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Celebrating Italian Heritage and Culture Month
Care Amiche e Cari Amici,
As October draws to a close, all of us at NOIAW want to share with you the amazing programs and events that recently unfolded celebrating Italian Heritage and Culture Month.
On October 25th, we proudly launched the first "National" conversation "a Tavola,"
when women all over the country gathered on the same evening to celebrate the joys and rewards of Italian American culture and to recognize the need to record H.E.R. – Story, the History, Education and Renaissance of women of Italian descent. Please see story below for details of the engaging discussions that occurred around the tables ( "a tavola") as introduced by NOIAW National Board Member and award-winning author Adriana Trigiani.
Also on October 12th, NOIAW was privileged to participate in a White House reception at the invitation of Dr. Jill Biden, the first Italian American to live in the White House. Our regions in Rhode Island, NY, and Washington DC also sponsored programs in honor the month's theme.
We have news from NOIAW headquarters as the NOIAW National Board recently elected a new slate of officers to lead the organization for the next two years.
Learn more in the story below about the new leadership team at NOIAW but first, we must take the time here to recognize and to thank Maria Tamburri, NOIAW immediate past Chair, who has served the organization for 12 years. Maria has led NOIAW through some challenging times, including the COVID lockdown, a pivot to virtual programming, and the development of a strategic plan for the next 40 years!
We are grateful for Maria's dedication and steady leadership in advancing NOIAW's mission. Everyone looks forward to continuing to work with her as she remains on the board as a national director.
More NOIAW members in the news. Anita Bevacqua McBride, 2012 DC NOIAW Wise Woman and executive-in-residence at the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies in the School of Public Affairs at American University in Washington, D.C., was featured as the luncheon guest speaker at NIAF's annual gala weekend, where she spoke about her newly released book about U.S. First Ladies.
Finally, check out the programs from our Regions and NOIAW new members spotlight.
Buona lettura!
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NOIAW National Board Officers Elected By the Board | |
NOIAW has new Officers for the 2023-25 term:
- Diana Femia, Chair
- Anne Marie D'Attelo, Vice Chair
- Pat Tinto, NOIAW President
- Donna Corrado, Treasurer
- Robin Tagliaferri, Secretary
Let's take a closer look at these accomplished ladies' profiles!
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Diana Femia - Chair
Diana Femia was recently elected Chair of the National Organization of Italian American Women. She has been serving as President of the Greater Washington DC Region of NOIAW for several years and has been a member of the organization since the early 80's. In her work with Italian American organizations, Diana has been Chair and President of the Italian Welfare League in New York, an organization that has helped many children through the years. She is also a member of the National Italian American Foundation and has been president of several non profits in New Jersey committed to women's and children's wellbeing. Also, she has worked with Friendship Place, a Washington DC non profit, that works on projects finding jobs and housing for people who have become homeless.
Before moving to Washington DC, Diana was with the New York Mercantile Exchange for 23 years, working with journalists, marketing and ultimately as Senior Director, handling major special events and conferences.
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Anne Marie D'Attelo
Vice Chair
Anne Marie D’Attelo, Esq. is Senior Counsel at AIPSO, a national advisory organization and service provider for various insurance industry groups located in Johnston, RI. In this role, Anne Marie manages litigation for AIPSO’s Insurance Operations commercial line of business. Prior to joining AIPSO, Anne Marie worked as a Senior Trial Attorney and Managing Attorney for a large commercial insurance carrier. She joined NOIAW in 2009 and served as the first RI Region President until 2019.
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Pat Tinto - President
Patricia “Pat” Tinto was recently elected to a second term as National President of NOIAW. Previously Pat served as regional director for NOIAW in the State of Connecticut.
A daughter of Italian immigrants, Pat Tinto was the first woman in her family to attend college. As an undergraduate at Barnard College, Pat minored in Italian and took courses at the Casa Italiana where she was Vice President of the Columbia University Italian Cultural Club. She also studied at the Università per Stranieri in Perugia, Italy.
Pat turned her passion for the Italian language into Vini, Vitti, Dici – a cultural salon for Italophiles, where she facilitated a weekly “Caffè and Conversazione” group and a book club called Libro e Aperitivo, a good read accompanied by an aperitivo to whet your literary and cultural appetites. ViniVittiDici.com is an extension of Pat’s strategic communications firm PatTinto.com,
Now a resident of Florida, Pat is also a member of the Italian Club of Tampa and a member of NIAF, and the Women’s Initiative of the Italian American Democratic Council.
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Donna Corrado - Treasurer
Donna Corrado, PhD, LCSW, has dedicated her career to expanding and improving social services for NYC’s most vulnerable residents, displaying deep compassion and creativity in responding to human needs, particularly as a champion for the disabled and older adults. She previously worked for Catholic Charities, Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens. She advanced through multiple roles, eventually serving as the Executive Director prior to being appointed Commissioner of the Department for the Aging by Mayor Bill DeBlasio in 2014. In 2019, Dr. Corrado left the DeBlasio Administration to join the private sector as the chief operating officer of The Beacon Group, a health care staffing agency in addition to resuming her private psychotherapy practice. She is an active board member of the National Organization of Italian American Women, Coordinated Behavioral Health Care (CBC), ANIBIC – an organization serving children and adults with autism, and Family Home Care of Brooklyn and Queens.
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Robin Tagliaferri - Secretary
Robin Tagliaferri is the President of NOIAW's Rhode Island Region and Director of Development at St. Patrick Academy, an urban Catholic high school in Providence. With 30 years experience working in museums, arts organizations and educational institutions, Robin has designed fundraising campaigns, implemented public programs, and written arts education curriculum for K-12 students. She is a visual artist, having earned a BFA and MA in Museum Studies and Art Education from the Rhode Island School of Design. In addition to her work with NOIAW, Robin serves on the steering committee for Progetto Guarcino 2025, an economic development plan for the town of Guarcino (FR), Italy, the birthplace of her paternal grandparents. She has been compiling research on Italian immigration to Providence for almost a decade. Robin worked in the education and development departments of Worcester Art Museum, DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park, Remick Museum and Farm and the RISD Museum. From 2010 to 2015, she was the Executive Director of the Forbes House Museum in Milton, MA, a China trade museum. Robin is a member of the Order of Franciscans Secular (OFS), an international network of lay women and men who follow the philosophy of St. Francis of Assisi.
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When History Is Female
Anita Bevacqua McBride Presents Her Book
On U.S. First Ladies
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Anita Bevacqua McBride (left) and Diana Femia, NOIAW Chair, had the opportunity to chat after Anita's wonderful presentation celebrating the release of the first-ever book chronicling the lives of American First Ladies: U.S. First Ladies: Making History and Leaving Legacies. From Martha Washington to current First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, these influential women have broken barriers and made a mark on our country through their unique position influencing American society, policy, diplomacy, and life in the White House.
Pictured at left, Anita greets Diana after the Victoria J. Mastrobuono luncheon during NIAF's Gala Weekend on October 14-15. Anita was the former chief of Staff for former First Lady, Laura Bush, and a 2012 DC NOIAW Wise Woman.
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To learn more about the book, co-written by Anita B. McBride, Diana B. Carlin, and Nancy Kegan Smith, tap here | |
First Lady Dr. Jill Biden
Welcomed Italian Americans
At the White House
During Italian Heritage and Culture Month Dr. Jill Biden, who is of Italian descent from her paternal side, invited the leaders of key Italian American organizations to a gala reception at the White House. NOIAW was represented in the East Wing by several National Board members who also got to meet NOIAW distinguished board members, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, the first woman Speaker of the House of Representatives, US Rep Rosa DeLauro of New Haven and former Congresswoman Connie Morella of Maryland.
The First Lady, who last May delivered recorded remarks to the NOIAW Luncheon underlining how she has joyfully embraced her Italian heritage, stressed once more during the reception at the White House the importance of sharing the traditional Italian family values of respect, family and faith learned "a tavola" or around the table at Sunday dinners!
To read the remarks from the First Lady tap here
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The invitation from the First Lady to NOIAW National Board members | |
"Tutte A Tavola Per Parlare!"
NOIAW Launches
The First National Conversation
On “H.E.R. - Story”
Over 100 Women Gathered “A Tavola”
To Talk About the Absence of Women in History.
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NOIAW's celebration of Italian American Culture and Heritage Month took place " a tavola" or around the table on October 25th. More than 100 women of all ages gathered in person in NYC, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Florida, and Massachusetts - and others were connected via Zoom from all over the country - to celebrate the joys and rewards of Italian American culture while recognizing the need to record H.E.R. – Story: the History, Education and Renaissance of women of Italian descent. They were inspired by Adriana Trigiani, who led the conversation from the NYC celebration at Columbus Citizens Foundation, using H.E.R. as a guide.
Now, all the stories shared around the tables are being collected. They will become the fabric of future programs which NOIAW will create to ensure women’s voices are heard and their history recorded.
Were you unable to attend? You can still send or record your comments on the need to share the history of Italian American women and their heritage by emailing [email protected].
Dal passato al futuro, l’invito è sempre lo stesso: A tavola!
Italian American HER-story in the making.
Questions? Contact NOIAW President, Pat Tinto, [email protected]
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Adriana Trigiani (left) leading the conversation in NYC,
National Board members Robyn Imbimbo and Dr. Donna Chirico looking
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Seated left to right: Anna Gass, Culinary Influencer, Cookbook Author, and 2023 NOIAW CT Wise Woman; Pat Tinto, NOIAW President; Giorgia De Parolis, Counsellor, Italian Permanent Mission to the United Nations; NOIAW Founder and Chair Emerita Aileen Riotto Sirey; NOIAW Founder and Chair Emerita, Adriana Trigiani NOIAW Board Member and 2021 Honoree; Jody and Taylor Pulice, JRT Realty Group; Rosella Rago, Host, Cooking with Nonna, Entrepreneur, and NOIAW 2023 NY Wise Woman.
Below, A Tavola con NOIAW in NYC!
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"A Tavola" in Rhode Island... | |  |
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A snippet from the Zoom attendance | |
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NOIAW Greater New York Region
Invites You
To the Screening of
Our Return To Italy!
Tuesday, November 14, 6 - 8 pm
At The John D. Calandra Italian American Institute
Join NOIAW for Our Return To Italy, a fictional film screening and discussion with Emmy-nominated, award winning filmmakers Marylou & Jerome Bongiorno. Our Return To Italy is a 25 minute fictional film following an Italian-American patriarch's decision to uproot his family winemaking business and relocate to where he was born in Italy, unraveling secrets and testing the bonds within his multigenerational family that includes three strong women.
The screening will take place at the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, at 25 West 43rd Street in New York, 17th floor, on Tuesday, November 14. The program will start at 6 with a welcome aperitivo; screening will follow at 6:30 pm. Cast and crew will be in attendance. Watch the trailer
Admission: Members $10 | Non Members $15,
to reserve your seat please click here.
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A Tour and Presentation
of the Italian Embassy
in Washington DC
Tuesday, November 21, 11 am - 12:30 pm
Join NOIAW Greater Washington DC Region for a guided tour and presentation of the Italian Embassy. The program will include an overview of what the Italian Embassy does as well as describe the work being done to include the Italian language in the school curriculum, especially in the DC, Virginia, and Maryland area.
Speakers will be Michela Carboniero, First Consular Coordination and Social Affair, Maria Fusco, Director of the Education Office, and Carlotta Amaduzzi, Events Communication Manager of the Italian Cultural Institute.
Registration fees: $10 members, $20 non members.
Reservations here.
Attendees will be requested to show a photo ID
to enter the building. Parking is available on the street.
Lunch can be purchased at the Embassy Cafe after the presentation.
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Welcome New NOIAW Members
Each month, we ask new members to submit a profile that we can share
with our membership. Many times, members opt out of this opportunity.
If you recently joined NOIAW, please consider sharing your bio
so more of us can welcome you in NOTIZIE!
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Maria Pasculli
GNY Region
Retired Spanish/Italian Teacher
Maria is a third generation Italian American. Her family comes from Bari, Italy and also Agrigento in Sicily. She is very proud of her Italian roots. She taught languages for 33 years which included taking students to Italy. Now retired, she continues caring for her home, joining activities such as yoga, Mahjongg games, gardening, travel and of course, entertaining friends with some good Italian home cooking!
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Isabella Ricchiuti
National Member
College Student, International Trade Intern
Hailing from Pahoa, Hawaii, Isabella left her hometown at 18 years old to study Applied Foreign Languages (Italian) at the University of Strasbourg in France. She is currently on an exchange year in Milan, Italy, and is an International Trade Intern for the United States Commercial Service, a trade promotion arm of the Department of Commerce.
In her free time, she volunteers for several international organizations, such as SCORE Test Prep and College Counseling, a Peruvian organization dedicated to helping Latin American students study abroad. She speaks English, French, Spanish, Italian, and a bit of German, and is a world traveler.
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Laura Agasian
GNY Region
Real Estate Advisor
Laura Agasian is a native of NYC. A local residential real estate advisor with a global affiliation.
A storyteller at heart, Laura can't help but incorporate family history especially when she is below 14th Street. She resonates with her family's presence in the Ukrainian's east village neighborhood where her Irish/Slovak ancestry resided and on the lower east side where her maternal grandparents immigrated from Bronte, Catania.
Both grandmothers instilled strong work values and Christian faith, especially her Italian grandmother who lived with the family where she was raised on Long Island.
She is extremely happy and excited to be connected to a line of strong women of Italian descent.
LinkedIN; Instagram
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A Blast from the Past!
By Aileen Riotto Sirey
NOIAW Founder, Chair Emerita
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NOIAW Exchange Program
and NOIAW 1989 Luncheon Honorees
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From our archivist, and founder, Aileen Riotto Sirey:
"Ten Italian College students seated at the bottom two rows holding NOIAW mugs were treated to a cookout in Chappaqua, NY. They were treated to 10 days of NYC sightseeing. During our very successful Exchange Program NOIAW partnered with the Italian State Department."
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On the right, Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation (born Rita Antoinette Rizzo;1923 to 2016), of the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration. She was known for the television show "Mother Angelica Live" and was the founder of the international broadcast cable television network Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). On the right, Gerald Arpino (1923-2008). He was an American dancer and choreographer. He was co-founder of the Joffrey Ballet and succeeded Robert Joffrey as its artistic director in 1988. Center, Josephine Lerro, who became NOIAW’s second President in 1988. | | | | |
