Rodi Kratsa is the Governor of the Ionian Islands. She was born and brought up on the island of Zakynthos, Greece. She studied Sociology (specialising in political sociology) at the University of Geneva followed by postgraduate studies at the Institute of European Studies of the same University.

 She was elected member of the European Parliament in 1999 and was re-elected in 2004 and 2009.  She is Member of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs, Member of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality, Member of the Committee on Regional Development, Member of the Delegation to the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly, Member of the Delegation for relations with the Mashreq countries, Member of the Delegation to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly, Member of the Delegation for relations with Mercosur countries, Member of the Working Group for the Middle East.