ACS honors alumni at gala event
Professor Photini Pazartzis, holder of the Constantine C. Karamanlis Chair at Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and the late Taymoore Balbaa, architect, co-founder and partner of AXIA Design Associates, were the award recipients at the American Community Schools of Athens Alumni Achievement Awards Gala held on November 4.
Pazartzis, of the Class of 1977, took the Lifetime Achievement Award, in recognition of her outstanding contributions over the years, while the Young Leadership Award was posthumously awarded to Balbaa, of the Class of 1995, who passed away in September 2023.
The gala, held at the Hotel Grande Bretagne in central Athens, was attended by US Ambassador George Tsunis as well as the ACS Athens Board of Trustees, educators, alumni and guests.
The event also featured a guest address by Dr Gregory Pattakos, Class of 1995.
“I feel a great sense of joy and pride to be among such esteemed guests and successful alumni of our school. It is a great honor to represent ACS Athens from the position of president and to see with great excitement the admirable contribution of our student volunteers. We are a school that leads by example,” Dr Peggy Pelonis, ACS Athens president, told the event.
