HCE is managed by the Council, which consists of Charity Trustees. Each HCE Council member follows the Code of Conduct.
Following an electoral process carried out during the Annual General Meeting that was held on 10/11/2024, the current HCE Council consists of:
Pavlos Arvanitis, President
“Pavlos came to the UK in 1999 to study MSc Tourism Management and Planning at Bournemouth University. He worked at an FE College until 2006 when he returned to Greece and moved back to the UK in 2015 as a lecturer at Southampton Solent University. He moved to Edinburgh in 2023 with his wife and engaged with the Hellenic Community. He is an Associate Professor of Tourism and Aviation Management at Edinburgh Napier University. Pavlos enjoys sailing and socialising.”
Christos Vroullis, Vice-President
“I was born in Thessaloniki, Greece in 1964. I met my wife Ntina in high school, and we worked together for 24 years making blown glass, lighting and jewellery in our workshop in Epanomi, Thessaloniki, Greece, where we lived with our four daughters since 1995. In 2015, due to the economic crisis, we moved to Edinburgh, where we set up our partnership. Since then, I have continued creating handmade metal objects and jewellery while working initially as a warehouseman and later in customer service at Tesco, where I’m a representative of our union “USDAW”. I have also been trained as a first aider. I have been a member of the Greek community of Edinburgh since 2019. I am also a member of the “Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop”, the “Leith Lapidary Club” and the social enterprise “The Scottish Design Exchange” and “The Leith Collective”.”
Ntina Doryforou, Secretary
“I was born in 1965 in Germany to immigrant parents. I grew up in Thessaloniki where I met my husband Christos. We worked together for 24 years making blown glass, handmade lamps and jewellery in our workshop in Epanomi, Thessaloniki, where we lived with our four daughters since 1995. In 2015 due to the economic crisis, we moved to Edinburgh, where we set up our partnership. Since then, I have continued to create jewellery while working initially as a storeperson and catering staff and later as a catering supervisor at the City of Edinburgh Council. Since 2023 I have been working as a business support administrator in the Health and Social department of the City of Edinburgh Council. I have been a member of the Greek Community of Edinburgh since 2019. I am also a member of the “Leith Lapidary Club” and the social enterprise “The Scottish Design Exchange” and “The Leith Collective”. I practice yoga. I love music, books, walking in nature and playing board games.”
Antonia Papamichalopoulou, Treasurer
“I was born and raised in Glyfada, Athens in 1980. Upon graduation from high school, I attended courses in an Institute of Vocational Training for the degree of Administrational Secretary. For a few years, I worked as a hotel receptionist in a hotel that my father run, and then I moved to Thessaloniki, where I worked in the Local Conservatory of Kalamaria as a secretary. In 2009, I met my husband and in 2011, I gave birth to our son. The three of us moved to Edinburgh in 2018, without speaking the language very well. I currently attend Edinburgh College for ESOL English and British Sign Language. I work as a Pupil Support Assistant in a Special primary school.”
Iordanis Banias, Council Member
Harula Filippidou, Council Member
“I was born in Sweden to Greek Immigrant parents. I finished the Primary School in Kilkis and then we moved to Thessaloniki where I continued to the High school. I studied Pedagogy-direction Psychology at the University of Padova, in Italy and when I came back to Greece I worked as Italian tutor, Pedagogist at Youth Protection Centre of Thessaloniki, accountant Assistant, postwoman, sales representative, among many others. Because of the financial crisis in Greece, in 2013 I had to move to Scotland with my five years old son where I started working as Personal Assistant for disabled people at Thistle Foundation and since April 2022 I work for the NHS Lothian. As I have always been interested in the personal development, I studied Trauma Therapy and I had my personal Orgon Therapy in Greece and other alternative therapies in Scotland. In my free time I like reading, doing yoga and tai chi, I go swimming and I like cooking for my friends.”
Penny Karanasiou, Council Member
“Penny Karanasiou is an official translator, entrepreneur and academic. She was born in Trikala, Thessaly, Greece. She came to the United Kingdom in 2010 for her doctoral studies and she’s been living in Edinburgh since then. She’s been working at the University of Edinburgh for the last 6 years, and she is also the managing director of 16 translation agencies in Scotland and Greece. She is married and has 3 children. She volunteers in many organisations and has been part of the HCE’s Council in the past”