She holds her PhD from Michigan State University. Her main research interests evolve around mega and small scale sport event image perceptions, sport event consumer behaviors, sport events’ impacts on community development via legacy management programs and interactions between event image, destination image and event sponsors’ images. Dr. Kaplanidou has conducted research for the International Olympic Committee related to the legacy of the Olympic Games and a number of sport related organizations. She has professional experience working with the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.