The prestigious Donna Distinta Award, presented by the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA) and the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations (COPOMIAO), celebrates outstanding women of Italian descent to spotlight their contributions, from culture and industry to philanthropy and advocacy.
The June 2025 Donna Distinta Award went to Pamela Dorazio Dean, a historian, archivist and director of the Italian American Museum of Cleveland (IAMCLE), in recognition of her preservation and celebration of Italian American history and culture. A dedicated leader whose work bridges scholarship, community, and personal legacy, Pamela stands as a powerful example of how honoring the past can help shape a more inclusive and vibrant future.
For Pamela, the award is both personal and profound. “I’m incredibly honored and humbled to receive this award,” she shared. “But I can’t help thinking of my parents — especially my father. He was the son of Italian immigrants. He grew up facing discrimination because of his ethnicity. What would he think now, seeing his daughter being recognized for helping lead the Italian American community and preserving this history? That’s what makes this moment so meaningful.”
Pamela was born and raised on the East Side of Cleveland during the 1970s and 80s. While Cleveland is widely known as a city of immigrants with distinct ethnic enclaves, the neighborhood where she grew up was more mixed — home to Lithuanians, Italians, Croatians, Slovenians, and other second- and third-generation Americans.
Her maternal great-grandparents emigrated from Poland and settled in Cleveland in the early 1890s, while her paternal grandparents arrived from Civitella Messer Raimondo in Abruzzo, Italy, in 1910, settling in the small coal mining town of Bentleyville in western Pennsylvania. Pamela’s father, Frank, moved to Cleveland in the 1950s in search of greater opportunity, where he met her mother, Rosemarie. Though her household preserved elements of both cultures, especially in food and family traditions, her parents belonged to a generation encouraged to assimilate. Ethnic identity was often softened in favor of “being American.”
“Growing up, I felt that my parents were the ones who had the ethnic identity, and I was outside of it,” Pamela reflected. “My mother spoke Polish to her family and friends, but never to us. My father didn’t speak Italian, though he understood some. For me, I saw myself as a typical American kid.” It wasn’t until observing a friend who was immersed in Croatian culture, language school, folk dance, and community events, that Pamela began to reflect on her own heritage more deeply.
Her initial curiosity turned toward her Polish ancestry, but over time, her Italian heritage grew increasingly prominent. As she matured and engaged in deeper conversations with her Italian relatives, her interest in that part of her identity flourished, especially as she entered college. At Kent State University, she studied Italian language and began tracing her genealogy. Though her career ambitions were initially broader, focused on museum work and public history, her heritage would eventually take center stage.
Pamela earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and Philosophy and a Master of Arts in History with a concentration in Public History from Kent State. Her academic path laid the groundwork for what would become a remarkable career in history museums and cultural preservation. In 2017, she furthered her professional credentials by becoming a Certified Archivist through the Academy of Certified Archivists. In 2023, she studied the Italian diaspora in Rome through a program offered by The John D. Calandra Italian American Institute and Roma Tre University, further deepening her international perspective on migration, identity, and belonging.
In 2006, Pamela joined the Western Reserve Historical Society (WRHS), one of Ohio’s oldest cultural institutions, as a curator and archivist specializing in Italian American history. She took on the challenge of organizing and expanding a collection documenting the Italian Americans of Northeast Ohio that had been underrepresented and under-resourced. Her work included building archives, developing public programs, and curating exhibitions, most notably “Domare: The Art & History of Italian Stone Carving in Northeast Ohio,” which highlighted a rich but often overlooked contribution of Italian Americans to the region’s built environment.
Perhaps her most impactful achievement has been the establishment, development, curation, and administration of the Italian American Museum of Cleveland. As founding director, Pamela helped transform a vision into a thriving institution dedicated to preserving and sharing the Italian American experience in all its complexity. IAMCLE is now a cornerstone of cultural life in Northeast Ohio, displaying artifacts, documents, and community narratives that share the positive contributions Italian Americans have made to the region. Under her leadership, the museum has expanded its offerings to include educational programming, lectures, workshops, cultural celebrations, and student engagement initiatives. Through this multifaceted approach, IAMCLE not only safeguards history but brings it vividly to life for new generations.
Her leadership has garnered recognition across the region. Pamela has received awards from the American Nationalities Movement, the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA), and the Cleveland Italian American Heritage Committee, which she has chaired since 2016. In 2024, she was invited by ISDA National President Basil Russo to attend a special reception at the White House in honor of Italian American Heritage Month, hosted by former First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and President Joe Biden.
Pamela also serves on the Board of Directors for the Northeast Ohio Inter-Museum Council and has served on the Board of Advisors for her alma mater, Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School, and the Cleveland Archival Roundtable. She is an honorary member of Il Cenacolo Italiano di Cleveland and a proud member of the ISDA University Lodge, led by Marie Frank. Pamela is a contributing editor to the ISDA’s national journal, La Nostra Voce. As a speaker and author, she has brought vital attention to issues of ethnic identity, immigrant experience, and the importance of community-based storytelling.
But while her resume is extensive, it’s the emotional thread that runs through Pamela’s work that makes her legacy so compelling. Through her roles as historian, curator, and community advocate, she has reconnected with her own heritage in profound ways. “Because of my work, I’ve deeply explored my Italian roots and come to understand how much they shaped my upbringing, even when I didn’t realize it. From the food to the family structure, the culture was always there.”
Receiving the Donna Distinta Award is more than a professional honor, it is a full-circle moment. “This award doesn’t just belong to me,” she said. “It belongs to my grandparents, who arrived with nothing but hope. It belongs to my father, who bore the weight of shame for what should have been a source of pride. It belongs to my mother, who held our world together with strength and grace, and to my siblings, who walked beside me through it all. It belongs to my daughter, who will carry our story forward. And, finally, it belongs to every child of immigrants who has ever wondered if their story truly matters.”
In honoring Pamela Dorazio Dean, the Donna Distinta Award celebrates not only her accomplishments, but her courage to look back, dig deep, and turn memory into mission. Through her work, she has ensured that the stories and contributions of Italian Americans are not only remembered but revered. Her impact on Cleveland’s cultural landscape is lasting. And her legacy, rooted in resilience, compassion, and community will continue to inspire generations to come.
