OUR TEAM
Building wellbeing and resilience across the ageing Italian community
Lina Scalfino
President
Lina is passionate about her involvement with the Italian Community and has been a powerful advocate for promoting all aspects of Italian culture across the wider community. She has volunteered on a number of committees and Boards in government including not for profit organisations that served to promote and preserve Italian heritage. She brings to the Board a deep understanding of the needs of aging Italo-Australians and a vision that is futures oriented to accommodate the diverse needs of the Italo- Australian community.
In addition, Lina has significant experience and leadership in Governance, leading professional development and change management. She works tirelessly to build effective partnerships with community leaders and organisations who are committed to supporting and serving the interests and wellbeing of the Italo- Australian community.
Lina’s leadership roles within the Department for Education have been extensive, including being a Principal in numerous Primary Schools, Curriculum Leader and Manager of Teaching English as Second Language R-12 in South Australia. Her leadership in Multicultural Education and Values Education has been recognised at a National and International level. Lina is deeply connected to her Italian heritage and continues to promote the importance of teaching Italian language and culture in schools.
ANNA FINIZIO
Vice President
Anna is passionate about contributing to the vibrant South Australian Italian Community. Anna regularly appears on Italian Radio to keep the community informed of legal and policy issues, including keeping the community abreast of the constantly changing legal framework during the Covid-19 pandemic. Anna brings a professional background in law and health, including experience in peak body advocacy and providing high level advice to government in her role as a former Ministerial Adviser, to the CO.AS.IT (SA) Board.
Edmondo Palombo
Secretary
Edmondo is an experienced Registered Nurse in a variety of health fields, public and private, including Oncology, Haematology, Acute Care, Emergency Care, Aged care etc. For the last ten years, Edmondo has worked as an Executive Officer & Director of Nursing, managing two country hospitals with SA Health and more recently he has been working at the North Eastern Community Hospital in the same role. Edmondo is passionate about health and interested in utilising his experience to support Italian-Australians.
Pio De Corso
Treasurer
For more then three decades, Pio has committed his career to the field of accountancy, serving in diverse business settings. Family values from the foundation of his business ethos, and alongside this, Pio exhibits a keen interest in Aged Care. Drawing on his extensive professional background in accounting, finance, and, business advisory, Pio demonstrates exceptional leadership in his domain.
William Galimi
Board Member
William has dual experiences in both the Human Services and
Business Management. He has a wealth of business knowledge and valuable
organisational management skills.
William
has worked in leading roles within his own Business, State and International
Sales, NFP’S, Local Government, and State Government sectors.
He
has comprehensive experience and proven ability to lead teams and motivate
staff through complex and challenging change processes, having led government
and business departments. His business development and engagement skills are at
a high level.
William
began working 1987 in state Government as a social worker specialising in
abused children, hard core violent young offenders at risk of long-term jail, suicidal
youth, and parenting groups. He developed many programs for young people and
families. William also collaborated with many agencies to setup programs in the
human services space. He left state government in 2000 as a Regional Manager.
He
then worked for 4.5 years as a National Sales Manager for Ferrero (yes the
cholate people), in which he acquired great business skills and travelled to
many countries. In 2005 he started an
Italian bakery business specialising in traditional Italian cakes and gelati,
while also establishing a wholesale business providing modern cakes to many
cafes, shops and other retail chains in SA. He sold this business 2013.
William
then worked for local government and other not for profits in senior Roles. In July 2021, his son had the bright idea to open
Bank of Queensland- so much for retirement!!
He
has been married for 35 years to Maria, together they have 3 children all with
great partners two married and one on his way.
Most importantly three grandchildren and one on their way. The best
experience of their lives.
Julian Amato
Board Member
Julian is a lawyer acting for insureds in professional indemnity and commercial disputes. He specialises in providing coverage advice to local and overseas insurers on significant first party claims. He is an experienced litigator and has represented clients in local and superior courts in South Australia and New South Wales.
More broadly, Julian cares deeply about the community he lives in, and is the current President of the South Australian chapter of Australian Italian Leaders of Tomorrow. He also holds a board membership with his local Italian club, and is actively involved in legal outreach clinics across Adelaide to assist those who cannot afford access to justice.
In his spare time, Julian loves to watch soccer with his friends and travel interstate to visit his friends in Sydney.
