Dr. Antigoni Komodiki is the Chief Executive Officer of Junior Achievement (JA) Cyprus and member of JA Worldwide, the largest organization in the world that promotes entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and preparation for the labor market in children and youth. She holds a PhD in Environmental Entrepreneurship Education from the Cyprus University of Technology. Her research interests include the exploration and development of environmental science agency through environmental entrepreneurship programs. Antigoni was awarded the Woman of the Year 2023 in Innovation in MF Awards. She is a Board Member in Limassol 2030 European Capital of Culture – Candidate City. 

IVLP Impact Award Project: Young Female Leaders 

The project addresses the gender disparity in business leadership in Cyprus by empowering young women aged 14 to 18. The initiative draws from observations within JA Cyprus programs, where participation and leadership roles are equally distributed between genders and builds on those positive trends. The program will provide training in leadership skills, emotional intelligence, and English proficiency, culminating in the design and implementation of community initiatives. Through mentorship and inspirational speakers, Antigoni’s project hopes to cultivate a new generation of female leaders equipped to drive positive change in their communities. 

The program kicked off with a one-day event on September 29, during which 23 young women participated in ice-breaking activities, visited the Paradox Museum, a science and technology museum, and joined a panel discussion in which successful women of Cyprus shared their personal stories, challenges, and career advice. At the end of the day, they formed four teams and designed action plans to create social impact in Limassol. The young female leaders have three months to develop their ideas and will present their outcomes in an open event in January 2025.

“By designing and implementing the Young Women Leaders IVLP Impact Award [I aim] to cultivate a new generation of female leaders equipped to drive positive change in their communities.” – Dr. Antigoni Komodiki 

IVLP Exchange Experience 

Antigoni participated in the IVLP Project Women and Entrepreneurship: Startups organized by the U.S. Department of State and American Councils for International Education, in partnership with Global Ties San Francisco, WorldOrlando, Global Ties Iowa, WorldBoston, and Utah Global Diplomacy. 

Antigoni’s exchange experience led to the development of her project: “Attending the Women and Entrepreneurship program in the USA was a transformative experience for me. Interacting with other professional women and organizations not only expanded my network but also ignited a newfound passion for driving change in my home country. Witnessing the innovative approaches and success stories of fellow participants inspired me to leverage my expertise and experiences to empower women entrepreneurs in my community.” 

“I am motivated to channel the knowledge and insights gained from [my IVLP] into developing initiatives that foster entrepreneurship and gender equality in my country, ultimately contributing to its economic growth and social development.”– Dr. Antigoni Komodiki 

U.S. Communities Visited

San Francisco, CA; Washington, DC; Orlando, FL; Iowa City, IA; Boston, MA; Salt Lake City, UT 

Country: Cyprus

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