Eleni Kounalakis - Updated Oct 2024

Eleni Kounalakis is a well-known politician and businesswoman from the United States. Eleni Kounalakis is a former diplomat serving as the 50th lieutenant governor of California since 2019 and is a member of the Democratic Party, she is the first woman elected to the office.

Early Life

On the 3rd of March 1966, Eleni Kounalakis was born in Sacramento, California, the United States of America. She is 57 years old as of 2023 and holds American citizenship. Moreover, she is of Greek descent and grew up a member of the Greek Orthodox Church. Similarly, she has a horoscope of Pisces.

She was born to her father Angelo Tsakopoulos and her mother’s name is still a mystery. Professionally, her father is a businessman and real estate developer in Sacramento, California.

However, she has to disclose her siblings’ names and her childhood life. In addition, her uncle, George Tsakopoulos, established Tsakopoulos Investments in Sacramento California, and was a successful real estate developer.

Eleni Kounalakis – Education

Talking about her academic qualifications, she attended a local high school and completed her early schooling. She received her undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College and she received a Master of Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. Later, she earned an Honorary Doctor of Law from the American College of Greece in the year 2011.

Professional Career

Before entering politics, Eleni Kounalakis was President of AKT Development Corporation, one of California’s largest housing development firms, which was founded by her father.

With her husband, she founded two university chairs in Hellenic studies, the Markos and Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis chair at Georgetown University, held by the scholar of late Classical and early Hellenistic Greek literature, Dr. Alexander Sens, and the Tsakopoulos Kounalakis chair in honor of Constantine Mitsotakis at Stanford University, held by Josiah Ober.

Both chairs are concerned with the origins of Athenian democracy. They also established the Tsakopoulos Kounalakis lecture series at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, which focuses on democracy and international relations. Kounalakis was a Trustee of the World Council of Religions for Peace for nearly ten years.

Moreover, she was appointed as a Trustee of the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center by the 42nd San Francisco Mayor, Gavin Newsom. Later, the 43rd Mayor of San Francisco, Ed Lee appointed her to serve on the Port Commission Board.

Political Career

Kounalakis’ political career began in 2018 when she ran for Lieutenant Governor of California. In the primary election, she finished second behind Ed Hernandez, but she defeated him in the general election, becoming the first woman ever elected to the position in California’s history. She assumed office on January 7, 2019.

Caption: Eleni Kounalakis as a diplomat serving as the 50th lieutenant governor of California (Source: Berkeley Haas News – University of California, Berkeley)

As Lieutenant Governor, she has focused on issues related to economic development, workforce training, and higher education. She has advocated for expanding access to affordable housing, increasing funding for public schools and universities, and promoting international trade and investment.

In addition to her duties as Lieutenant Governor, Kounalakis serves on several state boards and commissions, including the University of California Board of Regents, the California State Lands Commission, and the California Commission on Economic Development.

Kounalakis has also been active in national politics, serving as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 2008, 2012, and 2016. She has been a strong supporter of the Democratic Party and its candidates, both in California and across the country.

Eleni Kounalakis – Awards

In 2014, Kounalakis was inducted into the Academy of Women Achievers by the YWCA of San Francisco and Marin County, which honors women who have made significant contributions to their professions and communities.

She received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in the year 2015. She was named one of the “Top 100 Women in Business” by the San Francisco Business Times in the year 2018. These are just a few examples of the many awards and recognitions that Eleni Kounalakis has received throughout her career.

Net Worth 2023

Her net worth is estimated at around $10 million while her other income and salary are yet to be disclosed by her. She earned this huge sum of money through her political and successful business career.

Relationship Status

Caption: Eleni Kounalakis with her husband (Source: Instagram)

In the year 2000, Eleni Kounalakis married her husband, print, and broadcast journalist Markos Kounalakis. With the marriage, the couple has two sons whose names are Neo and Eon. The family is living happily and there is no sign of their separation. In addition, Kounalakis’s past relationship is still a mystery.

This American politician is out of controversy and is not a part of rumors and scandal. She seems to focus on her political career and likes to keep a safe distance from such things.

Body Measurements

Caption: Eleni posing for a photo (Source: Instagram)

Kounalakis gorgeous woman. Moreover, this beautiful woman stands 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs around 57 kg. Similarly, she has light brown hair with a pair of green eyes, and her other body measurements are yet to be revealed by her.

Eleni Kounalakis – Social Media

On her Instagram page ‘@eleniforca’ there are over 6k followers. Likewise, there are over 13.4k followers on her Twitter page ‘@EleniForCA’ and over 227k followers on her Facebook page.