The Hellenic Initiative (THI), one of the largest Greek Diaspora organizations in the world, recently welcomed Theane Evangelis to its Board of Directors. Andrew Liveris, THI Board Chairman and George Stamas, THI Board President, were both delighted and confident that Evangelis’ commitment to excellence, love of Hellenism, and knowledge of the entertainment industry would be valuable assets to the board. When asked to serve on the THI Board alongside an impressive group of individuals, she enthusiastically accepted because THI’s mission is to expand entrepreneurship in order for Greece to establish a vibrant economy and improve the economic well-being of its citizens.

To this day, THI has invested approximately $20 million and Evangelis is eager to “assist in any way possible to expand the profile of THI in the West Coast, establish more scholarships, and mentor young Greek professionals.”

Evangelis is a highly accomplished lawyer and, most importantly, an enthusiastic supporter of Hellenic ideals. She was named the ‘2021 Labor and Employment Lawyer of the Year’ by the Los Angeles Business Journal and she is a partner in the powerhouse law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP at their Los Angeles office.

Evangelis graduated first in her class from the prestigious New York University (NYU) Law School and attributes much of her success to the support she has received from her professors at NYU. She is now on the NYU Law School’s Board of Trustees and has established a scholarship fund in her family’s name for law students as a way of giving back.

A significant milestone in her career was the opportunity to clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Evangelis vividly remembers her interview with Justice O’Connor. “My Law School professor had encouraged me to apply for the clerkship. Justice O’Connor was the first to ask me to interview and she invited me to meet her in Phoenix, AZ where her vacation home was. She picked me up at the airport and took me out to lunch in her favorite Mexican restaurant. When she was driving me back to the airport, she asked me if I wanted to be her clerk and after the initial surprise wore off, I told her that I would be honored to be her clerk. She taught me, among other things, to throw myself at the task at hand and just do it! She was a wonderful mentor.”

Afterwards Evangelis joined Gibson Dunn because she believed that they had the best litigation team in the country.

Evangelis has received many accolades and awards in her distinguished legal career, and she feels her success has given her the ability and platform to give back and promote causes she feels strongly about. As proud as she is about her accomplishments in her legal career, she is even more proud of her Hellenic heritage, and the love and support her parents have given her over the years. “My parents always believed in me and supported me in every decision I have made, their love means everything to me.”

Evangelis answered the call again when the newly established Global Greek Film Initiative (GGFI) asked her to use her vast experience to promote the Initiative. Already Evangelis and her husband Jim Kousoulas, co-hosted a benefit event at the Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles that was attended by more than 100 guests with ties to the film and television industry, among them former chairman of Paramount and Fox Studios Jim Gianopulos, former HBO executive Kary Antholis, the director of the award-winning film ‘Tailor’ Sonia Liza Kenterman, and the talented composer of ‘’Maestro in Blue’ Kostas Christides. GGFI will aim to establish cultural exchange programs between Greece and the United States and employment opportunities for Greek film and TV professionals.

Evangelis has had a remarkable legal career that suggests her contributions to Hellenism and philanthropy will be equally impressive.