National Italian American Foundation

National Italian American Foundation headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, educational foundation that promotes Italian American culture and heritage. NIAF serves as a resource on the Italian American community and has educational and youth programs including scholarships, grants, heritage travel and mentoring.

NIAF is also the voice for Italian Americans in Washington, D.C., and works closely with the Italian American Congressional Delegation and the White House. NIAF’s mission includes advancing U.S. – Italy business, political and cultural relations. The Foundation also offers a business council that promotes networking with corporate leaders.

Through its many programs, NIAF:
• Provides scholarships and grants to Italian Americans nationwide
• Helps young Italian Americans with their educations and careers
• Works closely with Congress and the White House to promote the appointment of Italian Americans in government
• Encourages the teaching of Italian language and culture in U.S. schools
• Monitors the portrayal of Italian Americans by the news and entertainments industries
• Strengthens cultural and economic ties between Italy and the United States.

Every year, NIAF honors outstanding Italians and Italian Americans at its National Convention and Gala Weekend, which culminates with an annual Anniversary Gala Dinner. This event draws nearly 3,000 people from the United States and abroad to the nation’s capital.

The NIAF 2011 Convention and Gala Weekend

President of the United States Barack Obama delivered a moving speech celebrating the 150th Anniversary of Italian Unification and recognizing the contributions Italian Americans have made to the United States to more than 2,000 guests during the National Italian American Foundation’s (NIAF) 36th Anniversary Awards Gala at the Washington Hilton, October 29, 2011.

“I am honored to be here to celebrate National Italian American Heritage Month and to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of Italian unification,” said President Obama, who was introduced by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. “And I want to congratulate . . . all of you who are doing so much work to keep that heritage alive for the next generation.”

Later in his speech, the president commented on the history of Italian immigrants coming to the United States in search of opportunity. “They came with little,” he said. “Very few were wealthy. But they came with an unwavering faith in God, an unfailing commitment to family, and an unlikely hope in the possibilities of America – the belief that in this country, you could be prosperous, you could be free, you could think and talk and worship as you pleased. It was a place where you could make it if you try. And it wasn’t always easy…. But they did not wait for anybody to hand it to them. They built new lives for themselves, and at the same time they ended up building an entire nation.”

Before President Obama arrived, NIAF Chairman Jerry Colangelo thanked guests for coming “from everywhere in the states and other parts of the world. Adding that NIAF “provides a voice for Italian Americans throughout the United States,” Colangelo acknowledged the presence of Italian American Congressional Delegation members U.S. Rep. John Mica and U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm, as well as the many special guests and business and entertainment honorees joining them on the dais. Also welcoming guests were NIAF President Joseph V. Del Raso and NIAF Treasurer Gabriel Battista, the Gala chairman.

Guests loudly welcomed the evening’s mistress of ceremonies Maria Bartiromo, the Emmy-Award-winning financial journalist, recalled her childhood and Italian American family roots before turning over the podium to Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano who commemorated the courageous efforts of Italian Americans and all who made sacrifices and gave their lives to help others and protect our country during the 9/11 disasters 10 years earlier.

The Gala’s eight honorees included: President of Confindustria Emma Marcegaglia, who received the NIAF Special Achievement Award in Women’s Leadership; Hon. Santo Versace, president of Gianni Versace S.p.A., and chairman of Fondazione Operation Smile Italia Onlus, who received the NIAF Special Achievement Award in Philanthropy; Claudio Bozzo, president of the Mediterranean Shipping Company (USA) Inc., received the NIAF Special Achievement Award in International Business; Paolo Scudieri, CEO of Adler Plastic S.p.A., received the NIAF Special Achievement Award in International Business; Minority Leader of the Ohio Senate Hon. Capri Cafaro received the NIAF Youth Leadership Award; Hon. Frank J. Guarini, former U.S. Representative and NIAF Chairman Emeritus, received the NIAF Lifetime Achievement Award in Leadership; Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dion DiMucci received the NIAF Special Achievement Award in Entertainment; and Frank G. Mancuso Sr., former chairman and CEO of Paramount Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, received The NIAF Jack Valenti Institute Award.

Notables in attendance included actors Joe Pantoliano, Tony LoBianco, David Faustino and John Doman; music legend Frankie Avalon; singer and actor Robert Davi; Italian fashion model Fabio; MLB all-star Mike Piazza; ESPN’s Tony Reali; General Manager of the Washington Nationals Mike Rizzo; legendary NFL coach Dick Vermeil; Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.

The Convention and Gala weekend featured conferences on health and education issues, Italian wine and food tastings and seminars, documentary film screenings, a two-day Expo Italia exhibiting foods and products of Italy, and NIAF’s annual silent and live auctions. Proceeds from the weekend’s activities benefited the Foundation’s educational and scholarship programs.

2011 - NIAF Reception on Capitol Hill Celebrates Italy’s 150th Anniversary

Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi presented the Ambassador of Italy to the United States Hon. Giulio Terzi di Sant’Agata with the Presidential Proclamation – 150th Anniversary of the Unification of Italy—at a National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) Congressional Reception in the historic Mike Mansfield Room of the U.S. Capitol on March 17, 2011. President Barack Obama proclaimed March 17, 2011, as a day to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Unification of Italy and to honor the courage, sacrifice and vision of the patriots who founded the Italian nation.

Congressman Pat Tiberi, co-chairman of the Italian American Congressional Delegation of the 112th U.S. Congress, also presented Ambassador Terzi with the Congressional Proclamation honoring Italy and the legacy of Giuseppe Garibaldi. “We stand together, Italy and America, and enjoy a wonderful relationship with the people of Italy,” said Tiberi, who was joined by Senator Mike Enzi and Senator Mary Landrieu, Congressman Michael G. Grimm and Congressman Chip Cravaack. At the podium, Ambassador Terzi spoke about receiving President Obama in Rome, Italy, and the sense of unity between our two nations that continues to inspire us all.

John F. Calvelli, NIAF secretary and a member of the Board, welcomed the guests to the private reception. He was joined by NIAF’s leadership including Hon. Patricia de Stacy Harrison, a NIAF vice chair, Hon. Anita Bevacqua McBride, a member of board and Dr. John P. Rosa, NIAF executive vice president. Also attending were John Podesta, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, Anthony J. Principi, senior vice president of Pfizer Inc., Patricia Sarcone of Hewlett Packard, and NIAF council members and guests.

March 17, 2011 was proclaimed a national holiday throughout Italy by President Giorgio Napolitano to celebrate this historic milestone. Cities across the United States have scheduled activities to commemorate Italy’s unification.

The NIAF 2010 Convention and Gala Weekend

The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) celebrated its 35th Anniversary with a Convention and Gala at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., on October 22–23, 2010. The weekend’s events, culminating with a black-tie dinner, focused on youth and transmitting our Italian heritage to the next generation.

NIAF’s 2010 honorees included Dr. Fulvio Conti, CEO of Enel S.p.A., who received the NIAF Special Achievement Award for International Business; film producer and president of Naples Soccer Club Aurelio De Laurentiis, who received the NIAF United States-Italy Friendship Award from his friend, actor Danny DeVito; Tom Izzo, head men’s basketball coach at Michigan State University, who received a NIAF Lifetime Achievement Award in Sports; Christopher J. Nassetta, president & CEO of Hilton Worldwide, who received the NIAF Special Achievement Award in Business; and Dr. Thomas Scalea, physician-in-chief of the University of Maryland R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, who received a NIAF Special Achievement Award in Science and Medicine. Additionally, Joe Uva, president and CEO of Univision Communications Inc., received the NIAF One America Award from Jim Walton, president of CNN Worldwide.

E! NEWS’s anchor and managing editor Giuliana DePandi Rancic served as Gala master of ceremonies and actor Robert Davi entertained with a musical tribute to longtime NIAF member Frank Sinatra. Among the more than 3,000 VIPs and guests were famed chef Lidia Bastianich, NIAF Vice Chairman and President and CEO for the Corporation of Public Broadcasting Patricia de Stacy Harrison, NIAF Chairman Jerry Colangelo, MLB great Mike Piazza, and actors Joe Pantoliano, Michael Badalucco and Antonio Sabato Jr. Also attending were Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Dion, actresses Linda Fiorentino and Annabella Sciorra, and ESPN’s “Around the Horn” host Tony Reali.

The Convention and Gala weekend featured conferences on health and education issues, Italian wine and food tastings and seminars, documentary film screenings, a two-day Expo Italia exhibiting foods and products of Italy, and NIAF’s annual silent and live auctions. Proceeds from the weekend’s activities benefited the Foundation’s educational and scholarship programs.

2010 – NIAF’s Initiative to Reinstate Advanced Placement Italian

Thanks to the efforts of the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), working with the Embassy of Italy in Washington and the Italian American community, high school students will again be able to take the College Board’s AP Italian Language and Culture test during the 2011-2012 academic year.

The College Board suspended the AP Italian test in 2009 after deciding that it attracted only a fraction of the students who take AP tests in such popular subjects as U.S. History and English Literature. Students who score well on AP tests receive college credits and, as in the case of AP Italian, could satisfy language requirements at some colleges. So proponents were concerned that eliminating the AP Italian program would undermine growth of Italian language courses and the number of students interested in taking Italian in high schools nationwide.

When the College Board eliminated AP Italian, it gave supporters the opportunity to revive the tests by raising funds to support the underfunded program. NIAF took a leading role in rescuing the AP Italian program by issuing a $500,000 challenge grant that was followed by a $250,000 gift from former member of Congress and NIAF Chairman Emeritus the Hon. Frank J. Guarini.

Congressman Guarini has made the study of the Italian language and Italy’s rich culture a top priority since joining the NIAF Board of Directors in 1988. “Language opens the doors to its culture,” he said of the importance of preserving the study of Italian for the next generation. “Art, music, literature, science, fashion and architecture are born from it. With it, we are able to explore important business, government and commerce opportunities.”

In addition to placing a stronger emphasis on Italian in the Foundation’s scholarships and grant awards, NIAF, under Congressman Guarini’s leadership, introduced a number of educational programs, including: the Teacher of the Year Award in Italian; Italian Culture and Language Fellowships—a partnership with The Washington Post and the Embassy of Italy; Teach the Teachers Workshops at Harvard University; and Lago del Bosco, the first Italian language and culture immersion camp in the United States.

2009 – Post-Earthquake Abruzzo Relief

Following the April 6, 2009 earthquake that destroyed much of Italy’s Abruzzo region, NIAF and the U.S. State Department entered into a public-private partnership to provide a generous American response.

While speaking to members of the press during a meeting with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano in Rome prior to the G-8 Summit in July 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama recognized the National Italian American Foundation’s support of reconstruction efforts in L’Aquila, a city devastated by an earthquake in Abruzzo. [1]

Obama specifically noted joint efforts by the NIAF/State Department partnership to raise funds for the University of L’Aquila and its displaced students.

“Obviously our hearts were broken by the death and destruction that took place after the earthquake. And I'm very pleased that the United States, like many other countries, will be contributing to help the rebuilding process,” Obama said while addressing journalists at the Quirinale Palace on July 8, 2009. [2] “In fact, we have, along with the National Italian American Foundation, already identified projects to help rebuild facilities at the University of L'Aquila and to provide scholarships and summer programs.”

Through NIAF’s fundraising efforts, the partnership helped displaced University of L’Aquila students by working with The University of Miami, Sierra Nevada College, Villanova University and the University of New Mexico to provide new educational opportunities. A total of 103 L’Aquila students applied to be part of this program, which included full tuition, room and board scholarships.

2011-2012 Board Officers

Chairman, Jerry Colangelo

Vice Chair, Paul J. Chiapparone

Vice Chair, Louis J. Freeh

Vice Chair, Patricia Harrison

Vice Chair, Vincent Viola

President, Joseph V. Del Raso

Executive Vice President, Justice Marie L. Garibaldi

Executive Vice President, Salvatore M. Salibello

Treasurer, Gabriel A. Battista

Secretary, John F. Calvelli

General Counsel, Arthur J. Furia

2011-2012 Board of Directors

Robert V. Allegrini
VP Communications - Americas
Hilton Hotels Corporation

Peter J. Arduini
President & Chief Operating Officer
Integra LifeSciences Holdings

Ken Aspromonte
LakeCo Properties

Maria Bartiromo
Anchor
CNBC "Closing Bell with Maria Bartiromo"

Jeffrey M. Capaccio, Esq.
Carr & Ferrell LLP

Linda R. Carlozzi, Esq.
Partner
Jackson Lewis LLP

Robert E. Carlucci
Founder & Owner
R & R Ventures and Affiliates

Prof. Paolo Catalfamo
Founder & Chairman
Investar

Rocco B. Commisso
Chairman & CEO
Mediacom Communications Corporation

Robert S. Cuillo
President & CEO
Cuillo Enterprises

Massimo F. d'Amore
CEO
PepsiCo Beverages Americas

Joseph Della Ratta
Real Estate Developer

Giuliani DePandi Rancic
Anchor and Managing Editor
E! News

John DePasquale
Chairman
Preventative HealthCare Solutions, LLC

Joseph M. DePinto
President & CEO
7-Eleven, Inc.

Matthew J. DiDomenico, Sr.
President
John Matthew Inc. Realtors

Hon. Mike Ferguson
Chairman & CEO
Ferguson Strategies, LLC

William C. Freda
Vice Chairman and U.S. Managing Partner
Deloitte LLP

Dr. Antonio Giordano
Geneticist and Pathologist
President and Founder of the Sbarro Health Research Organization

Kenneth G. Langone
President
Invemed Associates, LLC

Gerard S. LaRocca
Chief Administrative Officer, Americas
Barclays Capital

Giacomo Marini
Founder & Managing Director
Noventi Ventures

Honorable Dominic R. Massaro
New York Supreme Court

Hon. Anita Bevacqua McBride
Independent Advisor

Joe Moglia
CEO
TD Ameritrade

General Peter Pace, USMC (Ret.)
United States Marine Corps (Ret.)

Julian L. Rizzuto
International Markets Analyst
Conair Corporation

Dr. John P. Rosa
Chiropractor and Community Organizer

John F. Scarpa
Co-Founder
American Cellular Network Corporation

Peter J. Striano
Chairman & CEO
Unity International Group

Joe Uva
President & CEO
Univision Communication, Inc.

Michael Zampardi
Virtu Management

See also

• Italian American Congressional Delegation

External links

• National Italian American Foundation
• NIAF To Host Italian American Rally For Judge Alito In N.J.
• 'Sopranos Mob Scene'-- NIAF Not Amused

Similar organizations

• Anglo Italian Family History Society
• Columbus Citizens Foundation