Our Board

President - Jimmy Karountzos  

Jimmy was born and raised in Halifax, NS. His father, Stratos (Kosta) Karountzos is originally from Xerokambi, Laconia, Greece. Jimmy has maintained a lifelong connection with his father’s home village through yearly visits. Jimmy manages his family’s residential property business, and is the father of four young children. Favorite Laconic phrase: "If."

Vice President - George Kanellakos

Geroge is an anaesthesiologist who was born in Halifax, NS and is the son of Vasilios and Eleni Kanellakos, originally from the mountain village of Anavriti, Sparti. He enjoys visiting his family in Sparti, loves Spartan olive oil and now has another great reason to visit his homeland: archaeology. He is married to Tanya and they have two young children, Vasilios ('Liam') and Madeleine.

Secretary – Sarah Karountzos

Sarah has taken a break from her career in public relations to spend time with her four children Stratos Dimitri, John William, Nikolaos Theodoros, and Elias Nash. Sarah has had a lifelong interest in archaeology, and is excited to be involved in this project.

Honourary Board Member – The Honourable Labi Kousoulis

Labi Kousoulis was born and raised in Halifax, NS His late mother Marina was the daughter of Dimitri Michalakos of Xerokambi.  Labi frequents Xerokambi often to visit his aunt Voula Laskari and cousin Hariklia Laskari.     Labi owns a furniture store in Halifax, with his sister, and has an accounting consulting firm.

Labi is currently serving as MLA for Halifax Citadel-Sable Island, and is Minister of the Public Service Commission, as well as Minister of Information Management and Minister of the Voluntary Sector.

Member-at-large - Peter Tsuluhas-Halifax NS Canada

Representative in Greece - Labrini (Lina) Pappa-Xerokambi Sparta Greece

Studied MSc in International Business Management at University of Manchester

Past: Athens University of Econ. and Bus. and Athens University of Economics and Business

Project Archaeologist - Adamantia Vasilogamvrou-Patras Greece

Adamantia obtained her Degree in History and Archaeology at the University of Athens, Greece; and furthered her studies in Paris, France, at the University of Paris I, Pantheon-Sorbonne for a D.E.A. in Prehistory.

Adamantia spent her career as an archaeologist at the Archaeological service of the Greek Ministry of Culture. During her 35 years' service, Adamantia worked in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens and in three local Ephorates of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities  in the Dodecannese and in the Pelopponnese; on the island of Rhodes, in Patras; and as deputy director, and finally in Sparta, as director, prior to her early retirement due to public sector cutbacks.

During her time in the Archaeological Service, Adamantia conducted over 200 excavations around the country,  covering different kinds of settlements and monuments dating to various periods of the Greek history and prehistory, ranging from Late Neolithic to Late Roman (4th century BC to 4th century AD).

Adamantia was a member of the Greek Mission of the Excavations of Sybaris (Italy, 2005-2010). She also participated in, and directed various research projects in Achaia and Laconia, including;

• The Project EUM II, (Univ. of London, Oxford and Bradford and Greek Ministry of Culture, 2000-2004) - an analysis of food remains in vase and skeletal remains for the Bronze Age populations nutrition habits diagnosis
• The Egialea Survey Project, (Univ. of Salerno, Italy, Greek National Research Centre and 6th Ephorate of Patras, 2004 - 2006).
• Director of the West Achaea Survey Project (2005 - 2008),
• The Theater of Sparta Project (5th Ephorate of Sparta and British School at Athens, 2007-2010)
• The Excavation of the Ancient Agora of Sparta Project (5th Ephorate of Sparta and University of Athens, 2008 - 2013)
• The Epidauros Limera Survey Project, (5^th Ephorate of Sparta and University of Athens, 2008 - 2013)
•  The Mycenaean Site of Ayios  Vasileios at Xerocambi, Laconia, (2008 - present)

Research Interests:

As a graduate student, Adamantia’s research interest focused in the Middle Palaeolithic. When she returned to Greece, the chronological range of her excavations shifted to the Aegean Bronze Age (3rd and 2nd millennia BC), and more specifically in the Late Bronze Age, i.e. the Late Helladic or Mycenaean Period (1600-160/40 BC). Adamantia had the opportunity to excavate and study a Middle and Late Helladic settlement (Katarrahia) and an Early and Late Helladic Cemetery (Kalamaki), in west Achaia, and a prehistoric settlement (Lagada, Lepenou) in Aitoloacarania.

In 2008, Linear B Tablets were found at Ayios Vasileios, Xerocambi, providing solid archaeological evidence for the existence of the long sought Mycenaean center of power, i.e. a palatial center, in Laconia. Adamantia now focuses her efforts on further research and excavations on the palatial centre of Ayios Vaileios, and has published the results of her work to date in various journals.

Her current research at Ayios Vaileios concentrates on;

• Establishing the stratigraphy and related chronology of the settlement,
• Investigating the spatial organization and the character and function of the architectural remains,
• Exploring associations with other Mycenaean sites in the Eurotas Valley and the rest of Laconia,
• Reconsidering the human occupation of this region during the Late Bronze Age; and,
• Investigating contacts with other Mycenaean centres in the Peloponnese and the Aegean.