News & Events

NELA Gala

Honoree Sen. Jack Reed with OSIA National President Joseph DiTrapani


Capt. Anthony Odierno (Ret.), George W. Bush Foundation Senior Advisor Anita McBride, SSgt. Salvatore Giunta and Gen. Raymond Odierno


Honoree Carmen Policy with last year's honoree, Former Director of the U.S. Secret Service Lewis Merletti


Honoree Steven Nardizzi


CEO of Finmeccanica North America Simone Bemporad and Amb. Giovanni Castellaneta

Save the Date:

24th Annual National Education & Leadership Awards Gala

Wednesday, May 23, 2012
National Building Museum, Washington, D.C.

23rd Annual National Education & Leadership Awards Gala

Wednesday, May 25, 2011
National Building Museum, Washington, D.C.

The Sons of Italy Foundation's 23rd Annual National Education and Leadership Awards (NELA) Gala in Washington, D.C. was a celebration of achievement, sacrifice & patriotism. The 2011 honorees were: U.S. Senator Jack Reed (RI), former president & CEO of the San Francisco 49ers Carmen Policy, executive director of Wounded Warrior Project Steven Nardizzi, chairman of Italian defense contractor Finmeccanica Pier Francesco Guarguaglini, and the 10 remarkable students who were the winners of this year's National Leadership Grant Competition.

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of a Sons of Italy scholarship of $10,000 to SSgt. Salvatore Giunta, the first living American serviceman to receive the Medal of Honor since Vietnam. SSgt. Giunta received the nation's highest honor for valor after risking his life to save a wounded comrade who was being carried away by Taliban terrorists during an ambush in Afghanistan.

Actor Joe Mantegna served as the Master of Ceremonies and the crowd of approximately 800 guests was entertained by performances from the popular Italian singer Giada Valenti and American singer/songwriter Theresa Sareo.

Among the approximately 800 guests in attendance were leaders from government, business, academia, sports and entertainment, including Capt. Anthony Odierno (U.S. Army, ret.), who was honored by the Sons of Italy last year, and his father, Gen. Raymond Odierno, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, who introduced SSgt. Giunta.

Also present were former U.S. Congresswoman Connie Morella, AIDS researchers Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Robert Gallo, the current Ambassador from Italy to the U.S. Giulio Terzi and the immediate past ambassador, Giovanni Castellaneta, George W. Bush Foundation Senior Advisor Anita McBride, renowned restaurateur Franco Nuschese, and numerous congressmen and women, including Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

To read the full press release from the 23rd Annual NELA Gala, click here.

To view the full list of Gala sponsors, click here.

To see the 2011 National Leadership Grant Recipients, click here.

Please see the links on the left near the top of the page to learn more about the history of the NELA Gala and the honorees celebrated through the years!

All photographs on this page were taken by Max Taylor.