Tina Courpas
{{Short description|American politician (born 1966)}}{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Tina Courpas
| image =
| caption =
| state_house = Connecticut
| district = 149th
| term_start = January 8, 2025
| term_end =
| predecessor = Rachel Khanna
| successor =
| birth_name = Katherine Ann Courpas
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|07|04}}
| birth_place = Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
| party = Republican
| website =
| education = Princeton University (AB)
Columbia University (JD)
| constituency = Represented Greenwich and Stamford
| residence = Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S.
| spouse = {{marriage|Kamil Marc Salame|1999|reason=div}}
}}
Katherine Ann "Tina" Courpas ({{IPA|fr|kuʁpɑ|}}, approximately {{Respell|koor|PAH}}; born July 4, 1966) is an American attorney and politician who currently serves as a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives for the 149th district, encompassing parts of Greenwich and Stamford, for the Republican Party.{{Cite web |last=Laguarda |first=Andy Blye, Robert Marchant, Ignacio |date=2024-11-06 |title=Republican Tina Courpas beats Democratic Rep. Rachel Khanna for 149th District: Unofficial results |url=https://www.greenwichtime.com/elections/article/tina-courpas-rachel-khanna-ct-house-district-149-19841245.php |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=Greenwich Time |language=en}}{{cite web |last1=Yager |first1=Leslie |title=Tina Courpas Receives Nomination for 149th District: Greenwich and Stamford |url=https://greenwichfreepress.com/news/government/tina-courpas-receives-nomination-for-149th-district-greenwich-and-stamford-216886/ |website=Greenwich Free Press |date=2024-05-17 |access-date=3 July 2024}} On November 6, 2024, Courpas defeated Democratic incumbent Rachel Khanna, also of Greenwich.{{Cite web |last=Racine |first=Claire K. |date=2024-11-06 |title=Unofficial Greenwich election results: See who won in CT House and Senate races |url=https://www.middletownpress.com/elections/article/unofficial-greenwich-election-results-winners-ct-19885699.php |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=The Middletown Press |language=en}}
Early life and education
Courpas was born July 4, 1966 in Baltimore, Maryland to Anthony Stamatios Courpas and Corinne Z. Courpas (née Zoides),{{Cite web |title=Obituary for Corinna Z. Courpas at Ruck Towson Funeral Home, Inc. |url=https://www.ruckfuneraltowson.com/obituary/corinna-courpas |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=www.ruckfuneraltowson.com |language=en}} Greek physicians who immigrated to the U.S. in 1959.{{Cite web |date=2020-04-16 |title=Dr. Anthony S. Courpas, a retired obstetrician-gynecologist who delivered thousands of babies, dies |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/2020/04/16/dr-anthony-s-courpas-a-retired-obstetrician-gynecologist-who-delivered-thousands-of-babies-dies/ |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=Baltimore Sun |language=en-US}} She has an older sister.
She graduated magna cum laude from Princeton University in 1988. Courpas received a Juris Doctor degree from Columbia University in 1994, where she was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar.{{cite news |title=WEDDINGS; Tina Courpas, Kamil Salame |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/09/26/style/weddings-tina-courpas-kamil-salame.html |access-date=3 July 2024 |work=New York Times |date=1999-09-26 |page=12}}
Career
Before entering politics, Courpas worked on Wall Street for over 20 years. She began her career at Goldman, Sachs & Co. She later practiced law at Kirkland & Ellis before returning to investment banking where she raised capital for private equity funds, including at Credit Suisse Private Fund Group.{{cite web |last1=News Release |title=Tina Courpas Named Executive Director of The Hellenic Initiative |url=https://www.hellenicjournal.org/tina-courpas-named-executive-director-of-the-hellenic-initiative/ |website=The Hellenic Journal |date=April 2022 |access-date=3 July 2024}}{{cite web |title=Tina Courpas |url=https://pcswconn.squarespace.com/tina-courpas |website=Permanent Commission on the Status of Women in Connecticut |access-date=3 July 2024}} From Wall Street, Courpas went on to become the executive director of two non-profits.
In 2018, Courpas became the executive director of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women in Connecticut, a bipartisan political non-profit. During her time as executive director, she helped advocate for legislation protecting Connecticut girls and women.{{cite web |last1=Marciano |first1=Michael |title=PCSW: Connecticut Women Have Been Disproportionately Impacted by COVID-19 |url=https://www.law.com/ctlawtribune/2021/05/20/pcsw-connecticut-women-have-been-disproportionately-impacted-by-covid-19/?slreturn=20240601210952 |website=Connecticut Law Tribune |access-date=3 July 2024 |date=2021-05-20}} In 2022, Courpas was chosen to be the executive director of The Hellenic Initiative, an apolitical, philanthropic organization which unites the global Greek Diaspora in support of Greece.{{cite web |last1=Sakellis |first1=Eleni |title=The Hellenic Initiative Executive Director Tina Courpas Speaks with TNH |url=https://www.thenationalherald.com/the-hellenic-initiative-executive-director-tina-courpas-speaks-with-tnh/ |website=The National Herald |access-date=3 July 2024 |date=2022-11-06}}
Politics
In February 2024, Courpas filed for candidacy. Courpas was unanimously nominated by Republican delegates from Greenwich and Stamford on May 16, 2024, as the Republican candidate for the 149th District.{{cite web |last1=Blye |first1=Andy |title=See who Greenwich Democrats, Republicans endorsed to run in November 2024 elections in Connecticut |url=https://www.greenwichtime.com/news/article/greenwich-nov-2024-election-democrats-republicans-19494152.php |access-date=3 July 2024 |website=Greenwich Time}} In November 2024, Courpas defeated one term Democratic incumbent Rachel Khanna.
Personal life
On September 25, 1999, Courpas married Kamil Marc Salame, then a vice president at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette,{{Cite web |last=Ryser |first=Rob |date=2023-12-19 |title=Death of Danbury HS graduate voted most likely to succeed leaves legacy of west side business growth |url=https://www.newstimes.com/news/article/danbury-albert-salame-obit-entrepreneur-18560815.php |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=News-Times |language=en}} of Danbury, Connecticut, whom she later divorced.{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/09/26/style/weddings-tina-courpas-kamil-salame.html | title=WEDDINGS; Tina Courpas, Kamil Salame | website=The New York Times | date=26 September 1999 }}{{Cite web |title=Stamos Courpas Obituary (2004) - Towson, MD - Baltimore Sun |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/baltimoresun/name/stamos-courpas-obituary?id=7026417 |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=Legacy.com}} They have four children.
Courpas resides in Greenwich, Connecticut.{{cite web |last1=Yager |first1=Leslie |title=Meet Republican Candidate for State Rep in the 149th District, Tina Courpas, Political Newcomer |url=https://greenwichfreepress.com/news/government/meet-republican-candidate-for-state-rep-in-the-149th-district-tina-courpas-political-newcomer-218850/ |website=Greenwich Free Press |access-date=3 July 2024 |date=2024-07-02}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Courpas, Tina}}
Category:Connecticut Republicans
Category:Princeton University alumni
Category:Columbia Law School alumni
Category:21st-century American women lawyers
Category:21st-century American lawyers
Category:Lawyers from Greenwich, Connecticut
Category:Politicians from Greenwich, Connecticut
Category:21st-century American women politicians