Board of Directors
The Italian Language Foundation board members are leaders in the educational arena and the Italian-American community, and have a deep-seated commitment to the language and culture of Italy.
Margaret I. Cuomo, M.D.
President
Margaret I. Cuomo, M.D. is Co-Founder and President of the Italian Language Foundation. She is a member of the Committee to establish the AP Program in Italian, Chair of Lago del Bosco, the Italian Language Village, and a member of the National Advisory Board of Concordia Language Villages. Dr. Cuomo is also a member of Princeton University’s Advisory Council for the Department of French and Italian.
Dr. Cuomo is an honoree of the Association of Italian American Educators (2003, 2005) and the National Organization of Italian American Women (2004). In 2011, she was awarded the “Commendatore dell’Ordine della Stella della Solidarietà Italiana,” the “Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity,” by Giorgio Napolitano, president of Italy.
Louis A. Tallarini
Chairman
Mr. Tallarini is the President of Real Property Investors, Inc., a national real estate development and real estate finance company with diversified holdings in the commercial real estate and commercial real estate mortgage industries. Mr. Tallarini is former President and an active Member of the Columbus Citizens Foundation.
Lawrence Auriana
Mr. Auriana is the co-founder of the Federated Kaufmann Fund and has served as both President and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Columbus Citizens Foundation.
Claire L. Gaudiani
Since 2004, Claire L. Gaudiani served as Clinical Professor at The George H. Heyman, Jr. Center for Philanthropy and Fundraising at New York University’s School of Professional Studies. She stepped down from teaching at NYU in 2019. She has also served for 10 years as director of The Declaration Initiative, designed to advance the quality of life of those in the bottom 10 percent of the US income distribution.
Prior to 2004, Gaudiani was a Senior Research Scholar at the Yale Law School where she worked to complete a book entitled The Greater Good: How Philanthropy Drives the American Economy and Can Save Capitalism.
Dr. Gaudiani served from 1998-2001 as President of Connecticut College. Under her leadership, Connecticut College quintupled its endowment and rose in the influential U.S. News and World Report survey from No. 41 to the mid-20’s. Applications for admission rose a total of 40 percent over the last five years of her service.
Dr. Gaudiani holds a Ph.D. and master’s degree in French literature from Indiana University and a bachelor’s degree, also in French, from Connecticut College. Dr. Gaudiani served for five years as the volunteer president of the non-profit New London Development Corporation. She has served on the boards of numerous for-profit and not-for-profit enterprises including The Henry Luce Foundation, MBIA Inc., the Shubert Theatre, the Connecticut Center for School Change, Connecticut Legal Services Advisory Board, Public Radio International, and Citizens Bank. See detailed bio.
Salvatore Zizza
Mr. Zizza is president of Zizza & Co. Ltd. and former President of the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF).
Elia Mannetta
Elia Mannetta is an international consultant in the fields of economic development and security. He has taught at high school and university level and lectures on topics related to Italian and Italian-American history and culture. He is an exponent of the Order of Sons of Italy in America. Since 1993, he has been a special adviser to the President of the Italian National Salvation Society. Since 2001, he has served as co-founder of the International Conference on Transport Safety.
Alfred Catalanotto
Mr. Catalanotto is the successful owner, operator and CEO of five high-profile quick service restaurants in New York City’s most heavily trafficked commuter hubs. He is a proud Italian American who served as a Board Member of the Columbus Citizens Foundation, and was Chairman of the Columbus Day Parade for over 15 years – working with notable Grand Marshals that included: director Franco Zeferelli; former Joint Chief of Staffs General Peter Pace; racing legend Mario Andretti; Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia; and celebrity chef Lidia Bastanich.
Frank M. Maselli
Frank was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. Frank is the President of Masbro Investment Company, Inc., and a Managing Member of Maselli Properties LLC. The American Italian Cultural Center, in New Orleans, was founded by Frank’s father, and Frank serves as its Chairman. An active member of his community, Frank serves on the boards of the New Orleans Metropolitan Crime Commission and Opera Association. He is also a board member of the Italian American Museum in New York, and the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame in Chicago.
Hon. Eugene Nardelli (Ret.)
Judge Nardelli is a retired Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department, of the Supreme Court of the State of New York and a past President of the Columbus Citizens Foundation.
Team
Heather O’Connell
Program Coordinator
Dr. Marta Muggianu
Consultant, Italy
Dott. Domenico “Mimo” Ragozzino
Press & Public Relations, Italy
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – Louis Tallarini will be honored at the 2022 Bond Street Awards, held at the House of Commons in London on December 14, 2022.
In addition to his distinguished real estate career, Tallarini has also served as the Co-founder and Chairman of the Italian Language Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization established in 2008 for the support and promotion of teachers and students of Italian nationally.
“The Italian Language Foundation is proud of Louis Tallarini, for his achievements in business, and for his commitment to the support of Italian language and culture,” Margaret I. Cuomo, M.D., President of The Italian Language Foundation, stated.
Tallarini has enjoyed a long, successful career in the real estate industry in the United States. He is President and CEO of Real Property Investors, Inc., a real estate asset management and advisory firm with offices in Westchester County, N.Y., Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Uncasville, Conn. Tallarini is also a co-founder of Valuexpress, a nationwide commercial mortgage originator where he serves as Managing Director. His latest project, the World Baseball Network, was conceived by his son Matthew, and aims to provide English-language coverage of international baseball.
“It’s a great honor to be here in London at the Bond Street Awards for 2022,” Tallarini said. “My congratulations to all the other awardees.”
The Bond Street Awards are international awards that are presented to professionals who have significantly contributed to the development of an ethical business by demonstrating resourcefulness, creativity and commitment at the highest levels.
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – Louis Tallarini will be honored at the 2022 Bond Street Awards, held at the House of Commons in London on December 14, 2022.
In addition to his distinguished real estate career, Tallarini has also served as the Co-founder and Chairman of the Italian Language Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization established in 2008 for the support and promotion of teachers and students of Italian nationally.
“The Italian Language Foundation is proud of Louis Tallarini, for his achievements in business, and for his commitment to the support of Italian language and culture,” Margaret I. Cuomo, M.D., President of The Italian Language Foundation, stated.
Tallarini has enjoyed a long, successful career in the real estate industry in the United States. He is President and CEO of Real Property Investors, Inc., a real estate asset management and advisory firm with offices in Westchester County, N.Y., Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Uncasville, Conn. Tallarini is also a co-founder of Valuexpress, a nationwide commercial mortgage originator where he serves as Managing Director. His latest project, the World Baseball Network, was conceived by his son Matthew, and aims to provide English-language coverage of international baseball.
“It’s a great honor to be here in London at the Bond Street Awards for 2022,” Tallarini said. “My congratulations to all the other awardees.”
The Bond Street Awards are international awards that are presented to professionals who have significantly contributed to the development of an ethical business by demonstrating resourcefulness, creativity and commitment at the highest levels.