PHILADELPHIA, PA –
Antoinette Marousis-Zachariades was re-elected Grand President of the Daughters of Penelope (DOP) for the 2026-2027 administrative year. Elections were held July 31 at the 104th Annual AHEPA Supreme Convention in Philadelphia. Marousis-Zachariades hails from Brick, NJ.
Meet Grand President Antoinette Marousis-Zachariades
Antoinette is the daughter of the late Charles A. Marousis, a member of the Order of AHEPA who emigrated from Elika, Greece, and Stathia (Soomas) Marousis, an active member of the Daughters of Penelope. Together they raised six children and instilled in them the values of faith, community service, and Hellenic pride.
She is married to Andrew C. Zachariades, Past Supreme President of the Order of AHEPA and together they share a blended family of three daughters, two sons-in-law, and eight grandchildren and remain deeply committed to the values and future of the AHEPA Family.
Professionally, she is retired. Her past careers include working as a Senior Design Draftsperson in Civil Engineering, with responsibility for designing and drafting commercial and residential site plans and visual presentations. She also held roles at a home textile company as the showroom and sample coordinator for the sales department and as a licensed real estate agent.
Her journey in the Daughters of Penelope began in 1998, when she was initiated into District 5, Aphrodite #374, Toms River, NJ. She served her chapter in the capacity of President, Treasurer, and Recording Secretary. Currently, she is a member of District 5, Aulis #195, Ocean, NJ.
On a district level, she has held the position of District 5 Governor for four terms, with two consecutive terms, each in a different decade as well as the position of Lieutenant Governor.
Further serving her district, for twenty-two years she was honored to serve on the Board of Trustees for the Fifth District AHEPA Family Cancer Research Foundation, Inc. holding the position of Chairman for four years, Vice Chairman and Recording Secretary, multiple times and still volunteers her time when she can. She also served the Daughters of Penelope Fifth District Education Foundation as a member for many years and Chairman, for three years.
On a national level, she chaired many committees which include Civic Responsibility for St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine, and served as the Daughters of Penelope Supreme Convention Business Session Chairman. She also served on the Daughters of Penelope Foundation Inc. for twelve years, as President, Vice President, each for two years and Scholarship Chairman for seven years.
In 2021, she was elected to the Grand Lodge and rose through the ranks from Grand Governor Zone I to Grand Vice President before earning the organization’s highest office last year of Grand President.
Her community service also includes being a founding member of the Crystal Marousis Handchen Walk With Me Foundation where she served as Treasurer for two years, board member for the Hellenic Dancers of NJ, eight years, and a lifelong member of the Elikioton Society of America, serving as Vice President for 10 years.
The 2026-2027 Daughters of Penelope Grand Lodge
In addition to Grand President Antoinette Marousis-Zachariades, the following individuals were elected to the Daughters of Penelope Grand Lodge:
Grand Vice President Patty Didik of Hudson, FL;
Grand Secretary Effie Kirkiles of Oakland Park, FL;
Grand Treasurer Lainie Damaskos-Christou of Schenectady, NY;
Grand Governor Zone I Helen Dennie of Grafton, VA;
Grand Governor Zone II Christina Vlahopoulos of Ann Arbor, MI;
Grand Governor Zone III Elizabeth Horiates of Lewisville, TX;
Grand Governor Zone IV Cathy Keyser of Paradise Valley, AZ;
Grand Governor Zone V Roula Maginas-Koumoutsidis of Ontario, Canada; and Grand Advisor to the Maids of Athena Helen McClure of Lakewood, WA.
The 2026-2027 AHEPA Family Presidents
Daughters of Penelope congratulated AHEPA Supreme President Chris Kaitson of Houston, TX, on his re-election, Sons of Pericles Supreme President George G. Kalyvas of White Plains, NY, and Maids of Athena Grand President Cristina Saavedra-Mamounis of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
AHEPA Family Supreme Convention 2027
The 2027 Supreme Convention will convene at the Palmer House in Chicago, IL July 1-6, 2027.
