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
Deputy Director, 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
Lisa de Medeiros Morris - Rhode Island
Director, Cross Cultural Initiatives
University of Massachusetts Medical School – MassAHEC Network
PALCUS Member since 2017
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Assistant Treasurer
Vacant
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Board of Directors
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Manny Antunes - New Jersey
Research Manager at Audible, Inc.
PALCUS Member since 2020
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John Bento – California
Principal, MJB Designs,
Architecture & Design
Past Chair from 2007-2009
PALCUS Member since 2004
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Diniz Borges - California
Honorary Consul to Portugal, Tulare, CA
Director, Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute
California State University, Fresno
PALCUS Member since 2016
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Cristina Da Silva, Esq. - New York​
Law Office of Cristina Garcia Da Silva
PALCUS Member since 2018
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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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Jack de Oliveira - South Carolina
Legislative Assistant for the Connecticut General Assembly
Public Official for the Borough of Naugatuck
PALCUS Member since 2018
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Ana R. Ferreira, Esq. - Pennsylvania
Ferreira Law
PALCUS Member since 2019
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Sergio Ferreira - Massachusetts
Chief Underwriter & Director of Rental Operations, MassHousing
PALCUS Member since 2020
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Manuel Geraldo, Sr. Esq. - Maryland
Principal, Law Firm of Robinson & Geraldo
PALCUS Member since 1993
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Ilídio Pereira - Florida
Financial Banking Consultant
PALCUS Member since 2019
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Jose (“Joe”) A. Santos - Connecticut
Former Vice President and General Counsel, Pratt & Whitney Aerospace
Professor of business law at CCSU (Central Connecticut State University)
PALCUS Member since 2018
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Jordan Thomas - New Jersey
JD/MBA Candidate at Yale Law / Harvard Business
PALCUS Member since 2020
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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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Program Coordinator:
Gracielle Camilo
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