TRUSTEES
Rosanna Imbriano
Rosanna Imbriano is a strategic marketing consultant, entrepreneur, speaker, and the Founder and Executive Director of Sempre Avanti, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in Cedar Grove, New Jersey.
Born in Italy, Imbriano’s passion for her culture, heritage, and empowering future generations is what drove her to establish Sempre Avanti (www.SempreAvanti.org). The organization is a resource center for everything Italian and a place where Italians or Italian-Americans can come for information, resources, translations, products, and services, just to name a few. Under Imbriano’s direction, those in need will find people willing to help, who are like-minded and who speak the same language.
Imbriano also owns R.I. Consulting, LLC, of Cedar Grove, New Jersey, that she launched in 2001. As a marketing strategist, she helps business owners and nonprofits market themselves in nontraditional ways to attain optimum growth. RI Consulting guides its clients on formulating business goals, developing cost-effective strategic marketing plans, and managing the plan’s implementation.
In 1982, Imbriano began her entrepreneurial career with the opening of Rosanna’s Health Spa in Bloomfield, New Jersey. She owned and managed the health spa for eight years.
Imbriano is also a founding partner in the Contessa Club, Inc., a prestigious club for individuals of wealth and power. The Contessa Club is organized and centered around the splendor, luxury, elegance, and sophistication of worldwide destinations. It provides exclusive member-only access to luxurious shopping and travel experiences.
As a frequent speaker at events, Imbriano presents on marketing concepts, including marketing on a shoestring budget, how to develop win/win strategic marketing campaigns, how to foster in-kind sponsorships to grow a business or organization, and her specialty—developing strategic alliances.
Among her prestigious awards, Imbriano received the Teal Heart Award from the Essex Chapter of the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners (NJAWBO) in 2005. She served as the chapter president of NJAWBO Essex from 2006 to 2008. She was recognized as one of the NJBiz Best 50 Women in Business in 2009. And was honored as Business Champion of the Year 2014 by Sisters United Enterprise (SUE).
In addition, Imbriano has been involved on numerous nonprofit boards such as the Rutgers-Newark Small Business Development Center Advisory Board (2006–2008) and president of the Cedar Grove Education Foundation Board of Trustees (2008–2013). She is a 1981 graduate of Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, New York, with a B.A. in economics.
Click here to read Rosanna Imbriano’s Chapter on Developing Strategic Alliances to Build Your Business!
Donna M Dispenzere
Donna has always been passionate about Italian and Italian-American culture. She loves traveling to Italy, indulging in its rich culinary traditions, and collecting Venetian masks.
Beyond her cultural interests, she finds joy in volunteering with animal rescue groups, helping animals find their forever homes.
With a background in global product development and project management, Donna has extensive experience in the textile and personal amenities industries.
She currently resides in Denville, NJ, with the three loves of her life: her husband, Michael, their son, Nolan, and their cat, Finnegan.
Gregory H. Iannarella
Greg Iannarella is an English Lecturer and coordinator of Business Writing at Seton Hall University. His area of research is in Data Narration--the place where the humanities and data science meet.
Before his time as an academic, he worked for eight years as a mead (honey wine) maker. He helped start meaderies in New Jersey and Brooklyn, New York.
Diane M. Byrne
Diane M. Byrne is a professional journalist with more than 35 years of experience, adept at reaching affluent audiences. She’s best known as the founder and editor of Megayacht News, the only website focused on American luxury-yacht owners, buyers, and their circles of influence, with an emphasis on all-original content.
The proud granddaughter of Sicilian immigrants, Diane is also the owner of RedHedInk, an editorial and marketing services company producing high-quality media for high-net-worth consumers. Furthermore, Diane is a longtime member of the U.S. Superyacht Association (USSA), which serves as the voice of the large-yacht industry in the United States.
She joined the non-profit the year it was founded, 2006, and has been a member of the board of directors since 2016, previously serving as Vice Chair and Chair.
Finally, Diane has chaired the USSA’s Superyacht Summit, an industry-leading symposium, each year it’s been held since 2015.
Sebastiano B. Locascio, Jr.
Sebastiano B. Locascio, Jr., was born in Montclair, New Jersey and grew up in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. He now resides in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, with his wife Antonella and two sons, Sebastiano and Marco.
He has strong ties to his Italian heritage in the Montclair area through his association with the Saint Sebastiano Society, which he has been a member of for over 40 years and currently holds the office of President.
He is also associated with the Caldwell Knights of Columbus, the Cedar Grove Elks (where he holds the position of a trustee), and various other Italian organizations in the Essex County area.
Sebastiano brings his strong financial background to Sempre Avanti with over 40 years of experience in banking and private & public companies. He also has strong ties with friends, family, and colleagues in America and Italy, which brings a large network of businesses to Sempre Avanti.
He graduated from Bloomfield College with a degree in Finance, Economics, and Marketing and was elected into ALPHA SIGMA LAMBDA (National Honor Society).
Donna Ruccia Thompson
Donna R. Thompson is the owner of Woodpecker Press, LLC (est. 2008), which provides editorial services to publishers.
Donna’s publishing career includes ten years (1993-2003) at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers as managing editor in the Technical Publishing Department; eight years (1978-1985) at Industry Publications, Inc., as associate editor of two trade magazines; and two years in the early 1970s as assistant editor of a trade magazine at the American Electroplaters Society. She also owned drtEnterprises, LLC, for 18 years (1985-1993, 2003-2013), a freelance editorial services and PR firm that merged into Woodpecker Press in 2014.
She serves as the general administrator of the New Jersey State Women’s Chamber of Commerce (www.njswc.org) (formerly the NJ Association of Women Business Owners). Donna was elected to the Cedar Grove Board of Education in 1999, serving as vice president (2000-2001) and president (2001-2003). She cofounded the Cedar Grove Education Foundation, Inc., in 2003 and served as its president from 2005 to 2008. Donna is a graduate of Caldwell College (1976) with a B.S. in business administration.
Pasqualino (Pat) Palmieri
Pasqualino (Pat) Palmieri is SVP Creative Director at Ganton. In an almost 50 year span, Ganton has become the leading strategic marketing, branding and digital agency for building products.
Pat has over two decades of experience developing award-winning campaigns. He has created and directed many high-profile initiatives for name brands. Pat is a conceptual strategist and problem-solver who manages complex projects from inception to completion.
A first-generation Italian-American born in Newark, NJ, fluent in Italian and has a strong passion for Italian culture.
Mr. Palmieri graduated magna cum laude with a Fine Arts Degree in Graphic Design from Montclair State University. While studying at Montclair State, he was featured as Montclair Artist of the Month. Pat has also won numerous national and international awards for creativity throughout his career.