Betty Tsakarestou is an associate professor and co-initiator and director of the Advertising and Public Relations Lab – ADandPRLAB (launched in 1993)  at the Department of Communication, Media and Culture,  co-initiator and associate director of the interdisciplinary postgraduate program MA Digital Transformation: e-Diplomacy, e-Campaigning and Digital Law (MA DigiDCL),  Department of Communication, Media and Culture, scientific manager of CREATIVE+ of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Structure of Panteion University, Branding Chair & European Research liaison at the International Communication Division of AEJMC, board member at edcom- European Institute for Commercial Communications Education, member of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Institute of Communication, mentor at The People’s Trust and member of the expert team at Envolve Entrepreneurship, Board member at insidestory.gr and member for the Initiative for Journalism

Betty Tsakarestou is also an International Exchange Alumna of the Study of U.S. Institutes on Journalism and Media with the support of US Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Athens, and Alumni TIES grantee for the research project “The Room Where It Happens” Project to address disinformation that is developed and disseminated in closed encrypted apps in the fields of politics, communication and commercial messages, influencer communication and the infodemic (in the period of Covid 19) and religion.

 Betty has co-organized with ADandPRLAB, the Digital Communications Network (DCN) and the non-profit organization Youth Entrepreneurship Technology (YET) an innovative educational program to address disinformation by organizing a Hackathon and a DisinfoHakcs Podcast series.

 As co-founder (1993), head (1993-2020) and director (since 2021)  of the Advertising and Public Relations Laboratory – ADandPRLAB, through a philosophy and practice of co-creation with leading executives from the communication/ advertising, PR,  business, digital media and startup entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem, and EDEE ( Hellenic Association of Communication Agencies)  they shape a dynamic, evolving and innovative educational program through  8 vertical labs in digital-mobile marketing, market research, UX research, strategic design and service design, podcast production focusing on GenZ themes,  apps design, startup entrepreneurship impact & creative storytelling, creativity in advertising, public relations, crisis management, leadership and emotional intelligence.

Between 2012 and 2028 has co-organized several Startup Weekends (2021, 2013 Startup Weekend University,  2024 Startup Weekend Edcuation). In  May 2016 she organized along with ADandPRLAB  the first Startup Weekend on “Entrepreneurial Journalism” in Athens with the support of U.S. Embassy Athens and in collaboration Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism.  Then, in  May 2018 she led the 2nd Athens Startup Weekend on Entrepreneurial Journalism focusing on Audio and Radio Innovation and Summit as an inaugural activation of her new educational entrepreneurship and innovation partnership between Advertising and Public Relations Lab of Panteion University and Antenna Music of Antenna Group.

 Between 2012  today through ADandPRLAB she has been co-organizing several Co-Creation Workshops with local and international academic and business partners (such as Panteion Univeristy MA and PhD researchers, Copenhagen  Buisness  School)  business (Ercisson startups) and local governement (Municiplaity of Athens) or cultural institutions  (Stegi, Onassis)   community  and media stakeholders focusing on Cities challenges and citizens or vulnerable communities engagement (such as women migrants along with Melissa Network)  in spotting priorites and co-creating actionalbe solutions, on media and journalism participatory and co-creative metholdolgies into enhancing their media literacy, discoveiring and co-researching/ co-writing news stories with insidestory.gr journalists to enhance their trust in media and journalism as a porcess and as a deomcartic and participatory process, while addressing “media deserts” on issues that remain under the radar, and giving all participanta agency and voice, buidling mutual trust.

 Her academic (teaching and research) interests focus on advertising and public relations, strategic and corporate communication and reputation management, crisis management, responsible-sustainable consumption and experience in physical and digital environments, immersive branding & story-doing, city branding, startup entrepreneurship and social impact innovation with a human-centric and technological approach (human tech) and based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, ESG.)

 She specializes in the role of organizational structures, corporate culture and decision-making processes in organizations and businesses through systems theory (systems thinking/ design thinking) and ethnographic methodologies of co-creation with a focus on users (citizens- communities- consumers-internal commons of organizations She has organized or co-organized a series of thematic Startup Weekends and co-creation workshops for the development of innovative startup solutions or digital applications. 

She served as Director of Educational Radio and Television (2010-2012) of the Ministry of Education with the task of digital transition, Media Literacy expert in a committee of the European community.