One year ago, Anais Menounos was named the inaugural winner of The Greek Herald Woman of the Year Award, an honour that recognised her remarkable contribution to education through St Nicholas Mission Academy (St Nic’s)—a school she co-founded in Ghana, providing free education to 250 students.
Her dedication to philanthropy, leadership and community impact made her a deserving recipient of the award, cementing her as an inspiring figure within the Greek Australian community.
Since that memorable moment, Anais has continued her tireless work, balancing her role as a disputes lawyer with her ongoing efforts to expand St Nic’s. The past year has been one of growth and reflection, and the award has further amplified her mission, allowing her to reach new audiences, forge valuable partnerships, and continue advocating for equal access to education.
As The Greek Herald prepares to celebrate another year of outstanding Hellenic women with the second edition of ‘The Greek Herald Woman of the Year’ Awards (nominate here), we caught up with Anais to reflect on the award, its impact on her life, and what’s next for her and St Nic’s.
It’s been one year since you were crowned the inaugural winner of ‘The Greek Herald Woman of the Year’ Award. Can you reflect on the moment?
Looking back on this special day, I still feel a huge sense of immense pride and gratitude for being honoured by my fellow Greek community. Being selected as the inaugural Greek Herald Woman of the Year was a complete surprise and I am still so incredibly humbled that I was considered worthy of this award for my contribution in co-founding St Nic’s (a school in Ghana that provides free education to 250 students).
I remember feeling quite emotional when accepting the award, as I looked out into the audience and saw my family. Growing up, my parents placed a strong emphasis on the value of education, especially coming from a migrant background, and I would not have had the strength to fight for and provide free education for children living in poverty if it wasn’t for the strong values my parents instilled in me.
I am also reminded of the other female nominees of this award, each of them accomplished, inspiring and passionate in their own fields, making the honour even more special.
What response did you receive from family, friends, and work colleagues after the recognition?
Receiving the award was a reminder that my journey has been a culmination of the support, generosity and collective efforts of those around me. The support from my family, friends, colleagues and the community has been instrumental in helping launch and run St Nic’s and so it was no surprise that their responses were equally as emotional as mine!
The response I received from my co-founder and staff in Ghana was extremely heart-warming, with them hosting a small celebration on school premises to celebrate our collective recognition.
How did the recognition change your life?
Being honoured with The Greek Herald Woman of the Year Award gave me and St Nic’s large-scale recognition and legitimacy to continue advocating for the provision of free education. It has opened up new opportunities to connect with people and organisations, notably being selected as the Kytherian Ball Guest of Honour, which further amplified our work and mission.
I have also felt more motivated to make a positive impact and work harder, knowing that the award carries with it an opportunity to lead by example and a pathway to inspire others, especially young women. I am honoured to carry this recognition as a reminder to keep striving for progress and push me further in my journey of creating access to free education for those who need it most.
Where are you now?
The last year has been a period of reflection, growth and consolidation. I am still working as a disputes lawyer at Gilbert and Tobin by day and pouring the remainder of my time into running St Nic’s.
Can you provide an update on St Nicholas Mission Academy. What has happened since the award recognition?
Over the last year, St Nic’s has thrived. We finally received our official school license of operation from the Ghana Ministry of Education (6 years in the making… talk about a slow bureaucracy!) and have continued to partner with local organisations to provide a variety of extra curriculars for our students (including computer and coding classes, Child Rights Club and Girl Guides). We have also renovated some areas of our school grounds, including installing a permanent hand washing station at our entrance. In addition, our goal in the next three years is to purchase our own land to be able to expand and build our own junior high school. In honour of this, we have begun separately raising funds for this purpose.
Why would you encourage others to nominate an ‘unsung heroine’ for this year’s ‘Greek Herald Woman of the Year’ Awards?
I believe it’s so important to recognise the women who may not always be in the spotlight but are making significant impacts in their communities or fields. By nominating an unsung heroine, you are helping shine a light on remarkable Greek women who deserve to have their stories shared, inspiring others to keep creating positive change and pushing boundaries.
This year’s new ‘Woman to Watch’ category for women under 25 is especially exciting as it creates a designated space to highlight young women who are already showing immense promise and making waves. This new category will help elevate these voices and empower the next generation of female leaders.
Is there anything else you’d like to say?
Thank you to everyone at The Greek Herald for supporting me over the last few years and giving me a voice to share my story and mission with the wider community.
Do you know an inspiring Hellenic Australian woman who deserves recognition? Nominations are now open for ‘The Greek Herald Woman of the Year’ Awards 2025 and can be submitted through our web form here. Nominations close at 5pm, 27 February 2025. In 200 words or less, tell us how your ‘unsung heroine’ is making an impact.
