Accountant Lisa Perkins has stepped up to the presidency of the Calabresi in America Organization. A member for 18 years, she joined to re-establish ties to her Italian roots. “My Calabrese grandparents passed away several years ago, and the Italian experience was no longer a part of my life,” she explains. “Joining a group whose members share the same heritage filled that void in my life.”

Perkins likens CIAO to an extended family of unique individuals with shared interests. “I like how so many varied personalities come together to accomplish great things,” she says. “Just like a family, we are each unique yet we have a tie that binds us, our Calabrese heritage.”