Decision Maker

Eleni Kounalakis

California Lieutenant Governor

California

Eleni Kounalakis is an accomplished American politician, businesswoman, and diplomat, currently serving as the 50th Lieutenant Governor of California since 2019. A trailblazer in her field, she is the first woman and the first Greek American elected to this office. A Democrat, Kounalakis has a distinguished career that includes her tenure as the United States Ambassador to Hungary from 2010 to 2013. She holds a degree from Dartmouth College and an MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. Her roles have included serving as an author at The New Press, Chair at the California Advisory Council for International Trade and Investment, and President at AKT Development. She has also contributed to various boards, including the Cal Alumni Association and California Women Lead.