsaitis will be the coach of Recreational after school Archery.
Mr. Chris Kourtis was born and raised in Athens, Greece. He studied Physical Education and Sports Science at the University of Athens, where earned his Bachelor's Degree in 2003, specializing in Tennis.
He has been actively involved in teaching Physical Education at ACS Athens since 2009, at all three school levels. Currently, he is teaching MS 8th and 7th grade Physical Education.
In 2018, Mr. Kourtis was recognized by Stanford University for his exceptional teaching and his dedication as an educator and a mentor.
During the 2020 and 2021 lockdowns, Mr. Kourtis joined the "Home base PE summit" and participated in more than 20 webinars with PE professionals from all around the globe.
Mr. Kourtis is a member of the American Coaching Academy, where he is gaining valuable professional development and resources.
Besides his teaching background, Mr. Kourtis, is a certified lifeguard, a (level D) wall climbing operator/supervisor and has successfully completed the Emergency First Response Course that follows current guidelines for emergency patient care.
Mr. Chris Kourtis has been coaching tennis since 2001 and, in 2007, joined the ACS Athens Tennis Academy, coaching team. He is also the coach of the ACS Athens Middle School Tennis team.
email: kourtisc@acs.gr
Mr. Babis Mamas holds a BSc (Honors) in Sports Science & Physical Education from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, an MBA from The Open University Business School (UK), and currently undertaking an MA in Education Leadership from the Open University (UK).
Babis has always been passionate about sports and the fields of education and management. He started his teaching career as a Physical Education teacher in Greek public schools, but after a few years, he was mesmerized by the business industry and changed directions. Sports have always been Mr. Mamas' passion, and alongside working and studying, he competed at the U18 and U21 Greek Track & Field team for Long and Triple Jump, and at a later age, he was introduced to Volleyball. Volleyball also turned into a career as he coached professionally at teams in Athens (Panathinaikos, Panionios) and later in the UK.
Moving into the UK turned to be a life-changing experience as Mr. Mamas discovered the fantastic world of International Schools and the plethora of administration roles that can combine education and management/leadership with the addition of sports at a high level. He quickly climbed the ranks to a position of leadership that included all the elements that synthesize a dream job for him and found particular interest in Pastoral Care. Mr. Mamas initiated significant projects that transformed and enhanced the school's co-curricular provision while being a board member in the school's Health & Safety, Safeguarding, and Academic Strategy teams. As part of the training required for his role, Mr. Mamas acquired Level 2 qualifications in the following fields:
Health & Safety in Education, Mental Wellbeing in Children and Young People, Keep Children Safe In Education (KCSIE) framework from the UK Department of Education and Child Protection in International Schools.
Mr. Mamas is very excited about being part of ACS Athens' vibrant community.
email: mamasc@acs.gr
Mr. Mikros was born in New Jersey and raised both in the United States and Greece. He earned a bachelor’s in History from Kean University in Union, New Jersey, and a post-bachelor degree in Physical and Health Education (K-12). He is certified by the State of New Jersey to teach Physical Education/ Health. He worked as a substitute Physical Education teacher in public schools in the United States before moving to Greece.
In 2013 Mr. Mikros co-presented a workshop at the ECIS Physical Education Conference, Surrey Sports Park, England, titled “Ice Breakers, Bonding Activities for the first day of school.
Apart from being an emergency responder (CPR/First Aid for adult/child/infant), Mr. Mikros is a certified Lifeguard and a (Level D) wall climbing operator/supervisor.
He has been a member of AAHPERD (American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance.)
Mr. Mikros has been a member of the ACS faculty since 2005, teaching Physical Education to Elementary School, Middle School, and Academy students. He is currently teaching 7th and 8th grade Middle School Physical Education. In addition, he has been involved with the Saturday Youth-to-Youth program responsible for the athletic activities. For the past 30 years, Mr. Mikros has been a folk dance instructor, volunteering his time to teach and preserve his culture here in Greece and in the United States.
Mr. Mikros is the coach for the Middle School and Academy Cross Country Teams, the Junior Varsity Boys Soccer, and the Middle School Track & Field Teams.
email: mikrosv@acs.gr
Mr. Nick Naoum was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa and holds a coaching certificate in soccer.
He has coached boys and girls soccer at all levels and has also been a Varsity Coach at ACS Athens for several years. As an athlete Mr. Naoum has played soccer in semi-pro level and was a member of the Belgian league for the team of Anderlecht.
Mr. Naoum is an ACS Athens alumnus (class of 1979).
email: naoumn@acs.gr
Mr. Nikolopoulos was born in Athens, Greece. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics from the National Kapodistrian University of Athens and a Master's Degree in Computer Applications from the University of West Attica. Prior to ACS Athens, Mr. Nikolopoulos worked in various private educational institutions working with kids from ages 12 to 18. In addition, he worked as a professor at the University Independent Studies of Technology.
Mr Nikolopoulos will be teaching at ACS Athens for 4th year and he will be teaching Computer Science in grades 8 and 7 and Robotics in grade 6.
Mr. Nikolopoulos believes highly in meeting all students’ needs while inspiring them to reach their full potential. Furthermore, he wants students to understand the importance of Computer Science and how this connects to their everyday life.
His interests include reading books, watching movies, and is a member of a Movie Club. Mr. Nikolopoulos is also a member of the Forest Fire Protection Volunteers and often acts as a volunteer guard on the mountain of Ymittos.
email: nikolopoulosa@acs.gr
Mark Papasifakis is an ACS alumni who has studied Shotokan Karate since his teens while still a student at ACS. He was awarded his 1st Degree Black Belt(1 Dan) by the Japan Karate Association and the Greek Karate Association. He attained the rank of 3rd Dan under the strict guidance and supervision of the Greek Karate Association where he remains currently active, training and further perfecting his skills.
His teacher and mentor, Sensei Dimitris Kazakeas, is the Chief Instructor of the Greek Karate Association. He will be supervising and visiting ACS on a regular basis during the academic year, assisting Mark and his students as they strive towards technical excellence and character building through the diligent study of Traditional Shotokan Karate.
Dimitris Rizas graduated from New York College with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. He has a C-Category degree in coaching swimming. As a former athlete in swimming he has had many good performances in Panhellenic events as well as International events with the Greek National team. Currently, he is a swimming coach at Okeanos Club and is very excited this year that he is a part of the ACS Athens Athletics program.
Mr. Christos Stachikas was raised in Athens, Greece, and Miami, FL, in the United States, where he graduated from high school.
Following his return to Athens in 2010, he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Science and Physical Education from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens with a Specialty Diploma in Biology of Exercise. In May of 2020, he completed his postgraduate studies, earning a Master’s Degree in "Applied and Molecular Physiology" from the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
In 2016 Mr. Stachikas served his military duty in the Greek Presidential Guard, the honorary unit of the Hellenic Armed Forces. He has also been working as a professional basketball coach for nine years, the past three coaching for the Panathinaikos BC Academy.
Mr. Stachikas is entering his fifth year in the ACS Academy, teaching Sport, Exercise and Health Science, and Health and Physical Education.
email: stachikasc@acs.gr