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
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
Treasurer
Lisa de Medeiros Morris - Massachusetts
Director, Cross Cultural Initiatives
University of Massachusetts Medical School – MassAHEC Network
PALCUS Member since 2017
Assistant Treasurer
Vacant
Board of Directors
John Bento – California
Principal, MJB Designs,
Architecture & Design
Past Chair from 2007-2009
PALCUS Member since 2004
Diniz Borges - California
Honorary Consul to Portugal, Tulare, CA
Portuguese Language Teacher, Tulare Union High School
PALCUS Member since 2016
Laurinda Clemente - Virginia
Director of Sales, NE Region
Merscorp Holdings, Inc.
PALCUS Member since 1999
Daniel DaPonte - Rhode Island
Founder, President & Chief Compliance Officer: Axis Advisors
Fmr. Senator and Finance Chair, RI General Assembly
PALCUS Member since 2018
Marie R. Fraley - Rhode Island
Fmr. Director, Institute for Portuguese and Lusophone Studies
Rhode Island College
PALCUS Member since 2003
Manuel Geraldo, Sr. Esq. - Maryland
Principal, Law Firm of Robinson & Geraldo
PALCUS Member since 1993
Ilídio Pereira - Florida
Financial Banking Consultant
PALCUS Member since 2019
Cynthia Marques Russo, Esq. - New Jersey
Attorney at Law, Specializing in Immigration Law
PALCUS Member since 2003
Jordan Thomas - New Jersey
Chief of Staff to Raymond G. Chambers
PALCUS Member since 2020
Research Consultant:
Dulce Maria Soares Scott, Ph.D.
Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice,
Anderson University, Indiana
PALCUS Member since 2011
Program Coordinator:
Gracielle Camilo