Thanos Vlachogiannis was born in 1980 and is a graduate of the School of Dentistry at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. In 2012, he made a dramatic career shift, dedicating himself to civil society and specifically to LGBTQ+ rights by co-founding Thessaloniki Pride. Today, he serves as the director of the LGBTQ+ Psychological Support Helpline “11528 – Dípla Sou” (“By Your Side”) and frequently leads training sessions for staff of NGOs and commercial businesses on issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity.