About Us

Basil M. Russo, a retired judge, leads the Conference of Presidents — a nonprofit comprised of the 50 largest Italian American organizations in the U.S.. Basil also serves as national president of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America; he is an executive committee member of the National Italian American Foundation; president of the Justinian Forum Bar Association; and chairman of Cleveland’s Columbus Day Parade. He has devoted much of his life’s work to preserving the history and culture of Italian Americans “as my way of honoring the memory of my parents and immigrant grandparents.”

Judge Nicastro’s family is from the Toscana area of Italy and Sicily. They settled in the Valley View and Independence area of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, drawn by work at the brickyard. 100 years later, Judge Nicastro serves these communities as an elected judge of the Garfield Heights Municipal Court. A proud member of the Italian Sons & Daughters of America, Judge Nicastro serves as Chair of the Board and President of #iamcle.

Pamela has been serving as Curator of Italian American History at the Western Reserve Historical Society for 15 years. She holds a Master of Arts in history with a concentration in public history from Kent State University and has achieved the rank of Certified Archivist as recognized by the Academy of Certified Archivists.  

Marie serves as the district vice president for Ohio/Michigan of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America. She, along with her husband, Joe, are largely responsible for the creation and growth of University Lodge, the largest ISDA lodge in Ohio.  

Patricia serves as the executive editor of La Nostra Voce, the ISDA’s national newspaper. She also serves on the board of the Russo Brothers Italian American Film Forum, which awards grants to creative filmmakers seeking to explore the Italian American experience. 

Matt served for 19 years as a member of the Cleveland City Council. He now serves as the executive director of the Thriving Community Institute and senior vice president of the Western Reserve Land Conservatory