Ifigenia “Effie” Pavlidou Ikonomou
Ifigenia “Effie” Pavlidou Ikonomou Active in Pontian “Akritai” and Dance Instructor
Ifigenia ‘Effie’ Pavlidou Ikonomou, was born in Kleitos, Kozanis, to parents who migrated from Asia Minor, Pontos, in Turkey. She came to the United States in 1981 as an exchange student and settled in Atlantic City. She attended Atlantic Community College and received her degree in Early Childhood Education from Stockton College. While attending school, she was very active with teaching Greek Dance at both St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in New Jersey.
Effie is a very active member in the Hellenic community and the Federation of Hellenic-American Societies. She moved to Philadelphia in 1990 as a dance instructor to the Pontian Society “Akritai” which was established in 1939. She has since been a very active member and was President of the Society in 2008. She is an active member of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, Upper Darby, and supports various philanthropic efforts in the tri-state area.
Effie helped to re-establish the youth of the Pontian Society, which is one of the oldest and strongest organizations in the Philadelphia area. She is married and has two children, Stacey and Vasili.