A crowd of young Greek South Australian minds gathered at a youth networking night in Adelaide last Thursday.
More than 50 young people heard from four Greek Australian mentors in medicine, politics, banking and finance, and wine making, on how mentors have guided their career pathways.
The event – hosted by the Hellenic Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HAACI) in SA and the Hellenic Australia Lawyers (HAL) – was officially opened by Dr Sylvia Villios who spoke of her journey with mentors in the legal arena. As an associate professor at the Adelaide Law School, Dr Villios has worked alongside many young students to help them through their legal career.
The mentors on the night included: Dr Peta Spyrou, Lecturer at the Adelaide Law School; Associate Professor in Physiology Voula Gaganis at the College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University; Penni Pappas, Assistant Secretary SA Labor and former Neos Kosmos journalist; Peter Panas, Executive Manager at Bank SA; and Paul Georgiadis, Founder and Winemaker at Paulmara Estate.
Each mentor introduced themselves and spoke about mentors who have made a significant contribution to their career progression.
The Consul General of Greece in Adelaide George Psiachas then spoke to the young Greek Australians on the importance of identity and maintaining ties to their Greek cultural identity.
Speaking to the newspaper, Pappas credited her time at Neos Kosmos and the mentor she had in former English edition journalist Eugenia Pavlopoulou as one of the most important times in her career.
‘When you find someone with shared values and you look towards your guiding principles, you will always make the right career choices,” she said.
“Eugenia was the first of many strong women I have been mentored by who have shaped my views of the world and made me clearly understand that if you find something you are good at, you can make a career out of doing what you love.
Her time at Neos Kosmos was working alongside some greats in the industry like Sotiris Hatzimanolis and Kostas Nikolopoulos who taught her early on the importance of telling people’s stories with dignity and understanding the gravitas of what it meant to be someone’s voice.
It was helping people that saw her navigate towards politics and find a place in the office of Federal Member for Calwell Maria Vamvakinou.
“For me, Maria was the mentor that taught me how to be seen. Any opportunity that would make itself available, she would encourage me to go for it. She knew that as a young ethnic woman, I’d have to fight that little bit harder so I best be knocking on the doors, as no one is going to knock on them for me.”
Through this and working in various roles within the Labor Party over Australia, it was South Australian Senator Karen Grogan who saw something she didn’t see herself – leadership qualities.
“It never ceases to amaze me what can be achieved when women with shared values hold each other up.”
“Senator Grogan could see this potential in me and has mentored me into becoming a fair and kind leader. She is always reminding me that this role is about bringing people together, especially young people and women.
“And now I’m so fortunate to now find myself in a position where I get to mentor young people within the ALP and broader labour movement.”
From a journalism to politics is not what Ms Pappas expected but a path that has been taken by sticking to her North Star – the guiding light that has led the way.
“Always look towards a career that makes you to want to get up every morning,” she said in closing.
“Look inside you – what drives you, what inspires you. Once you find this, the rest will follow suit. It always has and always will.”
To learn more about HACCI SA or to join visit haccisa.com.au
