Stavroula's  journey began in Sindos, a small town outside Thessaloniki, Greece.  A passionate storyteller from a young age, she studied Acting and Marketing & PR before crossing the globe and moving to New York City.  From acting in Greek soap operas to working for a PR agency, babysitting to celebrity assisting, waitressing to translating, Stavroula did it all—including becoming the first woman and immigrant to run New York’s iconic The Paris Theatre.  She also worked as a professional dominatrix while researching her award-winning series SWITCH.  Every chapter of her life so far has fueled her bold, genre-bending work as a creative force in film, television, and beyond.

In May 2017, Stavroula founded her production company The Toska Matrix, with the intention to share deeply meaningful, emotionally resonant stories that examine who we are, and the journeys we go on in order to heal and connect with our psyche--in Greek mythology, Psyche (Ψυχή) is also the name of the Goddess of the Soul.  Stavroula's work consistently explores themes of family, identity, power dynamics, connection, and resilience.  Her storytelling is personal yet universal, intimate, and unflinchingly human.  Her projects have received over 90 awards both in the U.S. and internationally, with support from prestigious institutions including the Sundance Institute, Women Make Movies, Chicken & Egg Pictures, Jerome Foundation, NYSCA, and the National Arts Club.  

Stavroula and her collaborators  have been recognized with numerous accolades from organizations and festivals such as New York Women in Film & Television, Tribeca Festival, Film Independent Spirit Awards, DOC NYC, Hot Docs, Palm Beach International Film Festival, Thessaloniki International Film Festival, Cinema Eye Honors Awards, Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival, Chicago International Film Festival, Cleveland International Film Festival, Warsaw Film Festival, and many others.  Throughout her career, she has worked with Academy Award, Emmy, Tony, and Golden Globe-winning talent, further cementing her reputation as a dynamic creative force in the industry.  Her most notable projects include Beneath the Olive Tree—a feature documentary narrated and executive produced by Academy Award winner Olympia Dukakis—SWITCH, The Sounding, Leylak, In The Vice, Pronoia, Livin’ the Dream, The New Abolitionists, and, most recently, A Photographic Memory. 

She is currently developing multiple original and IP-based projects, scripted and unscripted, and a reality competition series titled The Labyrinth.  Pushing boundaries both creatively and conceptually, Stavroula is also spearheading space-focused projects that expand her vision beyond Earth.  These include the podcast and documentary series Sex, Space & Dinosaurs in collaboration with the  Advanced SpaceLife Research Institute (ASRI), Drs. Alexander Layendecker, Shawna Pandya, and Simon Dube, as well as IVF: The Future of Human Reproduction —a groundbreaking exploration of the past, present and future of human reproduction featuring the first IVF baby in the US, Elizabeth Carr  and Dr. Egbert Edelbroek whose work with SpaceBorn United focuses on advancing IVF technology on Earth while exploring what the future of human reproduction might look like on other planets (currently in production).  Stavroula is also writing her first book about her experiences working in the world of professional domination in New York City.

Commercial and branded content work includes campaigns for CeraVe, National Basketball Association (NBA), HSBC, Citizens Bank, Jameson Whiskey, William Hill Wines, Modelo Chelada, Frank’s RedHot, SmartWater, Saratoga, Origins, Poland Spring, BlueTriton, and more.

Stavroula is proud to serve as the Executive Director of the Hellenic Medical Society of New York and on the Advisory Board of the Hellenic Film Society USA.  She's been an active member of Film Fatales' and New York Women in Film & Television for close to 13 years.  She has also mentored underserved youth through Reel Works and worked as a volunteer at the St. Demetrios Institution for children with special needs in Thessaloniki, Greece.