The Leadership Thread with Dr. Peggy Pelonis

Episode 9: Janice Crampton On Leadership Mindset, Enrollment Challenges, and Institutional Growth

In this episode, Janice Crampton, CEO of ASAP, delivers a powerful and deeply personal conversation on leadership, purpose, and the rapidly evolving landscape of education. Drawing on more than four decades of experience, she shares hard-earned insights on navigating change, leading with integrity, and balancing institutional tradition with the demands of a global, digital world. From redefining success and managing high-stakes responsibility to empowering others and building ethical frameworks, Crampton reveals what it truly means to lead with both conviction and compassion. This episode goes beyond theory, offering real-world perspective on resilience, decision-making, and the human impact behind every leadership role. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Episode 8: Telly Hatzigiorgiou: The Pivot That Changed Everything & Built an Entrepreneur

In this episode of The Leadership Thread, entrepreneur Telly Hatzigiorgiou shares his journey from Wall Street to building successful hospitality and real estate ventures in New York City. He talks about the importance of hard work, family values, taking risks, and learning how to pivot when life doesn’t go as planned. From opening his first business at a young age to expanding into Manhattan and real estate, his story is one of resilience, creativity, and determination. This conversation explores what it really takes to succeed, the lessons learned from mistakes, and why doing something you love—and doing it well—can make all the difference. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Episode 7: Cooking with Purpose: Maria Loi’s Journey from a Greek Village to a Global Culinary Voice

On this episode of Leadership Thread, hosted by Dr. Peggy Pelonis, Chef Maria Loi reflects on her remarkable journey — from growing up in the village of Thermo, Greece, to establishing a celebrated culinary presence in New York, while bringing the flavors and spirit of Greece to a national audience through her PBS television series, Life of Loi. Maria reflects on growing up in a tight-knit family of five children, shaped by love, freedom, and strong values. Encouraged by her father and guided by her mother’s resilience and her grandfather’s deep knowledge of traditional remedies, she discovered early that food was her calling. Her philosophy is simple: cook with instinct, respect ingredients, and let food nourish both body and spirit. More than a chef, Maria sees her work as a mission. She speaks about the Greek roots of the Mediterranean way of eating, the healing power of olive oil, beans, and greens, and why “food is medicine.” She also opens up about leaving a successful lobbying career to rediscover herself and return to purpose. At its heart, this conversation is about leadership through love, courage, optimism, and service and Maria’s message to young people is clear: give, stay true to yourself, and never give up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Episode 6: Breaking the Rules That Block Change for Marginalized Population: Elena Panaritis on Leadership, Trust, and Turning Values Into Action

In this powerful episode of The Leadership Thread, we sit down with Elena Panaritis, economist, former World Bank advisor, parliamentarian, and fearless change agent, for a deeply human conversation about what truly shapes leaders. From a childhood rooted in unconditional love and justice, inspired by her formidable grandmother, to confronting inequality on the ground in the developing world, Panaritis shares how values, not titles, fuel lasting change. She reflects on the moment she stopped observing broken systems and started challenging the rules that keep them in place, turning “thought into action” and sparking her documentary series “70% Informals”. A moving discussion on trust, courage, and why real leadership begins with empathy and responsibility for others. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Episode 5: Brand Leader Dimitri Hatzigiorgiou Discusses Resilience, Mental Health, and Courage To Get Through Stressful Situations

From global brands to personal reinvention, this episode of The Leadership Thread follows the extraordinary journey of Dimitri Hatzigiorgiou, whose leadership path spans Starbucks, Chipotle, Apple, and community-driven ventures in both the United States and Greece. Dimitri reflects on introducing an American coffee model into Greece’s deeply rooted café culture, the power of the “third place,” and the common values that guided his career, integrity, partnership, customer experience, and purpose. From luxury hospitality to corporate leadership and grassroots revitalization, he shares how hands-on leadership, cultural awareness, and values alignment shaped both his professional legacy and his approach to building meaningful communities. In a candid and deeply personal conversation, Dimitri discusses resilience, mental health, grief, and the courage to seek help during life’s most challenging moments. He reframes ADHD as a leadership strength; a superpower and emphasizes the role of faith, gratitude, family, and daily practices in sustaining well-being.  He also touches on the responsibility leaders have to normalize conversations around mental health. Offering thoughtful guidance to young people and parents alike, Dimitri reminds us that true leadership is forged not just through achievement, but through self-awareness, compassion, and the willingness to grow, returning, ultimately, to what matters most. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]