Nick Katsoris, Founder, President & Executive Director, The Loukoumi Make a Difference Foundation, to Address Forum on Thursday, February 20

Nick Katsoris

In 2003, New York attorney Nick Katsoris was inspired to write a children’s book about a fluffy little lamb, named after the iconic candy, "Loukoumi", that just wants to make the world a better place. After the New York Times wrote an article about the self-published book, “Loukoumi” hit number 4 on the Children’s Book bestseller list. There are now nine books in the series, including "Loukoumi's Good Deeds" narrated by Jennifer Aniston, and through the book Katsoris began engaging children in good deed projects.

In 2014, Katsoris’s work earned him a National Make A Difference Award from the Points of Light organization and USA Weekend Magazine. Following the awards ceremony, which was broadcast on the TODAY Show, Nick was inspired to start The Loukoumi Make A Difference Foundation, a non-profit organization that now unites over 150,000 children in 30 countries worldwide to make a difference for causes they are passionate about.

 This Loukoumi Good Deed movement has children making a difference for animal and homeless shelters, nursing homes, the environment, through sports and the arts, and other causes of interest to them. In their own voices, these children are changing the world, one good deed at a time. The result is that these children are also building self-esteem, improving their mental health, finding their purpose and overall happiness.

 In March 2023, Katsoris became the Executive Director of the Foundation, where he now brings his Good Deed Curriculum to over 300 schools worldwide, through in person good deed delegations to schools around the world, and virtual programming with a Good Deed of the Month Zoom program and an International Good Deed Council where students collaborate on global good deed projects including students at schools in Greece, India, Northern Ireland and the UK, Italy, Germany, Ecuador, Tanzania, Uganda, Spain, Honduras, Puerto Rico, across the United States and Newfoundland Canada.

 Through the Foundation, Katsoris has also established and sponsors The Loukoumi Foundation Treatment Room at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a teaching kitchen for the homeless at the Floating Hospital in New York City, after school programming at New York City Schools through the Variety Boys & Girls Club and the Greater Ridgewood Youth Council, the Make A Difference with Loukoumi Exhibit at the Westchester Children's Museum and a Never Forget Letter Mailbox outside Town Hall in Gander Newfoundland Canada for families who lost loved ones on 9-11.

 Katsoris has donated over 100,000 copies of his children's books, is a motivational speaker including at the World Happiness Summit in Lake Como (2023), London (2024) and Miami (2025), at the Kiwanis International Convention, the Wellbeingr Forum in Athens on Mental Health Awareness Day, the Ideagen Global Impact Summit and other conferences.

 He is the recipient of numerous awards including the Crain's New York Business/Blue Cross Blue Shield Whole Health Hero Award, Tegna’s National Make A Difference All-Star Award, The Points of Light Award, the Visionary Humanitarian Award from the High Flyers Organization in Mumbai, India, the Community Dad Award from the New York City Department of Youth and Community Development and the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation Educator of Distinction Award.

 A graduate of Fordham College of Business Administration and Fordham Law School, Katsoris began his legal career as Law Clerk to The Hon. Nicholas Tsoucalas at the United States Court of International Trade. He then served as a litigation associate at the law firm of Cahill Gordon and Reindel. In 2005 he was appointed as General Counsel of The Red Apple Group in New York, a position he held for 28 years until March 10, 2023, when he was appointed as an Arbitrator at the American Arbitration Association and also took over the reigns as Executive Director of the Loukoumi Make A Difference Foundation (www.LoukoumiFoundation.org).

 Nick currently resides in Eastchester, New York, with his wife, Voula, a real estate attorney, and their children, Constantine and Julia.