Alumna Profiled: Tonia Gogou
Graduated: Deree ‘95
Lives in: Athens, Greece
Current Position: General Manager, V+O Communication Greece
“It is what it is and live this to the fullest.”
Tonia Gogou was born in Athens, Greece. She holds a bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science from Deree – The American College of Greece and a master’s degree in Post-Soviet and Russian Diplomatic Studies from the London School of Economics, United Kingdom.
She began her professional career in 1997, as an Advertising Editor and joined V+O Communication in 2001 as a Senior Account Manager. She soon became a Client Service Director, leading a 10-people group, with her business experience oriented mostly in Energy and F&B customers offering Public Affairs, Crisis and Issues Management, Corporate Communication and Local Affairs.
Currently, Tonia holds the position of General Manager at V+O Communication; Greece, overseeing the operation and development of the company.
Along her busy career, Tonia has written a chapter on communication issues and crisis management, incorporated in John Zampetaki’s, Assistant Professor in the University of Athens, book project entitled The Green Crisis. Tonia is married and a mother of an 8 year-old boy.
Q&A
Q: Which three words would you choose to describe Deree?
Responsibility, Professionalism and Caring.
Q: What are three enduring values you learned at Deree?
Consistency, Accountability and Ownership.
Q: Looking back, how did your time at Deree help you become the person you are today?
Different people from different cultures helped me accept diversity.
Q: What do you miss most from your days at Deree?
Breaks with friends, walking around the campus.
Q: What advice would you give a new Pierce/Deree student?
To be accountable and give themselves the chance to live this lifetime academic experience at Deree.
Q: Who or what inspires you the most?
My family, my job and early morning awakenings.
Q: What is your motto in life?
It is what it is and live this to the fullest.
Q: What does your work and/or current projects entail?
Discipline, passion and people management. Maybe conflicting in some way but totally interrelated.
Q: What is the most inspiring aspect of your work?
Working for so many different sectors and cooperating with such different people. Moving from the offline to the online communication.
Q: What are your plans for the future?
Live a good, balanced and happy life, working in the PR sector.
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