Member of the European Parliament 2019-2029. Elena Kountoura is Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN), a member of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), and a substitute member of the Committees on Budgets (BUDG) and Regional Development (REGI). Elected to the European Parliament since 2019, she has focused her parliamentary work on transport, tourism, regional development, and gender equality. Previously Elena Kountoura served as Greece’s Minister of Tourism from January 2015 to May 2019. She was a member of the Hellenic Parliament from 2004 to 2019, having been elected six times in the first district of Athens. Before entering politics, she had an international career in the global fashion industry and later worked as a publisher and director of national magazines. She was also a national champion in the high jump and in100-metre hurdles, representing Greece as a member of the national track and field team, setting Greek national records and earning international distinctions. Elena Kountoura holds a degree in Physical Education and Sport Science from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and speaks four languages: Greek, English, French and Spanish.