Who We Are

We're a team of workers who are thinking, praying and meeting regularly in preparation and planning for the program.

For contact information, click here. 

 

OVM Leadership              CrossRoad Program Staff             OVM/CrossRoad Interns
Dn. Nicholas Belcher              Eleftherios Constantine                          Stella Hondros
Mary Long                                 Sarah Hughes                                           Vincent Minucci
Stephanie Skedros                  Ellie Mellas                                                Michelle Torski 
Ann Bezzerides                        Thanasi Pantazelos                                 Jesse Wey (Videographer)
                                                    Paul Truebenbach
 
 

OVM Leadership

 

the belchersDn. Nicholas Belcher

Director of CROSSROAD
Associate Director of the Office of Vocation
& Ministry at Hellenic College

Dn. Nick is entering his third summer as director of the CrossRoad program. He graduated from the Citadel in 1997 and from Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in 2005. He taught high school social studies in his hometown of Altoona, PA for four years and also worked at the Antiochian Village summer camp. In addition to his duties as CrossRoad director, Dn. Nick also serves as the assistant director of the Office of Vocation and Ministry. In January of 2006, he made the best decision of his life -marrying his wife Sonia. On April 22, 2007 he was ordained to the diaconate by His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP.  On October 9, 2007 they welcomed their son Andrew in to the world.

  

mlong1 Mary Long 

Assistant Director of CrossRoad

Assistant Director of the Office of Vocation & Ministry at Hellenic College 

Mary Long is excited to return to the CrossRoad program this year as Assistant Director. She completed her undergraduate studies at University of Texas-Austin (she's still a big Longhorns fan!) and then earned an M. Div. at Holy Cross Schoolof Theology in 2006.  While attending Holy Cross, Mary served as a CrossRoad staff member in 2004 and 2005. For the past two years, she worked for the Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, and recently returned to Boston to work full-time in the OVM. Although she considers herself a Texan first and Bostonian second, Mary enjoys all that Boston has to offer, including its rich history, scenic landscape, great food, and interesting people.  She is looking forward a great summer for CrossRoad.

 

Mrs. Skedros

 Stephanie Skedros

Development & Public Relations Coordinator

Stephanie grew up just outside of Boston and is the youngest of three children. As a child, she benefited from the summer camp program in New Hampshire sponsored by the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston. The camp program provided a dynamic education to the Church and opened the doors to so many learning opportunities. After two years of camp in New Hampshire, Stephanie boarded a plane to Greece to participate in the Ionian Village (IV) Summer Camp. It was this experience that had the most profound impact on her life at age sixteen. To be able to walk in the footsteps of the apostles and venerate the relics of the saints brought Orthodoxy to life and a way of life. It was at IV that Stephanie began her personal connection with the saints, prayer and worship, and acommitment to live a life in Christ. This strong commitment led Stephanie to serve as a counselor for the program for two years as well as serving as its program coordinator in New York after college. Stephanie is an alumna of Boston College. She carries a strong background in higher education in the area of admissions and financial aid. In fact, she served at the Director of Admissions and Financial Aid for Hellenic College/Holy Cross in the early 90's. Stephanie returns to HCHC after working for Harvard University and the Graduate Theological Union. Stephanie and her husband Jim are the proud parents of three daughters Anna, Francesca, and Rebecca. When not driving her daughters to their dance, soccer, and basketball practices she enjoys cooking, knitting, and crafts.

 

Ann Bezzerides

Director of the Office of Vocation & Ministry at Hellenic College

Ann is the Director of the Office of Vocation & Ministry.  Before starting this job in 2003, she helped start the Youth Summer Institute at St. Vladimir's Seminary during her MDiv years there.  Ann was the founding director of CrossRoad along with the first program staff, Stavros and Ourania Chatzis (now Fr. Stavros and Presb.Ourania), Micah Hirschy, Mary Long, and Elenie Poulos (now Grassos). In 2006 Ann passed the director's baton to Dn. Nick, but still stays as involved as she can while directing a busy office and being mother to2.5 year old Nicholas and wife to Vassili, a medical resident.  In 2007 she earned her Ph.D. from Boston College in Theology and Education with her dissertation titled, "Conversing with John Chrysostom as Christian Religious Educator."  She loves the academic nature of CrossRoad—that it serves as a crucial introduction to Orthodox youth studying theology in a serious way, the beginning of a life-long practice of pursuing Christ's question, "Who do you say that I am?"

 

CrossRoad Program Staff


EConstantine

Eleftherios Constantine

Eleftherios Constantine is a recent graduate of Hellenic College with a degree in Religious Studies.  He is from Youngstown, Ohio, but as a PK (“priest’s kid”), he has lived in five other states.  Eleftherios is blessed to have eight siblings, two of which have participated in the CrossRoad program in past years.  He enjoys playing and watching sports, reading, and studying Byzantine Music. He plans to attend Holy Cross School of Theology in the fall.

 

 

 


 

shughes

Sarah Hughes

Sarah Hughes just finished her first year at Holy Cross Seminary, having graduated from Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pennsylvania last year. She is working towards a Masters Degree in Theological Studies (MTS). Sarah grew up in Methuen, Massachusetts, just north of Boston, and has lived in the area most of her life. When Sarah isn't reading her books (a not-too-frequent occurrence) or watching strange old movies, she loves traveling around the country (and the world). Sarah has worked at the Antiochian Village for the past five years as a counselor and staff member. Though she may miss AV, Sarah can't wait to be part of the CrossRoad staff this summer.

 

 

 

EMellas

Ellie Mellas

Elizabeth (Ellie) Mellas is entering her second year as CrossRoad Staff.  She is an alumnus of Hellenic College and currently in her second year of Holy Cross.  She is a native of Buffalo NY, making her a loyal Bills fan and a huge advocate for blizzards.  Ellie also loves to ski, travel, kayak, visit arboretums, and discuss theology.  Her most recent adventures have been backpacking and camping in Yellowstone and Zion; her favorite National Parks.  She has served in OCMC missions to Guatemala and Alaska and eagerly awaits the next time she is able to serve in the mission field.


tpantazelos Thanasi Pantazelos

Thanasi Pantazelos is currently in his second year at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.  He was born in Stoneham, Massachusetts and has lived in the Boston area his whole life.  He is a self-described “total jock,” having played three varsity sports in high school.  Thanasi loves watching movies, especially comedies and action films, and traveling (he studied abroad in London his junior year of college and traveled around Europe).  He completed his undergraduate studies at Suffolk University in Boston, receiving a degree in business, and then worked for a year before following a strong calling to enroll in the seminary.  Throughout the years, he has been a youth director at St. Vasilios in Peabody, Massachusetts and has also participated in summer camps, Orthodox lock-ins, and retreats within the Metropolis of Boston. From these experiences he has had the pleasure to meet several wonderful and bright young adults with a strong desire to grow in their relationship with Christ through involvement in the life of the Church. Over time, he has also started to realize his own talents, and with that has been able to attain a broader understanding of his own personal vocation as an Orthodox Christian living in the United States today.

 

ptrubenbachPaul Truebenbach

Paul Truebenbach grew up in Northern California.  He and his family converted from Lutheranism to the Orthodox Faith in 1995.  After high school, he went to Spokane, Washington to study Political Science at Gonzaga University.  After a couple years of study, he began to focus increasingly on philosophy and, eventually, on the Orthodox Faith.  At this time, he remembered a sermon his parish priest had given years before in California concerning the life of St. Nektarios.  The idea of modern saints, similar to the Apostles and living in our times dominated his thoughts, and he started to take more courses on Christianity and to read more about the Faith.  Just a month or so later, upon reading the life of St. Nektarios, a passage in the book seemed to direct him toward seminary, a prospect that he had never before considered.  After graduating from Gonzaga, he went to Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, where he has finished his second year in the Master of Divinity program.

 

OVM/CrossRoad Interns

 

Stella Hondros

Stella was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia in Exercise and Sports Science.  While at UGA, she was very active in OCF within the local chapter, serving as president, and nationally, helping to plan College Conference. OCF was a staple during her time at UGA, because it nurtured her spiritual growth through prayer and discussion, fostered long-lasting and rich friendships, and provided her with opportunitiesto serve nationally and internationally through Real Break.
She will begin her studies at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Theological Seminary this Fall to pursue a Master's Degree in Theological Studies. As an OVM intern, she is very excited to be a part of the CrossRoad program for the first time.

  

Vincent Minucci

Vincent (Vinnie) Minucci is entering his senior year in HellenicCollege where he is majoring in Religious Studies.  Vinnie is fromSyosset, New York and has lived there all his life.  He has beeninvolved with OVM's St. Photios the Great Retreat, the Round Tablediscussion group and now as the "Evening and Weekend Anchor" of summerinterns.  Vinnie participated in the past two OCF College Conferencesand went to Alaska for Real Break '08.  He was also selected to be a part of the Student Advisory Board for the 2008-2009 year as Podcast Coordinator.  In his spare time, Vinnie lovesto read, sing and chant, watch and quote "The Office," wander around the city, and play baseball. Let's Go Mets!

 

Michelle Torski

Michelle Torski rejoins the OVM team as an intern for her third summer. After attending CrossRoad as a participant in 2005, Michelle enjoys helping to ensure that other students are able to take advantage of what the CrossRoad program offers.  A native of Boston, MA, Michelle spent her freshman year at Georgetown University (Washington, DC) before transferring to Duke University (Durham, NC) in order to study Electrical and Computer Engineering.  This past year, Michelle served on the Student Advisory Board for the National OCF office as the Regional Representative for the Carolinas.

 

 

 

Jesse Wey

Videographer 

Jesse Wey was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana (Go Colts!) and recently graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington where he studied telecommunications with a focus in media production, specifically film, video and audio production.  In addition to his continuing interest in animation and documentary video production, he enjoys jazz music and playing the piano, a practice he has continued from an early age.  He is new to the Cross Road program this year and is very excited about the opportunity to devote the skills he has acquired through his studies in media toward work for the Church.