Meet the New Board

We proudly present our board of directors, voted in for a two-year term at our 2017 Annual General Meeting. Each member brings varying and complementary skills to help Nine Lives in its mission to improve conditions for existing and future stray cats in Athens and beyond.

Eleni Kefalopoulou – President
“This year marks 25 years that I have been working with and for stray animals. These years have brought me so much happiness, so much pain, and so many tears for the animals that I loved and lost. Most of all, though, I have felt happiness and pride in our creation of Nine Lives. Within 10 years, this small, active group has made miracles. Between us, we managed to get 1,600 cats spayed in Athens just last year. Despite the crisis, at the end of every month all our bills are paid. None of this could have been achieved without the work of all us volunteers. We continue to be the strongest team and that is how we work, each offering what we can. That is our strength. As Rudyard Kipling said: ‘For the strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.’”

Carol McBeth – Vice-President

Carol McBeth – Vice-President
“I am a qualified veterinary nurse and I have been involved in the animal welfare sector in Greece since 1988. I am a founder member and board member of the Ikaria Animal Welfare Volunteers and a volunteer for the Therapeutic Riding Centre at Goudi. I have had the honour of being a Nine Lives board member, holding the position of secretary, since 2013. As well as secretarial duties, I have assisted with responding to emails, organized outreach veterinary programmes, participated in various campaigns, carried out various veterinary procedures and helped at fundraising events.”

Marina Nikolakopoulou – Secretary
“I studied musicology research in the Athens University, but my everyday job is administrational and marketing support in a real estate office. I have been in the field of Marketing and PR, which I also studied, for over fifteen years, working for some of the biggest Greek and multinational companies, as this turned out to be what I have always wanted to do. Being a cat mom is the other role I love to play! My three young boys and my sweet granny cat – the reason I met Nine Lives – are the world to me! I thank Nine Lives for letting me be a part of this community and making me feel useful.”

Eleni Calligas – Treasurer

Eleni Calligas – Treasurer
“My profession is as a historian – I teach at the Arcadia Centre in Athens, and having lived for many years in England, I am bilingual. My interest in and love for animals, and especially cats, led me to Nine Lives several years ago. I started as a foster mum, but I am also involved in the organization of events, particularly our bi-monthly fundraising bazaars. As well as my Nine Lives activities, I am also a volunteer at the Alma Zois Hellenic Association of Women with Breast Cancer.”

Zoey Chia – Member

Zoey Chia – Member
“I am Singaporean married to a Greek citizen. I moved to Athens in late 2015 and at the same time became a volunteer with Nine Lives. While in Singapore, I have been volunteering with animal welfare groups for the past 10 years. Currently, my Nine Lives activities include trapping, feeding, fostering and rehoming cats. It is my belief that acquiring a mobile veterinary clinic will prove instrumental in expending Nine Lives capability. I would very much like to spearhead that effort.”