The Good Greek Girl

The Good Greek Girl will make you laugh, cry, gasp and smile, written with the honesty Maria’s story deserved, and the elegance and craft expected from such an inspiring public intellectual.

Maria Katsonis is the good Greek girl who grew up above her parents’ milk bar and shared a bedroom with her yiayia. That is until university where she discovered her rebellious side, realized her true sexuality and abandoned nine-tenths of an economics degree for a career in the theatre.

Furthering her studies later in life, Maria attended Harvard University and left with a Masters of Public Administration. Little did she know, in five years time, she would be alone on a bed in a white psych ward fighting for her life.

About the Author

Maria enjoyed a traditional Greek childhood, living on top of a milk bar and sharing a bedroom with her yiayia. She was a good Greek girl throughout high school until university when she discovered her rebellious side and abandoned nine-tenths of an economics degree for a career in the theatre. She managed theatre companies such as Anthill and Arena Theatre Company and then became an independent arts management consultant and theatre producer, touring shows to Asia, Europe, and South America. After a decade in the arts, Maria decided it was time for a career change and became a bureaucrat, joining the Victorian Public Service.

In 2008, Maria experienced a severe episode of depression and was hospitalised for over a month. She now lives with an ongoing mental illness and has become a vocal advocate for mental health. Maria is a beyondblue Ambassador and a consumer advocate with the Mental Health Council of Australia. While she lives with a chronic mental illness, she leads an active and meaningful life.

Maria Katsonis is a senior executive in the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet and a public policy lecturer at the Melbourne School of Government.