Leadership
John Lefas
founder
John Lefas
founder
John Lefas is the co-founder of Lefas Humanitas.
John was born in Thessaloniki, Greece and now resides in London.
John is the co-founder and CEO of Ingenia Polymers, a manufacturing company with operations in eight countries and clients and partners around the world. John has a degree in Chemical Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.
Maria Lefas
founder
Maria Lefas
founder
Maria Lefas is the co-founder of Lefas Humanitas. Maria was born in Thessaloniki, Greece and now resides in London.
Maria co-founded Ingenia Polymers, where she oversaw the company’s global supply chain and procurement and headed North American operations. Maria has a degree in Political Science from Panteios University of Athens and a Masters in Psychology from York University, Toronto.
Melissa Lefas
Melissa Lefas
Melissa Lefas, a daughter of John and Maria Lefas, was born in Toronto, Canada and now resides in New York City. Melissa serves as the Chief of Strategy at the Global Center on Cooperative Security, an independent non-profit organization that promotes human rights and inclusive responses to address the root causes of conflict. She has a degree in Civil Engineering from McGill University, Montreal and a Law Degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in New York.
Mission
Lefas Humanitas is a private not-for-profit entity engaged in focused and effective philanthropic and cultural initiatives.
Our mission is:
To establish, manage and sustain an institution which is ethically organized, transparent and driven by the guiding principles of stewardship and social responsibility.
To increase, manage and utilize its assets for the greatest possible social benefit.
To support and develop programs that are sustainable over the long term.
To focus on the following areas, and over time, to increase our influence, contribution and impact in these areas:
- Education
- Culture
- Philanthropy