Myrsini has been living in Prespa since 1988. She was involved in the establishment of the National Parks at Prespa, the Pindos Mountain range and Mount Olympus, as a consultant specialising in the biology and ornithology of these areas. She became the Managing Director of the SPP on its establishment in 1991 and has been leading the organisation ever since. She was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2001, for her contribution to the protection of the wetlands of Prespa, jointly with fellow biologist Giorgos Catsadorakis. In 2013 she was honoured with the Viron Antipas Award in recognition of her many years of successful conservation work in Prespa.
Giorgos studied Biology at the Univ. of Athens and holds a PhD in ecology. Since 1991, he has been Scientific & Conservation Advisor to the SPP and has been involved in research work for pelicans, and many other threatened birds, fish and mammals, as well as wetland and protected area management and environmental interpretation. He also worked as an advisor to WWF Greece from 1997 to 2018. Amongst eleven books on the natural history of Greece, he has written three about Prespa, pelicans, fish and fisheries, and has published more than 80 peer-reviewed scientific papers. Since 2010, he has been Chairman of the Pelican Specialist Group for IUCN-SSC (International Union for the Conservation of Nature – Species Survival Commission) and WI (Wetlands International). In 2001, he was awarded, jointly with Myrsini Malakou, the Goldman Environmental Prize for his contribution to the conservation of Prespa.
Irene’s exciting first contact with Prespa and the SPP was through a volunteer programme run by WWF-Greece in 1996. She studied biology at Sussex University and holds an MSc in Wildlife Conservation & Management from the University of Reading in the UK. She joined the SPP in 2003, to work as a field ornithologist. Since then, she has co-ordinated numerous projects spanning several fields of the SPP’s work, with a particular focus on research and monitoring, wetland management and habitat restoration at the national and transboundary level. She has co-ordinated two LIFE projects, one on the conservation of juniper forests and another on the restoration of wetlands in Lesser Prespa Lake. Irene currently co-operates with the policy department and works on transboundary collaboration through the projects of the PrespaNet network.
Olga grew up in Thessaloniki and studied Forestry and Natural Environment at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She continued her studies in wildlife at the postgraduate level and obtained a PhD, studying important bird species in the Dadia Forest. She has collaborated with the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli National Park Management Body and with environmental NGOs. She has been living in the village of Agios Germanos in Prespa and working for the SPP since 2012. Her work includes monitoring and researching the rare waterbirds of the Prespa lakes, networking with other organisations and researchers on issues concerning pelican conservation, at both national and international level, and participation in several SPP activities related to wetland management and conservation.
Kiki holds an MSc in Environmental Policy and Biodiversity Conservation and her expertise lies in the ecology and behaviour of birds. She worked at the Antikythira Bird Observatory, where she participated in studies on the Eleonora’s falcon, and in bird research projects in Greece and Sweden. In addition, she has a ringing license from the Hellenic Bird Ringing Centre. She became a member of the SPP team in 2023, supporting the study of important bird species in the Prespa lakes and participating in management and protection efforts for the Prespa National Park.
Haris has been with the SPP since it was founded in 1991, primarily as member of the research, management and monitoring team. Haris participates in planning, organising and implementing all field and monitoring activities related to important habitats, such as wetlands, forests and mountain pastures, or important species such as pelicans and waterbirds. Being from Prespa, he plays a vital role in collecting and bridging traditional ecological knowledge with modern science, and he also participates in the restoration and operation of traditional infrastructure such as the Agios Germanos watermill.
A local Prespiot, Lazaros has been working with the SPP for over three decades. Initially, he was actively involved in the SPP’s information centre, providing guided tours for visitors to Prespa. Currently, he assists in and implements all kinds of conservation field activities. In addition, he is responsible for all day-to-day monitoring and maintenance of the SPP’s assets and infrastructure.
Fotini studied Rural and Surveying Engineering at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She received an MSc in Civil Engineering, specialising in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, from the University of Patras. She has been working as a freelancer for more than 16 years in various areas of work that involve topographic surveys and environmental studies. She has been working for SPP as a GIS & Data Management Officer since 2019.
Androniki studied as a Civil Engineer and is currently in her last year of an MSc in Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering for Sustainable Infrastructures at the University of Patras, specialising in the Pollution of Inland and Coastal Waters. She has worked as a research associate in the Environmental Engineering Lab at the University of Patras, involved in laboratory and field activities. Androniki has been working for the SPP since 2022 as co-ordinator of the ‘Prespa’s Green and Blue LifeLines’ project.
Originally from Prespa, Konstantinos studied history at the Ionian University in Corfu and investigated the mortality rate of the Prespa region during 1930-2010 as part of his degree. From 2018-2020 he worked at the Public Library in Laimos where he catalogued and classified its book collection. During the same period, he also worked as a guide to the Agios Germanos Watermill and was responsible for the digitisation and classification of the SPP’s full archive. He is currently studying for a master’s degree programme in Environmental Management and Protection. Since October 2022 Konstantinos has been conducting research on the natural and cultural heritage of Prespa for the SPP’s project on “Prespa’s Green and Blue LifeLines”.
Vivi is an international environmental lawyer holding a first degree from the University of Athens, and a LLM and PhD from the University of London. She has worked as an international, EU and national environmental law expert on various projects and studies and has authored papers in these fields. She has lived in Prespa with her family since 2005 and has been working for the SPP since 2000. Vivi initially co-ordinated the Society’s transboundary work, and now, for more than a decade, its national and international policy work.
Julia studied archaeology for her first degree and then spent 13 years working as a technical manager in the theatre and music industries. She has been living in Prespa since 2000, working as an organic market gardener and ornithological researcher. Julia has an MSc in Environmental Management and GIS, which she also helps to teach at the University of Ulster, and has been working with the SPP since 2012. Julia has assisted the Managing Director and also managed projects for the SPP. She now works to help build the SPP’s strategic partnerships, with donors and members, as well as through other collaborations and networks, such as PrespaNet.
Zenia studied Journalism & Mass Media Communication at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She worked for 16 years in the TV industry as a journalist, editor-in-chief and project manager. She moved from Athens to Prespa in 2015. From 2018 to 2022 she worked in the Society for the Protection of Prespa as a co-ordinator for social and cultural projects of the PoliPrespa project and continues to work on supporting the PoliPrespa online platform for community engagement following the close of the project in 2022.
Dimitris left his hometown of Ioannina to study Agricultural Economics and Rural Development (BSc-MSc) at the Agricultural University of Athens and further broadened his horizons in Organic Agriculture, Agroecology and Food Systems (MSc) at Hohenheim University (Germany) and BOKU (Vienna), where he specialised in Ethnobotany. He collaborated with Greek and foreign universities, and environmental organisations, and gained experience in the fields of sustainable food production, photo/videography and humanitarianism. He has been working for the SPP since 2022.
Eleni studied pedagogy at the University of Western Macedonia and holds an MA in Communication and Cultural Studies. She is currently studying for an MSc in Natural Environment Didactics and Environmental Education. She has been working for the SPP Communications Department since 2019. She has designed and implemented environmental education programmes for Prespa’s schoolchildren and supports the social networks and websites of the SPP, as well as other activities such as volunteering and summer schools.
Vasso has been working at the Society for the Protection of Prespa since 2004, initially taking care of the Information Centre, implementing guided tours and environmental education programmes. Since 2010 she has been part of the SPP’s Communication Department, largely planning and implementing environmental education activities, as well as assisting conservation research, such as carrying out interviews with members of the local community.
Achilleas has an MBA and an MSc in Information Systems. He has worked for more than 10 years as a project and financial manager, responsible for implementing administrative procedures concerning project budgeting, evaluation, monitoring and reporting for a number of projects under the EU INTERREG IIIC, EQUAL, EUREKA, LIFE, FP7, CLLD/LEADER, Erasmus and Horizon initiatives. Achilleas joined the SPP as its Finance Co-ordinator in 2022.
After completing her studies in the political/social sciences and communications field, Marianna worked in the media and advertising sector. She has been working with the Society for the Protection of Prespa since 2008, initially in the Communications Department and then in fundraising. Marianna supports the SPP in the development and submission of fundraising proposals and communication with its donors.
Ilias studied economics at the Democritus University of Thrace and holds an MBA in business administration from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He has worked as a Help Desk Agent on financial software. He has been working at the SPP since 2021, initially as an Assistant Accountant and currently as the Finance and HR Officer.
Sotiris studied finance and accounting at the TEI of Western Macedonia in Kozani. He completed his internship at the National Bank of Greece and has worked at the Municipality of Prespa in the Administration & Finance Department, Public Benefit Enterprise of the Municipality of Florina (Accounting). He has been working at the SPP since September 2022, as an Assistant Accountant.
Artemis studied economics at the University of Thessaly and holds an MSc in Business Administration and Ιnformation Systems from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She has been working at the SPP since 2023.
Ritsa is from Prespa and has been working as the secretary of the SPP since 1997, providing secretarial and administrative support across its many activities.
Myrsini has been living in Prespa since 1988. She was involved in the establishment of the National Parks at Prespa, the Pindos Mountain range and Mount Olympus, as a consultant specialising in the biology and ornithology of these areas. She became the Managing Director of the SPP on its establishment in 1991 and has been leading the organisation ever since. She was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in 2001, for her contribution to the protection of the wetlands of Prespa, jointly with fellow biologist Giorgos Catsadorakis. In 2013 she was honoured with the Viron Antipas Award in recognition of her many years of successful conservation work in Prespa.
Giorgos studied Biology at the Univ. of Athens and holds a PhD in ecology. Since 1991, he has been Scientific & Conservation Advisor to the SPP and has been involved in research work for pelicans, and many other threatened birds, fish and mammals, as well as wetland and protected area management and environmental interpretation. He also worked as an advisor to WWF Greece from 1997 to 2018. Amongst eleven books on the natural history of Greece, he has written three about Prespa, pelicans, fish and fisheries, and has published more than 80 peer-reviewed scientific papers. Since 2010, he has been Chairman of the Pelican Specialist Group for IUCN-SSC (International Union for the Conservation of Nature – Species Survival Commission) and WI (Wetlands International). In 2001, he was awarded, jointly with Myrsini Malakou, the Goldman Environmental Prize for his contribution to the conservation of Prespa.
Irene’s exciting first contact with Prespa and the SPP was through a volunteer programme run by WWF-Greece in 1996. She studied biology at Sussex University and holds an MSc in Wildlife Conservation & Management from the University of Reading in the UK. She joined the SPP in 2003, to work as a field ornithologist. Since then, she has co-ordinated numerous projects spanning several fields of the SPP’s work, with a particular focus on research and monitoring, wetland management and habitat restoration at the national and transboundary level. She has co-ordinated two LIFE projects, one on the conservation of juniper forests and another on the restoration of wetlands in Lesser Prespa Lake. Irene currently co-operates with the policy department and works on transboundary collaboration through the projects of the PrespaNet network.
Olga grew up in Thessaloniki and studied Forestry and Natural Environment at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She continued her studies in wildlife at the postgraduate level and obtained a PhD, studying important bird species in the Dadia Forest. She has collaborated with the Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli National Park Management Body and with environmental NGOs. She has been living in the village of Agios Germanos in Prespa and working for the SPP since 2012. Her work includes monitoring and researching the rare waterbirds of the Prespa lakes, networking with other organisations and researchers on issues concerning pelican conservation, at both national and international level, and participation in several SPP activities related to wetland management and conservation.
Kiki holds an MSc in Environmental Policy and Biodiversity Conservation and her expertise lies in the ecology and behaviour of birds. She worked at the Antikythira Bird Observatory, where she participated in studies on the Eleonora’s falcon, and in bird research projects in Greece and Sweden. In addition, she has a ringing license from the Hellenic Bird Ringing Centre. She became a member of the SPP team in 2023, supporting the study of important bird species in the Prespa lakes and participating in management and protection efforts for the Prespa National Park.
Haris has been with the SPP since it was founded in 1991, primarily as member of the research, management and monitoring team. Haris participates in planning, organising and implementing all field and monitoring activities related to important habitats, such as wetlands, forests and mountain pastures, or important species such as pelicans and waterbirds. Being from Prespa, he plays a vital role in collecting and bridging traditional ecological knowledge with modern science, and he also participates in the restoration and operation of traditional infrastructure such as the Agios Germanos watermill.
A local Prespiot, Lazaros has been working with the SPP for over three decades. Initially, he was actively involved in the SPP’s information centre, providing guided tours for visitors to Prespa. Currently, he assists in and implements all kinds of conservation field activities. In addition, he is responsible for all day-to-day monitoring and maintenance of the SPP’s assets and infrastructure.
Fotini studied Rural and Surveying Engineering at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She received an MSc in Civil Engineering, specialising in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, from the University of Patras. She has been working as a freelancer for more than 16 years in various areas of work that involve topographic surveys and environmental studies. She has been working for SPP as a GIS & Data Management Officer since 2019.
Androniki studied as a Civil Engineer and is currently in her last year of an MSc in Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering for Sustainable Infrastructures at the University of Patras, specialising in the Pollution of Inland and Coastal Waters. She has worked as a research associate in the Environmental Engineering Lab at the University of Patras, involved in laboratory and field activities. Androniki has been working for the SPP since 2022 as co-ordinator of the ‘Prespa’s Green and Blue LifeLines’ project.
Originally from Prespa, Konstantinos studied history at the Ionian University in Corfu and investigated the mortality rate of the Prespa region during 1930-2010 as part of his degree. From 2018-2020 he worked at the Public Library in Laimos where he catalogued and classified its book collection. During the same period, he also worked as a guide to the Agios Germanos Watermill and was responsible for the digitisation and classification of the SPP’s full archive. He is currently studying for a master’s degree programme in Environmental Management and Protection. Since October 2022 Konstantinos has been conducting research on the natural and cultural heritage of Prespa for the SPP’s project on “Prespa’s Green and Blue LifeLines”.
Vivi is an international environmental lawyer holding a first degree from the University of Athens, and a LLM and PhD from the University of London. She has worked as an international, EU and national environmental law expert on various projects and studies and has authored papers in these fields. She has lived in Prespa with her family since 2005 and has been working for the SPP since 2000. Vivi initially co-ordinated the Society’s transboundary work, and now, for more than a decade, its national and international policy work.
Julia studied archaeology for her first degree and then spent 13 years working as a technical manager in the theatre and music industries. She has been living in Prespa since 2000, working as an organic market gardener and ornithological researcher. Julia has an MSc in Environmental Management and GIS, which she also helps to teach at the University of Ulster, and has been working with the SPP since 2012. Julia has assisted the Managing Director and also managed projects for the SPP. She now works to help build the SPP’s strategic partnerships, with donors and members, as well as through other collaborations and networks, such as PrespaNet.
Zenia studied Journalism & Mass Media Communication at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She worked for 16 years in the TV industry as a journalist, editor-in-chief and project manager. She moved from Athens to Prespa in 2015. From 2018 to 2022 she worked in the Society for the Protection of Prespa as a co-ordinator for social and cultural projects of the PoliPrespa project and continues to work on supporting the PoliPrespa online platform for community engagement following the close of the project in 2022.
Dimitris left his hometown of Ioannina to study Agricultural Economics and Rural Development (BSc-MSc) at the Agricultural University of Athens and further broadened his horizons in Organic Agriculture, Agroecology and Food Systems (MSc) at Hohenheim University (Germany) and BOKU (Vienna), where he specialised in Ethnobotany. He collaborated with Greek and foreign universities, and environmental organisations, and gained experience in the fields of sustainable food production, photo/videography and humanitarianism. He has been working for the SPP since 2022.
Eleni studied pedagogy at the University of Western Macedonia and holds an MA in Communication and Cultural Studies. She is currently studying for an MSc in Natural Environment Didactics and Environmental Education. She has been working for the SPP Communications Department since 2019. She has designed and implemented environmental education programmes for Prespa’s schoolchildren and supports the social networks and websites of the SPP, as well as other activities such as volunteering and summer schools.
Vasso has been working at the Society for the Protection of Prespa since 2004, initially taking care of the Information Centre, implementing guided tours and environmental education programmes. Since 2010 she has been part of the SPP’s Communication Department, largely planning and implementing environmental education activities, as well as assisting conservation research, such as carrying out interviews with members of the local community.
Achilleas has an MBA and an MSc in Information Systems. He has worked for more than 10 years as a project and financial manager, responsible for implementing administrative procedures concerning project budgeting, evaluation, monitoring and reporting for a number of projects under the EU INTERREG IIIC, EQUAL, EUREKA, LIFE, FP7, CLLD/LEADER, Erasmus and Horizon initiatives. Achilleas joined the SPP as its Finance Co-ordinator in 2022.
After completing her studies in the political/social sciences and communications field, Marianna worked in the media and advertising sector. She has been working with the Society for the Protection of Prespa since 2008, initially in the Communications Department and then in fundraising. Marianna supports the SPP in the development and submission of fundraising proposals and communication with its donors.
Ilias studied economics at the Democritus University of Thrace and holds an MBA in business administration from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He has worked as a Help Desk Agent on financial software. He has been working at the SPP since 2021, initially as an Assistant Accountant and currently as the Finance and HR Officer.
Sotiris studied finance and accounting at the TEI of Western Macedonia in Kozani. He completed his internship at the National Bank of Greece and has worked at the Municipality of Prespa in the Administration & Finance Department, Public Benefit Enterprise of the Municipality of Florina (Accounting). He has been working at the SPP since September 2022, as an Assistant Accountant.
Artemis studied economics at the University of Thessaly and holds an MSc in Business Administration and Ιnformation Systems from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. She has been working at the SPP since 2023.
Ritsa is from Prespa and has been working as the secretary of the SPP since 1997, providing secretarial and administrative support across its many activities. Her many responsibilities include maintaining administrative archives and record keeping, managing the switchboard and central email account, and organising and supporting of meetings and other SPP events and activities.