Dr. Dimitriou is a Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE) and Certified Online Instructor who has been teaching undergraduate and graduate tourism and hospitality courses face-to-face, online, and hybrid for over twenty years in Europe and the United States. Her expertise includes but is not limited to curriculum development and course design to reflect current industry trends in order to give students the best possible path to success. Prior to her academic career, Dr. Dimitriou gained great experience in the hospitality and tourism industry in a variety of positions ranging from Front Office employee to General Manager in Europe. She has strong ties with the hotel industry around the world and has significant experience in securing local, regional, national, and international internships and jobs for graduate and undergraduate students and helping them join study abroad programs. Early in her career, she turned an abandoned building in Greece into a successful hotel that is still in operation. She also designed, developed, and run a hospitality management program for a private vocational school in Northern California. She has in-depth experience with accreditation systems, especially AACSB and ACPHA and has served on many committees at every level (Department, College, and University).
Dr. Dimitriou is a strong supporter and promoter of hospitality ethics education both through her research and teaching. She specializes in ethical leadership as she is passionate about integrity and ethics with particular focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion. Her research accomplishments include numerous research publications in hospitality and tourism journals, invited book chapters, as well as conference posters and presentations at national and international conferences. She also serves as Assistant Editor of Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Issues (JOHTI) and Editorial Board Member of Journal of Tourism Futures. She is fluent in English, French, and Greek.
Education
- Bachelor of Science, Tourism Business Administration, Technological Educational Institute (T.E.I.) of Larissa, Greece, June 1995
- Master of Social Science, Tourism Policy and Management, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, England, December 1996
- Doctor of Philosophy, Hospitality Administration, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, August 2012
- Vocational and Technical Teacher Training Academy (SELETE), Degree of Pedagogical Studies, Volos, Greece, July 2002
Professional Certifications
- Educational Institute of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, Certified Hospitality Educator (CHE)
- Drexel University, Goodwin College, Online Instructor Certification
