People

Gino Colangelo, President

Gino founded Colangelo & Partners Public Relations in 2006 after spending over 10 years with Dentsu Communications where he pitched and won new business, and conceived and put into play communications strategies for a great client list that included Siemens, Olympus, Japan Airlines, Finmeccanica, Suntory, Winebow, Mionetto and lots of others. Before Dentsu, Gino spent 10 years in his own retail business, a unique experience in the agency world. Prior to the retail business, Gino spent 2½ years in Japan writing copy for an ad agency and writing freelance for travel magazines. He has also lived and studied in Siena, Italy. Gino's love of food, wine and spirits combined with a huge interest in all things Italian has led to CPR's focus on these ‘worlds of passion.’

Michael Colangelo, Chief Operating Officer, Partner

Michael has owned and operated several businesses over his 25-year entrepreneurial career. He started out in the language education business in Osaka, Japan and from there branched into the specialty tour and travel industry. Most recently, Michael entered the transportation industry, where he has grown his company into one of New York City's largest tour and charter bus companies. He is the owner of Michaelny, an English-language teaching Bed & Breakfast in New York City. He is fluent in Japanese.

Dario Chiarini, Senior Consultant

Little did Dario know that a trip to see a friend in Greece while still in college would have a profound effect on his career. Frustrated that he could not communicate with anyone from Italy, Dario decided to take decisive action.

Fast-forward a year after that trip when Dario up and moved to Rome, Italy with no destination or plan. The ‘learn to speak Italian or don't eat’ approach paid dividends and Dario soon grasped the Italian language.

It was this experience that led Dario to his first job with the Italian Trade Commission (ITC) in New York. At the ITC, Dario managed a multi-faceted communications campaign, called Naturalmente Italiano, which was designed to promote awareness for food & wine producers from all of the 20 regions of Italy. Dario assisted small and medium-size Italian companies with introductions to the U.S. partners, development of communications strategies, events, promotions, product sampling, market analysis and import guidelines.

After leaving the Italian Trade Commission Dario did a three-year stint Dentsu Communications where he helped develop clients in the food, wine and hospitality sector.

Today Dario manages accounts in the Food and Wine sector for CPR such as Averna, Frescobaldi and Garofalo Pasta. In addition to his marketing communications experience, Dario brings a wealth of experience working with the food & wine trade. This has proven to be a competitive advantage for CPR. Understanding the challenges within this industry has been particularly useful in product/brand launches for clients such as Partida Tequila, Suntory, Vinitaly, Speck Alto Adige and Asiago.

While enamored by just about everything Italian, Dario still has his American roots. He is an avid hockey player, coach and fan and is proud to be involved with youth sports and mentorship programs. Dario holds a B.A. in International Relations from Michigan State University and in addition to being fluent in Italian, Dario can order a coffee and talk about the weather in Spanish.

Sara Gorelick, Account Supervisor

Sara has had a pen in her hand since the age of five and hasn't stopped writing since. From birthday wishes to to-do lists to press releases and recently cocktail columns for the Examiner in New York City, Sara has incorporated her love for writing into the public relations world. She started at CPR in 2007 after graduating from Quinnipiac University with a Bachelor's in Print Journalism in 2005 and a master's from the prestigious Newhouse School at Syracuse University in the Magazine, Newspaper and Online department that she received in 2007. At CPR, Sara works on both the account and media relations side for Partida Tequila, Averna Amaro, Kusmi Tea and an array of projects and events within the company. She is a New York member of the United States Bartender Guild and enjoys experimenting with fun cocktail ideas. When Sara isn't working or writing, she is hanging out with her family and friends, walking with beagle Bailey, listening to good music or reading a mystery novel.

Erica Nonni, Account Supervisor

A fascination with food and drink, a family that loves to eat, a study abroad experience in Tuscany and an early career in pharmaceuticals drove Erica to pursue a life in international gastronomy. Since then, Erica has spent several years working in wine and food marketing communications in the US, the UK, Italy and France, developing exciting trade and consumer programs. She earned her Bachelors degrees (cum laude) from Georgetown University, her Masters degree (with Merit) from the London School of Economics and a WSET Advanced Certificate (with Distinction). In her spare time, Erica enjoys traveling, hosting dinner parties, discovering new wine bars and learning obscure languages.

Dana Polonsky, Account Executive

As a recent graduate of George Washington University, Dana is utilizing her prior experiences, including internships and education, in the PR world. Her interest in media relations, communications and event management began at a young age when Dana realized that planning events, networking, and bossing people around happened to be very fun. Dana received her Bachelor's of Business Administration with a concentration in marketing and a secondary field degree in communications. Through Dana's various internships, she has experience working with the FBI, California Tortilla, The World Football Challenge, Levi's, Unilever and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, among others. Her passion for all things food, wine and spirits continues to grow and her curiosity is a driving force behind her desire to learn everything about the epicurean world. When she's not working with food and wine, Dana can usually be found talking about food and wine, cooking, reading, dancing and spending time with her friends and family.

Alessandro Boga, Account Executive

Native Italian with a Master Degree in Economics, Alessandro was born and raised in a small village located close to the Adriatic Sea in the Rimini province of Romagna. With a passion for traveling, he discovered the importance to make experiences in culturally different environments during his studies in Istanbul, Turkey, where Alessandro had the chance to meet and know students from all over Europe. The will of making connections and keeping relationships during that time made him strongly interested in the Communications and Marketing area of business. London and Publishing were the first city and industry where Alessandro practiced his communications skills.

Alessandro joined Colangelo & Partners Public Relations in November 2010, after one year of experience in public relations in another New York based agency that specialized in housewares, design and food. Working for brands like Bodum and Australian Lamb made him extremely passionate about food. At CPR, Alessandro does media relations and digital marketing for the Soave Consortium, Di Palo Selects, Arnaldo Caprai Wines and the Speck Alto Adige/Asiago Cheese promotional program.

In the States since November 2009, Alessandro was awarded a Professional Certificate in Digital Media Marketing from New York University, where he increased his knowledge and dedication to the digital and social media marketing area. He regularly attends seminars and Meet Up groups in order to be always on the top of innovations in these fields.

Denise Finnegan, Assistant Account Executive

Who knew that a seminal foodie experience at Di Palo Fine Foods in Little Italy would be the fate of Irish native Denise Finnegan to turn her passion for everything food into a public relations career at Colangelo.
A graduate of Dublin City University in Media Production Management with a concentration in French may have situated Denise in Paris rather than New York but a burning desire to make it in the Big Apple sent her West.
Working on media relations for such clients as Ferrarelle, Grana Padano and BOLD Organics pizza couldn't be further away from her previous roles as campaign coordinator for an Irish senator and production assistant for local music radio station but it is definitely more colorful and gratifying.
When not happily juggling the needs of her diverse clients, Denise makes the most of what the city has to offer and hits the beach to tan in the summer and the mountains to ski badly in the winter, always packing a picnic from her now client, Di Palo Fine Foods.

Sarah Catherine Tunkle, Account Coordinator

Sarah Catherine fell in love with PR when she realized it was the ideal field in which she could incorporate all her passions without having to leave any behind. CPR is the perfect place where she can capitalize on experiences and utilize them whilst working with the media and on various accounts. As a student of Journalism and Mass Communication and Geography, doors opened wide; she was able to write, travel, and experience a variety of cultures.

During her time at the University of Georgia, Sarah Catherine spent a semester in Washington, D.C. working for a Congressman and studying everything from public relations to international intelligence. Sarah then went on to study in France where she was able to cultivate her palate and travel about Europe. Ultimately, she fell in love with French and Italian vineyards. She became interested in how the wine traveled from vineyard to consumer. After leaving, she returned home, worked as a TV reporter, and finally moved to New York City. Eataly offered her a job in their wine department, and her experience with Italians and wine only made her love for both grow stronger. You can't find Sarah Catherine too far from a glass of wine, musical instrument, or a pen and paper. She looks forward to discovering and introducing others to new territories in the world of food and wine.

Maria Winters DiMarco, Project Coordinator

During her four years at the Roy H. Park School of Communications at Ithaca College, Maria spent a semester in Florence, Italy, where she studied culinary arts and the Italian language. After graduating with a degree in Integrated Marketing Communications, and concentrations in environmental studies and international communications, Maria decided to combine her passion for all things Italian with her degree. Working at CPR has allowed Maria to expand her knowledge of social media planning and execution, media and client relations, and event planning and logistics. Prior to joining CPR, Maria worked at Eataly NY as an Italian Food Education intern and has also been a contributor to Vineyard Adventures, a wine and culinary tour company.

Hidenao Miyamoto, IT & Web Manager

Hidenao has been working at Colangelo & Partners since January, 2008, when he moved to New York from Tokyo, Japan, where he had worked as a software developer/programmer for many years. At CPR, 'Hide' (pronounced 'Hee Day') takes care of IT issues; updates and maintains websites and blogs; designs and programs electronic invitations, announcements, enewsletters and so forth; and developed and maintains an extensive data base of company contacts. Hide speaks the language of computers as opposed to other Colangelo & Partners members who speak many other languages.