Marousis-Zachariades Elected Grand President of Daughters of Penelope

Supreme Convention, Orlando, Florida

The delegates of the Supreme Convention of the Daughters of Penelope (DOP) elected Antoinette Marousis-Zachariades, Grand President for the 2025-2026 administrative year. Elections were held July 25th, at the 103rd Annual AHEPA Supreme Convention, Orlando, FL. Marousis-Zachariades hails from Brick, NJ.

Meet Grand President Antoinette Marousis-Zachariades (central photo)

Antoinette is the daughter of the late Charles A. Marousis, a member of the Order of AHEPA who emigrated from Elika, Greece, and Stathia (Soomas) Marousis, an active member of the Daughters of Penelope. Together they raised six children and instilled in them the values of faith, community service and Hellenic pride. She is married to Andrew C. Zachariades, Past Supreme President of the Order of AHEPA and together they share a blended family of three daughters, two sons-in-law and eight grandchildren and remain deeply committed to the values and future of the AHEPA Family. Professionally, she is retired. Her past careers include working as a Senior Design Draftsperson in Civil Engineering, with responsibility for designing and drafting commercial and residential site plans and visual presentations. She also held roles at a home textile company as the showroom and sample coordinator for the sales department and as a licensed real estate agent. Her journey in the Daughters of Penelope began in 1998, when she was initiated into District 5, Aphrodite #374, Toms River, NJ. She served her chapter in the capacity of President, Treasurer and Recording Secretary. Currently, she is a member of District 5, Aulis #195, Ocean, NJ. On a district level, she has held the position of District 5 Governor for four terms, with two consecutive terms, each in a different decade as well as the position of Lieutenant Governor.
Further serving her district, for twenty-two- years she was honored to serve on the Board of Trustees for the Fifth District AHEPA Family Cancer Research Foundation, Inc. holding the position of Chairman for four years, Vice Chairman and Recording Secretary, multiple times and still volunteers her time when permittable. Even further, she served the Daughters of Penelope Fifth District Education Foundation as a member for many years and Chairman, for three years. On a national level, she chaired many committees which include Civic Responsibility, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and Shrine and served as the Daughters of Penelope Supreme Convention Business Session Chairman. She also served on the Daughters of Penelope Foundation Inc. for twelve years, as President, Vice President, each for two years and Scholarship Chairman for seven years.

In 2021, she was elected to the Grand Lodge and rose through the ranks from Grand Governor Zone I to Grand Vice President before earning the organization’s highest office this year of Grand President. Her theme for this year, “Believe and Become,” encourages members to develop a positive mindset and believe in their ability to lead, serve, and inspire. This theme will strengthen the Sisterhood while upholding the organization’s mission of promoting the ideals of Hellenism, education, individual and family excellence through community service and philanthropy which has defined the Daughters of Penelope for 95 years. Her community service also includes being a founding member of the Crystal Marousis Handchen Walk With Me Foundation where she served as Treasurer for two years, board member for the Hellenic Dancers of NJ, eight years, and a lifelong member of the Elikioton Society of America, serving as Vice President for ten years.

2025-2026 Daughters of Penelope Grand Lodge

In addition to Grand President Antoinette Marousis-Zachariades, the following individuals were elected to the Daughters of Penelope Grand Lodge:

Grand Vice President Gretchen Holtsinger of Wimberley, TX;
Grand Secretary Patty Didik of Hudson, FL;
Grand Treasurer Effie Kirkiles of Oakland Park, FL;
Grand Governor Zone I Lainie Damaskos-Christou of Schenectady, NY;
Grand Governor Zone II Christina Vlahopoulos of Ann Arbor, MI;
Grand Governor Zone III Helen Santire of Houston, TX;
Grand Governor Zone IV Cathy Keyser of Paradise Valley, AZ;
Grand Governor Zone V Roula Maginas-Koumoutsidis of Ontario, Canada;
and Grand Advisor to the Maids of Athena Helen McClure of Lakewood, WA.

2025-2026 AHEPA Family Presidents

Congratulations also to AHEPA Supreme President Chris Kaitson, Sons of Pericles Supreme President Basili Ronstadt, and Maids of Athena Grand President Stephanie Owens (photo below).

AHEPA Family Supreme Convention 2026

The 2026 Supreme Convention will convene at the Sheraton in Philadelphia the week of July 27th. Details to be announced soon.

Founded in San Francisco in 1929, the Daughters of Penelope is the first women’s organization of its kind established in the United States. It is an affiliate organization of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA).

The mission of the DOP is to promote the ancient Greek ideals of Hellenism, Education, Philanthropy, Civic Responsibility, and Family and Individual Excellence.

For more information about the DOP, or any of its programs or projects,

please visit www.daughtersofpenelope.org.