05/21/2026

The Hellenic Initiative Executive Director Mike Manatos

We had the honor and pleasure of welcoming the great Mike Manatos to the show! Mike serves as the Executive Director of The Hellenic Initiative (THI). He stepped into this leadership role to mobilize the global Greek diaspora and Philhellene community. THI focuses on driving sustainable economic recovery, entrepreneurship, and crisis relief for Greece and Cyprus. Before leading THI, Manatos built a 35-year career in public policy and government relations.

He previously served as President of the prominent boutique lobbying firm, Manatos & Manatos. This made him the third generation of his family to cultivate deeply rooted, bipartisan relationships with top U.S. policymakers. A dedicated philanthropist and advocate for Hellenic causes, his notable accomplishments include: Co-founding the Washington Oxi Day Foundation, where he served as Executive Director to establish the globally recognized OXI Courage Awards; Raising over $2 million and granting more than 250 wishes during his 26-year involvement with the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic; Advocating pro-bono for religious freedom, specifically supporting the Ecumenical Patriarchate before the White House, State Department, and Congress; Serving on major nonprofit boards, including the Executive Committees of Leadership 100 and the National Hellenic Society.

Join us in getting to know this fantastic Hellene with us!

Learn more at:

https://thehellenicinitiative.org/

https://thehellenicinitiative.org/ithaka/