Renaissance Minds

On this episode of Renaissance Minds, we sit down with Danielle Marie Fusco, an award-winning dancer, choreographer, aerialist, and cultural preservationist, for an empowering discussion at the intersection of art, ancestry, and identity. From Off-Broadway stages to international performance and education, Danielle shares how her work reimagines Southern Italian folk traditions - especially tarant...

On this episode of Renaissance Minds, Silvia Davi and Chris R. Vaccaro sit down with Andrew Cotto, the Editor-in-Chief of Appetito Magazine, novelist, and journalist, for a rich conversation at the intersection of food, culture, and storytelling. From his roots in Brooklyn to building a career across fiction and culinary media, Andrew shares how place, identity, and narrative shape his voice. We e...

For our final Renaissance Minds podcast episode of 2025, we were delighted to spotlight the co-founders of CulturaPaths , Riccardo Riboni and Viola Migliori, the visionaries behind an innovative Milan-based roots tourism company that blends in-depth genealogical research with fully customized travel experiences. Leveraging Italy's unique distinction as the country with the most UNESCO World Herita...

This episode of Renaissance Minds , Salvatore Bono joins Silvia Davi and Chris R. Vaccaro to talk about his podcast CURVA MUNDIAL, which was nominated for Best International Podcast at the Football Content Awards. Bono is a first-generation Italian American who grew up on Long Island and now lives in New York City. With roots spanning across Sicily, he proudly embraces his heritage and the culture...

With the official soccer season underway, tune into our latest Renaissance Minds podcast featuring Alessandro Gherardi from Serie A. As Head of Marketing & Commercial for Serie A's business in North America, discover the exciting elements of Alessandro's role as he oversees Serie A's regional business in the U.S., with a focus on commercial growth and impactful activations.  Born in Bologna, Italy...

⚽ NEW EPISODE: From chasing the pro dream in  Italy , to competing in New York, and now working in an  Italian professional club, Silvia Davi and Chris R. Vaccaro sat down with Andrea Previati , brand amplification and engagement coordinator for Juventus, to hear about his incredible journey from student-athlete to working with soccer legends, and his transition to a brand engagement role at the...

The latest episode of Renaissance Minds features a behind-the-scenes discussion with NYU Professor Gina Antoniello from the Tisch Institute for Global Sport. Listen about Professor Antoniello's dynamic career and expertise as a leading educator in the global business of sports, which now reaches a yearly record high of $170 billion in revenue. On a more personal note, co-hosts Silvia Davi and Chri...

In this episode of  Renaissance Minds , we sit down with two icons of Italian and international baseball — Marco Mazzieri, President of the Federation of Italian Baseball and Softball, and Frank Catalanotto, current Hofstra manager, former MLB veteran, and Team Italy player. They share their journeys from the dugout to leadership roles, reflect on the growth of baseball in Italy, and discuss the f...

Listen to our latest episode of the Renaissance Minds podcast with television personality, producer, and creator of Brindiamo!, Ornella Fado. Hear about her journey in the U.S. as a TV host, launching the first TV SHOW about fine Italian eateries and lifestyles called Brindiamo!    Let's toast as she celebrates 20 years of Broadcasting on NYC MEDIA. The shows are available to stream on TUBI TV, Am...

Tune into our latest Renaissance Minds podcast with Carlo Treviso, the author of Siciliana , a cinematic historical thriller novel set during the explosive 1282 Sicilian Vespers uprising. The story follows Aetna Vespiri, a young woman whose life is shattered by French oppressors, driving her to ignite a rebellion that will change Sicily forever. Inspired by his Sicilian heritage, Treviso weaves hi...

Dr. Andrea Fedi is the Director of the Center for Italian Studies at Stony Brook University. Dr. Fedi has been a faculty member at Stony Brook since 1994, following the completion of his PhD in Italian Studies from the University of Toronto. His academic journey at Stony Brook has spanned multiple departments, including European Languages, Cultural Studies, Comparative Literature, and, most recent...

Robert Campana, Founder of Stop Italian Sounding, joins Silvia Davi and Chris R. Vaccaro on the first episode of Renaissance Minds for a fascinating discussion on his journey to build awareness of Italian food and beverage products.   Learn what inspired this teacher and Italian-American influencer to build a community that promotes "real" Italian food products vs. "Italian-sounding" products whil...