Interview with Mrs. Elena Saviolakis – Executive Director of DOP – AHEPA

Following the remarkable and distinctive Daughters of Penelope (DOP) Greece and Cyprus Leadership Conference held in Athens this April—an event hosted in the iconic and elegant Academy of Athens building by the DOP and DOP Amaryllides Chapter 421 under the dynamic leadership of Chapter President Irene Xakousti — we are honored to welcome today Mrs. Elena Saviolakis, Executive Director of the DOP and a prominent member of the AHEPA Family.

Mrs Elena Saviolakis – Skardis was interviewed by our collaborator Margarita Vartholomeou

Qestion: Please explain to us in detail what is the Daughters of Penelope that belong to the AHEPA family. Who conceived the idea of establishing the Daughters of Penelope and what are you aiming at?

Αnswer: The Daughters of Penelope is a unique family of excellence. The Daughters of Penelope was the realization of Alexandra Apostolides’ dream. Her desire was to create a woman’s organization to support the advancement of women, to encourage women to engage in philanthropic initiatives, to promote education, and to provide opportunities for socialization. Because of her perseverance and with the encouragement of her husband Dr. Emanuel Apostolides, a devoted AHEPAN, she formed EOS Chapter #1 with 25 charter members on November 16, 1929 in San Francisco, California. She was elected the first Grand President of the organization in 1931.

The Daughters of Penelope has initiated over 25,000 members and has surpassed 300 chapters worldwide. With chapters in the United States, Canada, Australia, Greece, England, France, Germany, Belgium, and Austria, our mission and membership continues to grow. In 2029, The Daughters of Penelope will celebrate 100 years of Hellenism, Excellence, Education, Civic Responsibility, and Philanthropy.

Q: Which are the principles Daughters of Penelope serve and which are the main pillars of their action?

A: The Daughters of Penelope’s commitment to education has been well documented throughout its history. The Daughters of Penelope Foundation, Inc. continues in its pursuit to develop new and more responsive ways to meet our community’s responsibility in creating a better learning environment for our children. It provides scholarships on an international basis to a wide variety of students.  Recipients are high school seniors, college and post-graduate students all looking to become tomorrow’s leaders.

Philanthropy and Volunteerism have been pillars throughout the country for the Daughters of Penelope over its many years of existence. From natural disaster relief, to raising funds to eliminate life threatening diseases, our expansive philanthropic programs support a variety of initiatives that enhance the lives of women and support the strengthening of society as a whole.  The generosity of the Daughters of Penelope is at the forefront of charitable giving as we impact communities locally and globally. Yet, this only scratches the surface of the numerous philanthropic works of the association.

The Daughters of Penelope, along with the AHEPA brotherhood have embraced our civic responsibility to provide affordable housing to senior citizens. Additionally, the DOP helps raise awareness of domestic violence and has led successful efforts to strengthen federal investment in programs authorized by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) in Congress by submitting written testimony to congressional appropriators and responsible for additional co-sponsorship to the reauthorization of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA). These programs provide life-saving, support services to survivors of domestic violence and their families through federal grants awarded to entities such as DOP National Projects Penelope House and Penelope’s Place, and support the National Domestic Violence Hotline. From our annual Capitol Hill Day, the meetings the Daughters of Penelope members held with congressional offices led to increased membership in the Congressional Hellenic Caucus and led to co-sponsorship of legislation supporting United States – Greece relations.

The Daughters of Penelope recognizes the importance of promoting the achievements made by women in their professional fields. Through our Salute to Women, panels, and webinars, women who continue to impact their communities and our global society are highlighted throughout the year.

The Daughters of Penelope recognizes female athletes at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels with scholarships, accolades and in some cases, induction into our Athletic Hall of Fame.

Q: You have established a distinguished career as Executive Director of the DOP. Which are the principles that build your character, your ethics code along with your path of life; Last but not least, which are your future plans concerning the development of the Sisterhood?

A: Thank you!

I am a member of the Daughters of Penelope Hermione Chapter No. 11 in Washington, DC. My family is an AHEPA Family so I am proud to be a member of the Hermione Chapter. Through the many facets of the DOP’s mission, my goal is to promote unity, to be kind, to inspire, to empower, and to create social impact.

Together with our leadership and membership, the DOP will work to continue to be a voice on Capitol Hill which will strengthen issues of importance to women and further strengthen the ties between the United States and Greece, to continue growing our membership and sisterhood via our mission statement, and continue to promote and grow Hellenism around the world.

Q: What were the results of the Conference held in Athens?

Α: The Daughters of Penelope (DOP) and Amaryllis Athens Chapter 421, in collaboration with the Academy of Athens, co-hosted the Greece and Cyprus Chapter Leadership Conference at the Academy of Athens on April 12, 2025.

Reports were given by almost all 23 Daughters of Penelope Chapter Presidents of Greece & Cyprus in addition to a Headquarters presentation. Daughters of Penelope chapter greetings were also made by the European delegation in attendance. 200-plus Sisters travelled near and far to be with us and to participate. Organizational Awards were also given including the 2025 DOP Human Rights Award, 2025 DOP Service Award, and 2025 DOP Appreciation Award. It was an exceptional conference and a pleasure to be with the leadership in Greece and Cyprus to not only discuss DOP goals and projects but also to engage in thought-provoking dialogue about how we can further empower and inspire women to become future leaders via our mission statement.

Q: To what extent can Greeks living abroad contribute to the development and progress of Greece?

A: If we continue to further strengthen the connection with Greeks living abroad, Greece will certainly continue to experience growth, continue to expand its economic base, and its geopolitical strength.

WORK BIO

Elena has been the Executive Director for the Daughters of Penelope since 2007. Elena oversees the overall management and operations of the Daughters of Penelope as an international women’s organization.

Elena is a graduate of The American College of Greece in Athens, with a B.S. in International Business and European Affairs, and holds an MBA with a focus in International Business from George Washington University in Washington, DC.

During her studies in Athens, Greece, she earned a spot on one of the A1 Professional Women’s Soccer teams in Athens and was also a performer in the Athens Olympic Games Closing Ceremony in 2004. She was also selected as one of Greek America Foundation’s Forty under Forty Honorees for the Class of 2012. Before coming on board to the Daughters of Penelope, Elena served in the hospitality industry designing and implementing marketing and sales plans for various corporate hotels in DC.