Mary Cardaras holds a PhD in Public and International Affairs from Northeastern University and a Master of Science degree in Journalism from Northwestern University. She is Associate Professor and Chair of Communication at California State University, East Bay, where she teaches journalism and political communication.She has been a news producer, journalist, and documentary filmmaker for over 40 years. Currently, she produces documentary shorts about the effects of the environment on public health. She is also creating the Demos Center Project, a program for university students who are interested in studying the intersectionality of democracy, public policy, a free press, rhetoric and leadership, which will be based in Athens, Greece.Cardaras is herself a Greek-born adoptee of the 1950's. She was placed in an Athens orphanage nine days after her birth and later was in two foster homes before being taken by her maternal adoptive grandparents by ship to New York and then to her adoptive parents in the Midwest. She learned about the story of Dena Poulias through Dena's adoptive cousin during Greek language school, based at a church in Oakland, California. She has become an activist for adoptees around the world in their fight for ethical adoption practices, open records, original birth certificates, and citizenship of origin for those who want it.Cardaras grew up in a large Greek community in Gary, Indiana and later traversed the country producing news in seven major markets. Today she lives in Sonoma, California.