2020 Board of Directors

The Board of Directors of the Portuguese American Leadership Council of the United States is the governing board of the organization as stipulated in Article IV of the “PALCUS Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws”.  Its function is to set policy for and to ensure the sound management of the organization.

Directors of the Board are all required to be charter members and serve without any personal compensation for their service.  The Board strives to represent the diverse cross-section of the Portuguese-American community of the United States in regard to geography, gender, age and region of origin as well as area of expertise and experience.

 

Executive Committee

 

Chair

Angela Costa Simões - California

Founder, Red Roof Industries

PALCUS Member since 1998

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Vice-Chair

Katherine Soares - New York

Public Information Officer, Office of Communication and Public Information, Union County, NJ

PALCUS Member since 2013

 

Secretary

Anabela Dacruz-Melo, Esq. - New Jersey

Attorney at Law, Law Office of Anabela Dacruz-Melo

PALCUS Member since 2016

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Treasurer

Paul do Forno - Ohio

Managing Director at Deloitte Digital

PALCUS Member since 2013

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Assistant Treasurer

Vacant

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Past Chair, 2009 - 2016

Fernando Gonçalves Rosa - Connecticut

President and Chief Executive Officer, HEDCO, Inc.

PALCUS Member since 1995

 

 Board of Directors

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John Bento – California

Principal, MJB Designs, 
Architecture & Design
PALCUS Member since 2005

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Diniz Borges - California

Honorary Consul to Portugal, Tulare, CA

Portuguese Language Teacher, Tulare Union High School

PALCUS Member since 2016

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Laurinda Clemente - Virginia

Director of Sales, NE Region

Merscorp Holdings, Inc.

PALCUS Member since 1999

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Daniel DaPonte - Rhode Island

Founder, President & Chief Compliance Officer: Axis Advisors

Fmr. Senator and Finance Chair, RI General Assembly

PALCUS Member since 2018

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Marie R. Fraley - Rhode Island

Fmr. Director, Institute for Portuguese and Lusophone Studies

Rhode Island College 
PALCUS Member since 2003

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Manuel Geraldo, Sr. Esq. - Maryland

Principal, Law Firm of Robinson & Geraldo

PALCUS Member since 1993

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Lisa de Medeiros Morris - Massachusetts

Director, Cross Cultural Initiatives

University of Massachusetts Medical School – MassAHEC Network

PALCUS Member since 2017

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Ilídio Pereira - Florida

Financial Banking Consultant

PALCUS Member since 2019

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Cynthia Marques Russo, Esq. - New Jersey

Attorney at Law, Specializing in Immigration Law

PALCUS Member since 2003

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Gloria Sousa - Florida

Berkshire Hathaway Florida Realty and CEO of KeySolutions Medical Billing, LLC

PALCUS Member since 2018

 

Research Consultant:

Dulce Maria Soares Scott, Ph.D.

Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice,

Anderson University, Indiana

PALCUS Member since 2011

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Executive Assistant:

Gracielle Camilo

 

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