The ACG leadership team completed a successful visit to Washington, D.C. in March 2026, reinforcing the institution’s international presence and deepening connections with key stakeholders, alumni, and supporters.
The highlight of the visit was ACG’s flagship public event, “ACG in Conversation: Thought-provoking discussions on education, innovation, and entrepreneurship,” held under the auspices of the Greek Embassy in Washington D.C., bringing together ACG alumni, policy makers, members of the Greek- American community, and friends of ACG. The event provided an opportunity to showcase ACG’s continued commitment to academic excellence and its growing global impact, as well as inspiring input from Michael Printzos, Country Director of The Hellenic Initiative (THI) in Greece and Marcos Veremis, Partner, Accolade Partners. The discussion, which was moderated by Katerina Sokou, Executive Director, American – Hellenic Chamber of Commerce USA, focused on the various ways education, innovation, and entrepreneurship can help further support Greece’s long-term sustainable growth. Welcoming remarks were provided by Deborah Wince-Smith, Vice Chair of ACG Board of Trustees and Nikolaos Sapountzis, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Greece in Washington, D.C.
In addition to the event, the ACG leadership team and trustees attended a private reception hosted in their honor by the Greek Ambassador to Washington, D.C., Antonis Alexandridis, at his residence. The gathering served as a warm and engaging occasion to connect with distinguished members of the Greek-American diaspora, including business executives, academics and policy makers, strengthening ties between ACG and the Greek-American local community.
During the visit, President Wingenbach, VP of Public Affairs Claudia Carydis, and VP of Advancement Aliki Giannakopoulou also had the opportunity to visit Congressman Gus Bilirakis on Capitol Hill. They highlighted ACG’s academic leadership and impact in Greece and explored opportunities to further elevate ACG’s presence and partnerships in the United States. President Wingenbach extended an invitation to Congressman Bilirakis to visit ACG on his next trip to Greece and to also teach, in due time, a masterclass to Deree students.
Throughout this visit, President Wingenbach, along with other members of the ACG administration, had the chance to meet and engage with alumni, former trustees, and valued friends and supporters of the College. These personal interactions, renewed friendships, and making of new ones underscored the strength of the ACG network and the importance of maintaining close relationships with its extended community.
ACG has been playing a key role in further advancing US-Greece relations through a number of academic partnerships and by bringing the largest number of US students to study in Greece on an annual basis. This visit marked a meaningful step forward in advancing ACG’s strategic priorities, fostering collaboration, and reinforcing its role as the leading, private, US-affiliated, non-profit academic institution, one with a truly global outlook.
For additional photos from the event, we invite you to view the following album.