Helen Bakalis Nicozisis, a long-time member of Leadership 100, was honored for her leadership and philanthropy last November at the annual Chrysanthemum Ball of the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York City. A Trustee and Past President of the Board of Directors of Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC), she was the first lay person and woman to be elected to that position. She served on the organization’s board for more than two decades and chaired its capital campaign for some five years, which led to the construction of the Archbishop Anastasios and Archbishop Demetrios Missionary Training and Administration Building, its new headquarters in St. Augustine, Florida.

Born and raised in Manhattan where she worshipped at St. Spyridon parish in Washington Heights, she was graudated from the Greek- American Institue of Zoodohos Peghe in the Bronx, New York and attended the Bronx High School of Science and City College of New York where she majored in Mathematics and Science. She also attended Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA, studying accounting.

She and her family have been active members of the parishes of St. Paraskevi in Greenlawn, Long Island, St. Nicholas in Flushing, New York, St. Paul in Hempstead, Long Island, and the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Lancaster, PA, where she moved with her family in 1971 and remains a member. She was elected as the first female President of its Parish Council. She has also supported the Greek Orthodox parishes of Reading, York, Camp Hill and Bethlehem, PA. and is currently a member, with her husband, Louis, of St. Mark’s in Boca Raton, FL. Together, Helen and Louis Nicozisis have hosted a Leadership 100 Annual Conference and have been active in all aspects of the organization’s activities. Louis Nicozis has been a member of the Executive Committee and the Board of Trustees of Leadership 100. She also served on the Metropolis of Pittsburgh Council, in the Ladies Philoptochos Society of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and in the Daughters of Penelope.

In her capacity as President of the OCMC Board of Directors, she accepted the 2003 Athenagoras Human Rights Award of the Order of St. Andrew, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on behalf OCMC, whose missionaries and ministries have been to over 35 countries. In addition, she received the Humanitarian Award of the American Hellenic Institute (AHI) in Washington, D.C. for her involvement in the Mission movement and the St. Paul Medal, the highest award given to a lay person by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese.

Helen Nicozisis is also involved in the management of family owned real estate and community activites, having served as a Board Trustee of the Lancaster Country Day School, in the Junior League of Lancaster, PA., in the President James Buchanan Foundation and the Fulton Opera House Foundation.

She and Louis have 3 children: Jeannie, married to Dr. Kenneth Arida, Philip, and Dr. Jonathan, married to Eleni (Giazikis). They also have 4 grandchildren, Elena, Christina and William Arida and Louis Christopher Nicozisis.