YAL CHICAGO CONFERENCE 2026
The YAL Chicago Conference 2025 was a success! With a SOLD OUT EVENT, three full days of activities, several speakers and workshops, and endless opportunities to meet other YALers from across the country, we're looking forward to an amazing conference in the Windy City in 2026!
Hotel Rooms are now available to book!
Book your room with the official 2026 YAL Chicago Conference room block here.
Registration
Early Bird and GA are SOLD OUT
Use the link below to purchase your Greek Time tickets now!
FOLLOW US!
Follow us at @yalchicagoconference on social media for a recap of the 2025 Conference and to be the first to know about the 2026 Conference!
Donations & Sponosors
Thank you for considering supporting the YAL Chicago Conference! Not only will your donation help us execute the conference, but it will also support the future success of this conference for years to come. We appreciate your support of our efforts to provide a weekend of faith, fellowship and service to young Orthodox Christians throughout the Metropolis of Chicago and the entire United States. Learn more about the benefits and details of sponsorship
Email yalchicagoconference@gmail.com to learn more about how to get involved!
Meet the
2026 YAL Chicago
Conference Board
Fr. Theofanis Rauch
Spiritual Advisor
Meet our Conference Spiritual Advisor, Fr. Theofanis Rauch!
Fr. Theofanis is originally from the small town of St. John, Indiana. He graduated from Holy Cross in May of 2021 with his M. Div., and was ordained shortly after. Fr. Theofanis served for 2 years at St. Demetrios in Elmhurst, IL as the second priest and youth director before his transfer to serve as the priest of All Saints in Peoria, IL in August of 2023. Fr. Theofanis is married to his beautiful wife, Presvytera Lydia, and they have two sons named Fanourios and Theodore. Fr. Theofanis feels so blessed to be the spiritual advisor for the YAL Conference, and he looks forward to working with the amazing young adults of this Metropolis!
Tia Kotsiopoulos
Conference Chair
Meet one of our Conference Chairs, Tia Kotsiopoulos!
Tia is honored to serve as one of the Co-Chairs for the 2026 YAL Chicago Conference and is thrilled to be part of the board once again! Tia is originally from Barrington, IL growing up at St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Palatine. She received an MBA from Loyola University Chicago with a concentration in Marketing. Currently, Tia works for Hilton as an Events & Marketing Manager at the Rosemont property, combining her passion for hospitality, event planning, and meaningful community engagement. She is deeply involved in several organizations dedicated to Greek Orthodox young adult ministry and Hellenic heritage. Tia also serves on the YAL Chicago Executive Board, represents the Metropolis of Chicago on the National YAL board, and is the Vice President of the National Hellenic Student Association (NHSA) of North America.
Katerina Papaioannou
Conference Chair
Katerina Papaioannou is a second year co chair and a fourth year board member. She is proud to be from St. John the Baptist in Des Plaines where she is a member of the YAL. She teaches AP Psychology and Modern World History at Niles North High School in addition to coaching Girls’ Cross Country!
Maria Laros
Fundriasing Committee
Meet one of our Fundraising Chairs!
Maria Laros is a recent resident of Chicago but was born and raised in Champaign, Illinois. Growing up, she attended Three Hierarchs Greek Orthodox Church and now attends St George in the city. Graduating in 2020 and 2021, Maria studied behavioral neuroscience and Human Resources at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. While at school, she served as OCF president and parish council member at Three Hierarchs. Maria now works as an Onboarding Specialist at the UPS CACH facility.
In her free time she enjoys painting, practicing writing icons, reading, singing & playing ukulele. Maria is thrilled to be on the YAL Chicago Conference Board and is excited to serve the orthodox community of Chicago.
Lygia Karagiozis
Marketing Committee
Meet Lygia Karagiozis, one of our Marketing Chairs!
Lygia Karagiozis is originally from Knoxville, TN and recently graduated with her Masters of Science in Marketing at the University of Tennessee.
She is dedicated to youth and young adult ministry, both at her parish and across the nation. Lygia has served as a counselor at Fanari, and St. Stephen’s summer camps for multiple years and served on staff at Ionian Village this past summer. She also has dedicated time to her church as a Sunday school teacher, vacation bible school director, Greek Fest marketing & sponsorships director, greek dance instructor, and a YAL coordinator.
She is super excited to be joining the YAL Chicago Conference marketing committee this year and plans to use her talents to give back to a ministry that she loves so much.
Michael Christofidis
Marketing Committee
Meet one of our Marketing Committee Chairs, Michael Christofidis!
Michael Christofidis is a Senior at the University of Pittsburgh pursuing a degree in Bioengineering with a minor in Chemistry. He plans to attend medical school and begin a career in Orthopedic Surgery. Michael attends St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago, IL and St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Pittsburgh, PA. He is actively involved in the Greek community both at home and school, and is the Vice President of the University of Pittsburgh Hellenic Student Association. Michael feels extremely blessed and excited to be a part of the YAL Chicago Conference Board on the Marketing Committee!
Yanni Motter
Conference Chair
Yanni Motter grew up in Des Plaines, Illinois. He is a second-generation Greek American, with roots stemming from Tripoli and Nestani. He received his associate’s degree from Southern Illinois University, majoring in Automotive Technology and minoring in Workforce Education & Advanced Vehicle Systems/ Diagnostics. He is currently a District Manager for Toyota Motors North America (TMNA). Yanni has been involved in various organizations and activities within the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago such as being a counselor for Fanari Summer Camp, involvement as Co-Chair of the Young Adult League of Chicago's conference board, Logistics Director of National Hellenic Student Association (NHSA), just to name a few. Yanni is thrilled to continue being involved with YAL Conference given the incredible impact the conference has not only for the faith and attendees but for the community.
Christaki Kirkeles
Fundraising Chair
Christaki Kirkeles is from Naperville, IL, and is a proud member of Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church. He values giving back to his community and building meaningful connections with others. Currently, Christaki is completing his senior year at Aurora University, where he is pursuing a double major in Sports Management and Marketing.
He is excited to be joining the YAL board this year, driven by his passion for strengthening community engagement, preserving traditions, and deepening his faith in Christ. Christaki looks forward to bringing his skills, energy, and fresh perspective to the committee’s mission.
A few fun facts about him: Christaki is passionate about sports and dreams of working in sports marketing in the future. He loves traveling and enjoys connecting with others through both faith and community.
Anna Kotsogiannis
Fundriasing Chair
Meet one of the Fundraising Chairs, Anna Kotsogiannis!
This is Anna's second year on the YAL Conference Board. She graduated from Illinois State University in 2022 with a Bachelors in History and is currently working at a community college. She attended Fanari camp throughout her life and also attended Ionian Village in 2018. Her favorite place to travel is Ikaria, Greece. Her home parish is Saints Constantine and Helen in Palos Hills. Anna loves to travel, read, and spend time with family.
Eleni Sakas
Marketing Committee
Meet Eleni Sakas, one of our Marketing chairs!
Eleni is from Antioch, IL, and grew up at St. Demetrios in Libertyville. She currently attends Ascension of our Lord in Lincolnshire, IL. She served on the YAL Chicago conference board for four years, and is looking forward to helping plan events year around. Eleni graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, majoring in Media Arts and Cinema Studies with a minor in Recreation, Sports, and Tourism. Eleni also has certificates in Film Production and Sports Media. At U of I, Eleni was involved with her OCF chapter as the Vice President of Media, Good Morning Illini, and Illini Sports Night, and she was an intern for the Fighting Illini Sports Productions. Eleni was a camp counselor for three summer camps in the Greek community: Fanari, Metropolis of Boston Camp, and Saint Stephens. Of course, she was a participant in the Junior Olympics, as well as the Oratorical Festival. Eleni currently freelances her media skills and works for the Metropolis of Chicago as a Media Specialist. In her free time, Eleni loves to create media, watch college sports, or travel anywhere (especially National Parks).
Billy Panos
Liturgical Committee
Meet one of our Liturgical Chairs, Billy Panos!
Billy is a juniorat Loyola University Chicago pursing a degree in finance with a minor in nonprofit management. After graduation he plans to go to Holy Cross and get his mDiv. He attends St. Nectarios in Palatine and when he's not in school he goes to St. Andrews in Chicago. Billy is active at his home parish and on-campus activities including serving as this year's OFC Chicago Vice President. He cannot wait to be on the liturgics & fundraising committees this year as a first-time board member and is excited to be more involved with YAL.
Perry Pappas
Programming
Committee
Perry Pappas is originally from Crown Point, Indiana, where he attends the parish of Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Merrillville. He recently graduated from Purdue University in May with a degree in Retail Management and an Entrepreneurship Certificate.
While in college, Perry was actively involved in Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) and even served as a Regional Leader on the national OCF board. Today, he continues to serve his parish by supporting Young Adult and Youth ministries, as well as being recently appointed to the National Hellenic Student Association (NHSA) as the Regional Director of the Great Lakes Region.
This year, Perry is excited to be joining the Programming Committee on the board, where he looks forward to developing meaningful events and initiatives that help others connect, grow, and strengthen their faith. He is also excited to help contribute to the Marketing Committee by assisting with T-shirt and merchandise designs that capture the spirit of the conference and the personality of the city of Chicago.
Outside of his professional and volunteer work, Perry enjoys working out, thrifting, traveling, making new friends, cheering on the Chicago Bears, and running his shoe cleaning business that he started in college.
Perry is thrilled for this year’s conference and looks forward to connecting with fellow attendees, contributing to the programming and marketing efforts, and being part of a meaningful and engaging experience that reflects the energy of the city of Chicago.
MariaElena Kouriabalis
Programming Committee
Meet MariaElena, one of our Programming Chairs!
MariaElena is new to the YAL board this year! She grew up in Glenview IL, and has attended St. Demetrios Chicago all her life. After graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with degrees in Speech and Hearing Science, Creative Writing and Media Production she moved to Madrid Spain! She lived there for 2 years and taught English. Now she’s back and excited to be a part of the best Chicago conference ever! She has served as a Fanari camp counselor for many years and on the board of OCF. In her free time she loves to travel, write and take film photos. Currently she attends Northwestern University in pursuit of her masters in Speech Language Pathology.
Kat Klironomos
Programming Committee
Kat is from Park Ridge, IL and attends St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago. She went to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, majored in Recreation, Sport, and Tourism, with a concentration in Sport Management and a Sport Media certification. Kat works in the Registry Department at the General Consulate of Greece in Chicago. In her free time, she loves going to the gym, listening to music, and spending time with friends. She is very blessed to be on the YAL Chicago Conference board for a 2nd year, and is excited to bring another incredible weekend to life!
Sophia Rouman
Programming Committee
Meet Sophia Rouman, one of our Programming Committee Chairs.
Sophia is a second-generation Greek American who was born and raised in Minneapolis and attends St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church. Sophia is an avid YAL Chicago member and has enjoyed many conferences and retreats, and cherishes the experiences and friendships she has made along the way.
Sophia graduated from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN with a BA in Art History. She works in the commercial design industry and has a passion for creative design and problem solving. Outside of work, Sophia is a member of St. Mary’s Parish Council, the Buildings & Grounds committee, and is the Chair of the Design committee, helping make and execute decisions for the beautification and care of the parish. Sophia loves spending time outdoors, traveling, trying new restaurants, and spending time with family and friends. She is looking forward to working with her awesome fellow board members again for another YAL Chicago Conference!
Sophia Rouman
Meet Sophia Rouman, one of our Programming Committee Chairs.
Sophia is a second-generation Greek American who was born and raised in Minneapolis and attends St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church. Sophia is an avid YAL Chicago member and has enjoyed many conferences and retreats, and cherishes the experiences and friendships she has made along the way.
Sophia graduated from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN with a BA in Art History. She works in the commercial design industry and has a passion for creative design and problem solving. Outside of work, Sophia is a member of St. Mary’s Parish Council, the Buildings & Grounds committee, and is the Chair of the Design committee, helping make and execute decisions for the beautification and care of the parish. Sophia loves spending time outdoors, traveling, trying new restaurants, and spending time with family and friends. She is looking forward to working with her awesome fellow board members again for another YAL Chicago Conference!
Programming Committee
Gianna Kotsiopoulos
Service Project Committee
Gianna is a Psychology Major who attends DePaul University. She is from Barrington, Illinois, and her home parish is St Nectarios in Palatine. She has volunteer experience at Feed My Starving Children and has worked closely with Lurie's Children's Hospital. She is also the Event Coordinator for the Hellenic Student Association at her university. She is thrilled to be joining the service project committee this year, as it has always been one of her favorite aspects of the YAL weekend. It has opened her eyes in many ways, as she now knows that children and families often go days without meals and live in food deserts. Being able to help organize the service project this year will not only teach her but also others the importance of giving back, especially in underserved communities near us. Gianna loves to work out and go for walks, and she is also on the Dance Team for DePaul and loves the girls in it. Gianna also enjoys being involved on the executive board for her sorority and being in a sisterhood.
Christian Vouris
Service Project Committee
Christian (Sts. Constantine & Helen- Palos Hills, IL) is serving his first year on the YAL Chicago Conference Board with the Service project committee. He is an advisor for GOYA as well as helping organize YAL events for his church. Currently, he is working as a NCAA Soccer Official in the Midwest. Christian is planning on studying Theology at Hellenic College in Boston with further plans to go to Seminary school to become a priest. He loves focusing on teaching and making sure the youth prioritize the traditions of the church and Greek culture. Outside of the church, he enjoys paintballing during the warmer months and skiing during the cold ones. Christian is excited to work on the YAL board this year and eager to help make this our best year yet by strengthening people’s connections to Christ.
Eleni Dalianis
Eleni recently graduated from Concordia University Wi with a business degree and has started working as the office admin at Annunciation GOC in Milwaukee Wi. She attends Sts Constantine and Helen GOC in Wauwatosa Wi and is involved in multiple ministries. Eleni is excited to join the speaker committee this year and can not wait for the conference!
Speaker Committee
Evie Stamatis
Evie Stamatis is from Glenview, Illinois and grew up at St. John the Baptist. She is a current senior at Lake Forest College studying Accounting and Law. When she wasn't exploring Greece this summer, she spent her time pursuing a legal career at a Chicago Law firm. She is excited to join the speaker committee and help young adults make connections with each other and their faith!!
Speaker Committee
Dean Sofianopoulos
Registration Committee
Dean Sofianopoulos spent time living in both the Midwest and on the East Coast before moving to Chicago in 2023, where he currently attends Saint George in Lincoln Park.
He studied the Business Side of Medicine at Indiana University - Bloomington, where he was able to combine his passions for healthcare and connecting with people. He currently works in the Medical Device Industry, supporting Academic and Community based Medical Centers across the United States.
Dean has attended various YAL conferences throughout the country and recently supported the National Conference in San Diego. He enjoys being heavily involved within the metropolis, learning about the faith, traveling, sports, meeting new people, and growing the YAL network!
Sia Tortorelis
Sia is thrilled to be back on the registration committee this year and is honored to serve as the Committee Chair! Based in the Minneapolis area, Sia is a lifelong member of St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in Spanish, as well as a Master’s degree in Science Education from the University of Iowa. “Ms. T” now teaches biology and chemistry at Osseo Senior High in Osseo, Minnesota, where she also serves as the Science Department Co-Chair. Rounding out her third year as President of Twin Cities YAL, Sia is passionate about serving the Orthodox community. She is an active member of her local parish community, being involved in St. Mary’s Choir, and Philoptochos as well as teaching both Church School and VCS. She enjoys cooking, spending time outdoors, yapping with family and friends, and traveling (mostly to Greece) as much as possible! Sia is eager to continue growing the YAL Chicago Conference ministry and is committed to making the registration process better than ever!
Registration Committee
Arianna Gregory
Arianna is from Northbrook, IL, and a member of Ascension of Our Lord in Lincolnshire. She graduated from Clemson University in 2025 with a major in Biology and minors in Chemistry and Public Health. Arianna now works as a dermatology medical assistant while applying to medical school. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering, especially through the Metropolis, where she has served as a counselor at Fanari Camp. Arianna is excited to be part of the Registration Committee and looks forward to serving the Metropolis on the YAL Chicago Board.
Registration Committee
John Panos
Budget Committee
Meet one of our YAL Conference Chairs, John Panos!
John was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, but now lives in Lincoln Park, Chicago, IL where he attends St. George Greek Orthodox Church. After graduating from the University of Cincinnati in 2019 (‘sko Cats), John came to Chicago for work, selling software to car dealerships (very glamorous) for Reynolds & Reynolds and is happy he did. When he isn’t working, he’s helping run Chicago and Pittsburgh YAL Conferences, spending time with friends as much as possible and trying new restaurants for his food instagram @PanosPlates. He looks forward to growing his involvement in the YAL community wherever he can apply himself, and is very excited to help lead this year’s conference!
Panayiota Laros
Panayiota is thrilled to be on the YAL Conference board this year! She grew up in Champaign, Illinois where her home parish was Three Hierarchs Greek Orthodox Church and now attends Saint George in Lincoln Park. Panayiota currently works as an Audit and Assurance Senior at Deloitte Chicago. With her Bachelor’s and Master’s in Accounting Science from the University of Illinois, she is ready to bring her expertise to the budget committee. In her free time, she loves to craft with friends, do crossword puzzles, and spend time outside. She cannot wait for YAL 2026 and is excited to finally be a part of the family business #shoutoutEleniandMEK!
Budget Committee
Ellie Ioannides
Ellie is returning for her third year as a member of the conference board! A native of Crown Point, Indiana, she attends Saints Constantine and Helen in Merrillville, IN. Within her parish, she volunteers with the Greek fest, VBS, and Bedtime Bible Stories, an annual summer camp for Pre—K kids! In 2020, she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in History, and in May 2023 earned a Master of Jurisprudence from Indiana University McKinney School of Law! In her free time, she loves to spend time with family and friends, cook, travel, cheer on the Hoosiers, sing karaoke, and spoil her goddaughter! Ellie is blessed and fortunate to have become involved in the YAL Chicago community, where she has met many wonderful people that demonstrate their commitment and dedication to the church! She looks forward to another fun year of serving others within the YAL ministry!
Fundraising Committee
