The team
Michalis Fefes
Michalis “fell in love” with cooperative institution since 1990, when he was working on his doctoral dissertation. He has contributed to the visibility of this field through teaching, research, writing, professional involvement and participation in scientific teams. He is a graduate of the Law School of the University of Athens, holds a PhD from the University of London and has been a lawyer in Athens since 1990.
For the last 17 years, Michalis has been deeply involved in the agricultural cooperative sector. He has been legal attorney of the Agricultural Bank till its liquidation, in which in 2012 he assumed the duties of Deputy Director of its Legal Department. From 2012 till 2016, he was legal attorney of Piraeus Bank (since 2014 Manager in the bond loans sector of the Legal Department). He has also been a member of the Board of Directors of Greek Sugar Industry SA.
From 1999 to 2002 he taught as an Associate at the Technological Educational School of Athens. Since October 2001 he has been teaching at Universities in our country, while from June 2009 until today he is a faculty member at the University of Peloponnese (currently an Associate Professor). He also teaches in Postgraduate Programs and is a Teaching Fellow at the Hellenic Open University. He is also teaching at the National School of Public Administration and Local Government.
He has, among others, conducted a research program for the European Co-operative at the European University Institute in Florence as a Research Fellow. He has participated as an Expert in the Working Group on Co-operative Legislation in Europe, set up in 2006 by the European Commission and in the Group of Experts for the reorganization of agricultural co-operatives in Greece set up in 2010 by the Minister of Rural Development and Food.
He has written five monographs, four of which are on the subject of co-operatives and 28 articles in scientific journals, Greek and foreign, most of which refer to the social economy sector and co-operatives. Finally, he has participated in many workshops and conferences in Greece and abroad.
Brief CV
Michalis’s purpose is to support the organization and management of cooperatives and other types of collective actions, in order to achieve environmental, economic and social sustainability. To achieve this, he uses his legal and organizational knowledge, and his practical experience in the banking, university and law industries as well.
Contact Details
fefes@coopability.org
Our Team
The Co-opAbility Institute is creared by a team of scientists who firmly believe in cooperation and cooperatives as a means of sustainable entrepreneurial development. Our Work is to co-create, together with interested partners, system-wise solutions to their problems based on awareness-based collective action.
Constantine Iliopoulos
Costas’ mission is to help people, communities, and cooperatives work together effectively in order to achieve their goals, seize emerging opportunities, and co-design solutions to the most pressing social dilemmas and challenges facing them.
Michalis Fefes
Michalis’s purpose is to support the organization and management of cooperatives and other types of collective actions, in order to achieve environmental, economic and social sustainability. To achieve this, he uses his legal and organizational knowledge, and his practical experience in the banking, university and law industries as well.
Irini Theodorakopoulou
Dr. Irini Theodorakopoulou is an agricultural economist focused on rural innovation and supply chain organization. Her research applies systems thinking to support sustainable transformation in rural communities by aligning policy, planning, extension, and evaluation. She uses methods like social labs, dialogue interviews, and experiential workshops to foster collaboration and co-creation across diverse stakeholders.
Mavra Stithou
Mavra’s strong interest lies in exploring the relational associations between people and the environment to support decision-making and policy design. To achieve this, she employs her skills as a broadly trained environmental social scientist and environmental economist. She is also a strong believer in cooperation and works closely with environmental scientists, other social scientists and non-academic stakeholders to acquire a better insight into socio-ecological systems.
Maria Margosi
Maria Margosi is a PhD researcher with expertise in environmental and ecological economics, as well as sustainable development. Her current research focuses on various aspects of the energy transition, including energy communities, energy justice, and the socioeconomic impacts of this shift. She has worked on several projects related to climate change, energy trends in the EU, the green transition of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Greece, and the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of renewable energy development.
Vasiliki Karantzavelou
Vaso is interested in promoting cooperation and knowledge transfer among the organizations and communities, regarding sustainability, agrifood systems and just transitions. In the context of participatory research and the use of interdisciplinary methodologies she encourages stakeholder engagement, inclusive decision making, and the co-creation of resilient and sustainable practices that empower communities and support long-term fairness and sustainability.
Giorgos Avramidis
Motivated IT Specialist, and also a prolific Music Producer, with 20+ years in both fields, Giorgos provides efficient and fast solutions to corporate organizations as well as supporting complex projects on time and within budget.
Elli Vougiouka
Elli Vougiouka is a social anthropologist and sociologist with a passion for understanding social dynamics and fostering meaningful dialogue. She believes in the power of collaboration and co-creation to address social challenges, particularly in the fields of equality and social justice. She has studied in Greece and abroad, and her research combines theory and practice to improve social and organizational processes. She strives to develop innovative, sustainable approaches that enhance human well-being and collective progress.
Our Actions
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