Michael Angelini is the grandson of Aeolian born grandparents on his mother’s side, who came from Lipari and Salina. Since 2005 at the age of 15 he has been researching his ancestry and since 2007 has been helping others find their own ancestors.

Michael has created many online indexes from the birth, marriage and death records on the islands relating to the years 1820-1910. He is an active committee member and Assistant Director of Events at the SIE. He aims that his research and data collection will help other descendants from the Aeolian Islands go back further in their ancestry.

Dr Lucia Barbera, currently living in Melbourne and working as a Secondary LOTE teacher, holds a PhD in the History of Social Institutions and Development Cooperation from the University of Messina, a Master of Teaching from Deakin University, Melbourne and an Advanced Master’s Degree in Institutions and Policies of Human Rights and Peace from the University of Padua. She has worked in public and private organizations for the promotion and protection of women’s and children’s rights, in Veneto and in Sicily, and collaborated for different publications at various academic levels.

In 2015, Dr Barbera received a Letter of Commendation from the Commissioner of Messina Province, as a formal and official recognition of her vast and dedicated contribution to the research and photographic/documentary exhibition on the history of foundlings and abandoned children in Messina (Sicily).

John Barnao was born in Carlton to parents who migrated from Stromboli. His father Vincenzo first came to Australia in 1927 as a 13-year-old and worked as a typical fruiterer all his life. He studied Economics and Commerce at the University of Melbourne and Arts at Monash. He then went on to pursue a career in Banking, Accountancy and Tax.

John is a member of various local historical societies and in recent years has been collecting photos and stories of Aeolian migrant experiences. A few years ago, he wrote a paper for the Italian Historical Society detailing the root causes of Aeolian migration and the significance of the Società’ Isole Eolie in directing the decision of many to come to Australia. He is presently our SIE Treasurer.

Robert Mandile was born in Melbourne. He has completed a Teaching Diploma, an Arts Degree at LaTrobe University, ‘majoring in History, a Theology Degree and a Graduate Diploma in Religious

Education. Robert has taught at seven schools, teaching Years 6 to Year 12, also holding various positions of responsibility spanning 43 years. He is semi-retired, but undertaking emergency teaching and also a Tertiary Supervisor with Australian Catholic University. Growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, he spent much time with his family, meeting with relatives and attending various Aeolian events organised by the SIE. He has always had a love of history and after eight years of research published a book in 2010 of family trees and personal stories entitled ‘From the Aeolian Islands to Melbourne and Sydney’. A total of 205 copies were first published, and 40 copies of a second edition were printed several years later.

Cristina Neri was born in the country Victorian town of Horsham. Both her mother and father migrated to Australia from the Aeolian island of Salina soon after the Second World War.
Cristina’s father owned a succession of cafés and established the district’s first reception centre and bistro, the La Fontana. Cristina grew up in these kitchens as well as at the feet of her Nonna, thus igniting an appreciation for her Aeolian heritage and its food.

Cristina is a graphic designer, illustrator, photographer and author. Her favourite subject is her family and Aeolian heritage. She has recently written and illustrated her first children’s picture book titled For Love which is set on the island of Salina.

In 2013, she initiated the Eoliano Heritage Study Program to reunite descendants like herself with their cultural past and on 2016, curated the exhibition titled From Volcanoes We Sailed which featured at the Immigration Museum of Victoria. Cristina also wrote and produced the documentary Ammunini to celebrate the 90th year anniversary of the Società Isole Eolie.

It is Cristina’s hope that she can honour the Aeolian people, their journeys, cultural traditions and foods by her contributions as a committee member of the Società Isole Eolie.

Joe Russo was born in Geelong to parents of Aeolian ancestry from Lipari and Salina. Joe has been researching his own ancestry and the genealogy of the Aeolian Islands, in particular, for over two decades. What started off as a hobby grew into a greater appreciation of the islands’ history, culture and especially its rich and often complex genealogical past.

After having created his first website on the subject back in the 1990s when the internet was still relatively unknown, now includes social media and an evolving new website and blog. Joe travels to the Aeolian Islands frequently.

After many years of teaching – originally as a Primary School Teacher, then an Italian Language Teacher, Janetta returned to university as a mature student upon receiving a scholarship to study an Advanced Diploma in Interpreting at RMIT in 2015.

Janetta is now a practising Certified Interpreter for the Italian community as well as working for the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI).

A member of the Regional Advisory Council for the Victorian Multicultural Commission, Janetta is immersed in the Italian community of Melbourne and is the Director of Events for the Società Isole Eolie of Melbourne.