Francesca Barsellotti lost her mother in 1999. From that point on, she was determined to follow a path that would not only help her with the healing process, but also make her mother proud. In 2000, Barsellotti was accepted into the prestigious culinary arts program at Le Cordon Bleu. Since graduating, she has hit the ground running as the pastry and executive chef behind Amoremia Cucina Italiana in Chicago’s Old Irving Park neighborhood and the pastry chef at the Puerto Rican-inspired Coco Restaurant in Chicago’s Humboldt Park. “At first, I went to school to study math and accounting, but when …

Student athletes have their hands full juggling the demands of their academic and athletic schedules, leaving little room for extracurricular involvement. But don’t tell that to Chuck Porcelli. Not only has he earnsed a spot as a starting offensive tackle for the Northwestern Wildcats, he has performed above and beyond the call of duty in the university’s Learning and Organizational Change program while battling childhood illnesses as part of a national program known as Uplifting Athletes. Porcelli is a 2008 graduate of Montini High School, where he played offensive tackle for the varsity team all four years. His freshman year, …

America marked Women’s History Month in March, but on Feb. 18, Casa Italia held a celebration of its own, honoring renowned NBC5 anchor Allison Rosati as Woman of the Year. The event was a huge success, with nearly 500 well-wishers turning out to support Rosati as well as the Casa’s mission of “preserving Italian heritage and sharing Italian culture.” Behind the scenes, another woman was making an impact. Her name is Kimberly Palmisano, chair of the 2012 gala. Palmisano is an attorney in Chicago with areas of concentration in international, corporate and real estate law. After completing her undergraduate degree …

These days, you can’t do anything without access to a computer or the internet. Many people take these tools for granted, or fail to realize how truly important they are in everyday life. That’s where Joe Mannarelli comes in. A Notre Dame High School alum from Des Plaines and a senior at DePaul University, Mannarelli is a volunteer through the university at Computer Literacy In Our Community. CLIC is a project of A Safe Haven Foundation, a 120-day transitional shelter for homeless adults and children that provides residents with the skills they need to be able to live on their …

Financial professional Franco La Marca learned his life lessons well. He traces his Italian roots to Alta Villa Milicia, the small town outside Palermo where his parents, Mario and Marianna, were born. They currently live in Glenview and visit family and friends in Sicily yearly. “My parents always emphasized to give back the blessings that they had instilled in me through affording me an education in college and law school, to get involved in philanthropy.” La Marca put those lessons to good use when he took a leadership position as founder of the Associate Board and as co-chair of the …

Gulia Huertas is not your average “yogi.” In fact, the owner/operator of P.S. Yoga in Chicago’s Galewood neighborhood (psyogachicago.com) is the quintessential role model for aspiring yoga instructors and entrepreneurs. Huertas, who is petite but very strong both mentally and physically, started her yoga journey in high school as a result of an injury she suffered as a cheerleader. Ten concussions, three auto accidents, two cycling accidents and a handful of unfortunate events later, “The only thing that has made me heal and feel better was yoga,” she explains. While taking yoga classes at a local gym, she worked part-time …

Patience, determination and heart are all qualities that one must possess while pursuing a career in musical theater. Nick Cosgrove — a Park Ridge native and current star of the “Jersey Boys” national tour — has all those qualities and countless more. “I do theater because it inspires people!” he enthuses. Cosgrove’s love of singing began while he was learning to walk. “I was an introverted toddler so music opened me up,” he confesses. His mother bought him Disney sing-a-long tapes, which got the ball rolling. The next step was singing lessons, and from the third grade on, he was …